Urban Meyer, the former head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, has been under attack by one of the premier college football voices in the country, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum.
Finebaum suggested that Meyer’s outrageously successful tenure at Ohio State was, in fact, a disappointment due to the lack of multiple national championships.
This comment has sparked a debate in the college football world and many wondered if there might be a personal feud between the two.
During his seven seasons at Ohio State, Meyer achieved an impressive record of 83-9, leading the Buckeyes to five bowl victories and a national championship.
His ability to turn around a program in flux and consistently produce winning teams earned him widespread acclaim. However, Finebaum believes that Meyer should have accomplished even more during his time at Ohio State.
Speaking on “The Matt Barrie Show,” Finebaum argued that Meyer had “underachieved” in Columbus. He suggested that winning the inaugural College Football Playoff in 2014 should have been just the beginning for the Buckeyes.
Finebaum also highlighted the 2015 season, where Ohio State went 12-1 but missed out on the Big Ten Championship despite being considered the best team in the country. The Buckeyes ultimately won the Fiesta Bowl, defeating Notre Dame 44-28.
“Ryan Day, they should have had a national championship by now. I would argue going back in time, Urban Meyer underachieved with only one national championship during his tenure. He missed out a couple of times,” Finebaum expressed during the show.
He specifically mentioned the 2015 season, pointing out the loss to Michigan State as a missed opportunity for Ohio State.
Despite Finebaum’s critical stance, it is worth acknowledging the remarkable accomplishments of Meyer’s teams. His ability to produce NFL-caliber players and maintain dominance over archrival Michigan cannot be discounted or overlooked.
However, Finebaum’s perspective raises questions about whether Meyer maximized the potential of those exceptionally talented Buckeye teams of the mid-2010s.
While it may be difficult to argue that a coach who won 90% of his games underachieved, the comments made by Finebaum have certainly ignited a discussion among Ohio State fans and others.
Some may believe that Meyer’s tenure at Ohio State, despite its successes, could have yielded even greater achievements.
Do you agree with Finebaum?
At the end of the day, national championships are the ultimate goal for programs such as Ohio State.
Should Meyer have won more?