Urban Meyer responds to former Ohio State player’s troubling allegation
Former Ohio State defensive back Marcus Williamson made some disturbing claims about Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes football program on Saturday, and Meyer felt the need to respond to one of them.
Williamson was one of several scholarship players who did not join Ohio State for their Rose Bowl game against Utah. He then went on a Twitter rant during the game in which he revealed he has retired from playing. Williamson, a fifth-year senior, bashed Ohio State fans and the team’s coaching staff. He also said Meyer once used a photo of Trayvon Martin in a PowerPoint slide that informed Buckeyes players of the team’s “no hoods” policy.
My first team meeting. (True story 2017) This photo was presented to us via PowerPoint to institute our building wide rule of “no hoods” in the building pic.twitter.com/bGdJVZaEVT
— Marcus Williamson (@WW_Marcus) January 2, 2022
Jeff Snook, an author who has written several books about Ohio State, reached out to Meyer to ask him about Williamson’s claims. Meyer admitted he had a no hats, hoodies or sunglasses rule for team meetings, but he said it is “absolutely false” that he used a photo of Martin.
“Our team rule was no hats or hoodies or sunglasses of any kind but only in team meetings, just so we could see their eyes and make sure they were paying attention and not asleep. We did not, and never would show a picture of Trayvon Martin. My gosh, no,” Meyer said. “That is absolutely false and you can check with any other player on my teams during that time to confirm what I am saying. Other players know what he is saying is false. I would never do that. He is crossing the line here. It seems people are just piling on now. But that never happened.”
Other players who played under Meyer defended the coach.
— Evan Spencer (@E_Spencer6) January 2, 2022
Saw a former Buckeye brother sharing about his career last night. We can get into the free labor economy of CFB as a whole, but painting OSU as racist ain’t it. And Urban was a tough ass coach, but he always invested in us as players and people. Just a window into my experience.
— Joshua Perry (@RIP_JEP) January 2, 2022
Meyer was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars last month following a brief yet disastrous tenure with the team. There have probably been more negative headlines written about him in recent months than in all of his previous coaching years combined. Williamson managed to add to that.
Photo: Joseph Maiorana-USA Today Sports