Urban Meyer On Ryan Day Succeeding Him, "I Always Liked Taking Over Places That Were a Mess"
Urban Meyer is one of the greatest coaches in college football history. While he did not have the same success at the NFL level, he certainly made his mark with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Meyer took over for Jim Tressel, who is also a legendary coach. While speaking to Chimdi Chekwa and Bryant Browning of Bleav Network's Bleav in Buckeye Football, Meyer was asked how hard it is to take over a program that has already been made to be great.
"How challenging is it to, one, keep some of what was good before but also you want to make it what you create or what you do? Do you think that's something that's challenging, or is that a head start?"
via Chimdi Chekwa, Bleav in Buckeyes Football
"I always like taking over places that were a mess. You could blow it up and you would never have to hear, 'Well this is the way they used to do it.' I would always say you could take a fire hose to it or a garden hose to it and you clean it up a bit. I went to Bowling Green and they had six straight losing seasons. I took a blowtorch to it."
Meyer is talking about being able to leave your mark as a coach with a program that is worse off than a team like the Buckeyes. After Meyer left for the NFL, he was succeeded by Ryan Day in 2018.
Day immediately continued the success that Meyer had, as the Buckeyes have posted a winning record each season, and nearly came away with a National Championship as well.
It is important to create your legacy, but some coaches have been taught by the right people resulting in their ability to continue the winning ways of their predecessors. Meyer just liked having the challenge of taking an underdog team and turning them into a national champion. That is why he is one of the greats.
