Eight minutes into his meeting with the media on Monday, Stan Drayton found himself at a loss for words. And it wasn’t because of a question that had anything to do with his running back rotation.
“Is Urban handling losses any different than he did during his time at Florida?” the Ohio State running backs coach was asked, a camcorder held mere inches from his face.
“Wow,” Drayton responded after a pause. “You got me on that question. I would have to say…”
The question—and answer—were obviously complicated.
When Urban Meyer unexpectedly retired from Florida in 2009, he did so facing a sobering reality: his next loss could be his last.
The health issues that led to Meyer’s early retirement have never really been defined, but this much we know: In the early morning following the Gators’ loss to Alabama in the 2009 SEC Championship Game—a de facto play-in game for the BCS Championship Game—Meyer was admitted to a hospital after suffering from chest pains. The two-time national champion coach’s initial retirement lasted less than 24 hours, however, as Meyer opted to return to Florida for the 2010 season following a brief leave of absence.
And as it turned out, Meyer’s next loss wasn’t his last. The post-Tim Tebow era in Gainesville turned out to be lower risk and much lower reward, as the Gators ultimately struggled to an 8-5 record after enjoying a 26-2 run from 2008-09.
Meyer would again leave Florida, this time for good, and again citing his…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: How Does Urban Meyer 2.0 Handle a Loss?
