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Urban Meyer Blasts 'Idiots' After National Championship Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Jan 22, 2025 3:09 PM ET

Former national championship head coach Urban Meyer did not hold back when responding to the fiery critiques that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day received while leading the Buckeyes to a national championship.

Ohio State overcame two regular season losses, including a fourth-straight loss to rival Michigan, to put together a memorable College Football Playoff run.

The season came to an end against Notre Dame in the national title game, and the Irish were outmatched. The Buckeyes held a 31-7 lead in the third quarter before a late Notre Dame surge led to a 34-23 finish.

Meyer led Ohio State to a national championship in 2014 after leading the Florida Gators to a pair of titles in 2006 and 2008. Day served under Meyer as the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator from 2017-18.

The three-time national champion knows a thing or two about dealing with critics, and Meyer spoke out against "idiots" on social media for the backlash Day received during the regular season.

"I coached a long time and a lot has been made of it and coach Day and the pressures of coaching at a place like Ohio State," he said on "The Triple Option." "I made the comment that that’s not gonna change. The thing that has got to change and has changed is the idiots on social media that don’t sign their name to stuff.”

It wasn't hard during the regular season to find Ohio State fans on social media that called for the firing of Day, who sits second all-time in career head coach winning percentage (.875) in six seasons at Ohio State.

Meyer recalled a moment from his time at Florida after replacing Hall of Fame coach Steve Spurrier. The Gators lost to Spurrier's South Carolina, drawing early boos from UF fans while the program held a 7-2 record that season.

"I walk in to do my radio show on a Thursday, and I am the most miserable human being," Meyer said. "I’m a stranger in a strange land down south there, and I come walking in and they boo me. I’m 7-2 I think at the time.”

Meyer went on to note the aggressive nature of fans at that time and how it led to fear for he and his family's safety.

“We never got the issues with the losing part but we got the issues with nutjob fans that would say things about my girls or something and we would have police come 24/7 around the house a few times just because you’re in the public eye," he said.

Day has silenced those critics, for now, after bringing the Buckeyes their first national championship in 10 seasons. However, some Ohio State fans will probably only be truly satisfied with a win in The Game in 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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