Putting a national championship-caliber college football team together could be compared to creating an artistic masterpiece. It may not be too much of a stretch to suggest the process a major college head coach follows has some remarkable parallels to that of a master artist.
He has to have a creative mind – and the expertise to put a great work together. He has to have a studio in which to work – complete with all the facilities he'll need at his immediate disposal. And he has to have the drive to keep on renewing his effort year after year – even though he knows every attempt will not necessarily result in a true “masterpiece”.
What better “studio” could the artist/coach have than Ohio State's athletic facilities? Head coach, Urban Meyer, has the ideal setting in which to create his works of art. After all, a few great Buckeye “artists” from previous eras have created their own masterpieces at the same location. One of them did it an incredible, five times (assuming one includes 1970) .
Next, he needs the basic materials for the job - like just the right brushes, for example. Perhaps, Meyer's assistant coaches could be compared to the artist's brushes, etc., in this instance. He's going to have to use those tools in order to mix and apply the paints to his exacting standards.
Not that the coaches are really “tools”, necessarily. But they have been called far worse during those hot August two-a-days.
The players, of course, parallel the paints. For years, the artist/coach has been seeking out and collecting the best combination of paints, with the most vibrant colors he can possibly assemble. Meyer will be using a lot of fresh, new paints this year - an incredible, forty-five with freshman eligibility, by the way.
Already known as a master, at this point in his career, Urban Meyer has less trouble collecting just what he needs for his work than a struggling young artist might. As noted, he already has the best studio and he's accumulated some of the finest brushes, etc. Along with his own reputation, this enables him to gather some of the highest quality, fresh paints available every year, as well.
After all, Meyer has created masterpieces before. As a matter of fact, the most recent one was technically the first in college football history to be universally recognized as absolutely undisputed.
With Spring practice underway, Urban Meyer is just beginning to make the preliminary sketches for this year's attempt at another masterpiece. Of course, he has his brushes ready - including two new ones this year, incidentally. Both are named Greg, oddly enough.
But Meyer has run out of some paints he had grown accustomed to over the last few years – and several of the remaining ones are still recovering from injuries. However, the artist/coach was able to hold on to some core hues. Three of them (Barrett, Elflein and McMillan) will form the very basis of this year's painting – right through the middle of the canvas.
Naturally, he has acquired what he feels are the ideal new paints to join in the effort - but he hasn't had a chance to see exactly how they'll mix with the others, yet. Fortunately, the painting won't really begin in earnest until Fall Camp.
Meyer has gone to great lengths to have just the right combination of colors and consistencies ready to apply to his canvas. But they will have been be enhanced even further by the time Fall Camp begins by the top specialist in that particular field - the mystical, Mickey Marotti. As he's done for years, Marotti will make sure those colors have reached their full luster by the time the master calls for them.
Brush in hand, Meyer won't actually begin to apply the paints to the canvas (of the season) until Autumn. Will it be in the familiar style of his power-spread? Might he incorporate some other elements this time?
Will there be more hurry-up, for instance? Perhaps, a delightful blend of zone and gap blocking schemes. Or, some more pro-style elements – as opposed to as much of a reliance on the read option?
In any case, the offense may have a more “airy” feel to it this year– due to Meyer's faith in Barrett. In fact, it could be argued last year's effort emphasized earth tones at the expense of an air game a little too much.
There will also be a new co-coordinator along with a lot of new faces on defense.
Regardless, the work is sure to be done in a glorious style by the time it all comes together.
There will, of course, be a foundation (line) of heavier colors like Elflein and Price on one side – and Lewis, Hill and Hubbard on another.
And then – streaks of Barrett will be visible on the ground and through the air – counterbalanced by dabs of McMillan in the holes. There will be the familiar flare of Conley, Samuel, Smith, Baugh and Campbell, throughout. And there will be splashes of various bright new colors here and there, as well.
Of course, there's an inherent risk in dabbling with so many hues Meyer hasn't used before – but that's a big part of what could make this particular creation so special.
No matter what – in due time, all will be brought forth by the master's caring, thoughtful touch. It's not a masterpiece every year, of course. That's not a realistic expectation. (And to be fair – the greatest actual artistic masters of all time were able to burn their attempts that didn't pan out)
Nonetheless, with Meyer, the finished product is almost always at least in the general neighborhood of a great work of art. Buckeyes everywhere are curious to see what the master has in mind this time -
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