Urban Meyer opened up to Brandon Sneed of Bleacher Report Magazine about past mental health struggles at Florida (170 pounds and needing two Ambiens and a beer go to sleep), his exit from Florida, his transition to OSU and ultimately his triumphs from past struggles.
In it, Meyer enlightens the world to what bonded him and Tim Tebow: An obsession of going undefeated, which had never (and still hasn't) been done. He also admits to being reduced to anger by hot takes of the era:
He could not get it out of his head—and he had a combative streak, not to mention a serious need for control. “I would want to confront it,” he says. “When a guy would write some scathing article about me, that used to really bother me. I didn’t get it. I’m like, What IS that? You don’t KNOW me. … That ate me up.”
Obviously, things changed. Meyer picked up Lead, for God's Sake! during a soul-searching trip to Stanford. (He also consulted with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops about work-life balance.) When he wanted the Ohio State job, his family made him signed the fabled pink contract.
He also met Focus 3 founder Tim Kight, who helped revolutionized how Meyer coached mental toughness within his team. (You can read more on that relationship over here.) When his 2013 lost to Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship, the old Meyer would've melted down. Thanks to Kight, he gave what's described as "one of the best speeches of his career."
They lost the game 34-24, and in the locker room after, everyone was heartbroken, the players were crying and Urban was as crushed as any of them. But he stood up, and he gave one of the best speeches of his career. We’re gonna learn. We’re gonna get better.Full of compassion, of empathy. Full of vision.
Ohio State fans should all remember what happened next.
Sneed's article is recommended in full.
