Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer are two of the greatest coaches in Ohio State history, but before they became linked as Buckeye coaches, they both played each other in the 2006-2007 National Championship, and a crazy story from that game came out on Tuesday that nobody ever heard before.
Zach Smith Sits Down With Eric Lichter, Who Coached Under Jim Tressel
Former Ohio State wide receiver coach Zach Smtih, who coached under Urban Meyer at Florida and Ohio State, had Buckeyes former Director of Football Performance Eric Lichter, who was hired by Jim Tressel in 2006 on his Menace 2 Sports Podcast. It was awesome to listen and encourage everyone to check it out, but Lichter told a story that I’m sure many people have never heard before, and it is Jim Tressel taking a huge shot at Meyer for something he forgot to do.
Jim Tressel Takes A Shot At Urban Meyer For Not Introducing His Wife
Before Urban Meyer led Ohio State to a National Championship in 2014, he was the head coach of the Florida Gators. He met his future employer, Ohio State, and Jim Tressel in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game.
Before the game, both head coaches introduced their coaching staff at an event. Meyer first introduced his entire staff, and then Tressel went next to introduce his Ohio State coaches. But before he said a single word about the coaches on his staff, he made it known that Meyer messed up.
Lichter stated that Jim Tressel states towards Meyer, “Urban, a lesson was taught to me very early on in my life by a great mentor coach of mine, so I’m going to pay it forward to you. He said the very first thing you always do is introduce the most important person in the program; you introduce the CEO of your program, your wife.”
Jim Tressel Takes Shot At Urban Meyer‼️‼️⁉️ pic.twitter.com/3QVScsDHYX
— Menace 2 Sports (@Menace2Sports) May 21, 2024
Apparently, Meyer didn’t introduce his wife Shelley at all, and Jim Tressel was not a fan of this and wanted to teach his opposing coach a lesson.
Jim Tressel didn’t even have this conversation in a private setting. He did it in front of everyone in the banquet room and embarrassed the Florida head coach.
Meyer got the last laugh since the Gators would go on to beat Ohio State in the title game and then, years later, would get Jim Tressel’s job after he resigned from his head coaching position due to a tattoo scandal involving a few of his players.