Urban Meyer says vacating Michigan wins for sign-stealing scandal would be 'silly.' Here's why
As the Ohio State vs. Michigan game approaches, former Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer admitted he doesn't know what the punishment should be for the Wolverines' sign-stealing scandal.
It's "a gigantic deal," Meyer said on The Dispatch's OSU football podcast Tuesday, continuing that "I'm not sure this kind of thing has ever happened."
But when asked by Colin Cowherd on his FOX Sports radio show Tuesday about what Michigan's punishment should be, Meyer called one punishment idea "silly."
"I think the vacate stuff is silly," Meyer said. "I talked to (former Southern California quarterback) Matt Leinart about that. I think they had something vacated. They don't consider it vacated. ... The players did it."
"If it's as deep as I'm hearing... There's a chance he won't coach there next year." @CoachUrbanMeyer discusses Jim Harbaugh's suspension pic.twitter.com/nDbCgXOJiD
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) November 21, 2023
Meyer later said he heard "there's a chance" Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh "won't coach there next year," but that the former Ohio State coach wants to wait and see what the depth of the scandal proves to be.
Urban Meyer feels J.J. McCarthy 'will be the difference' in Michigan vs. Ohio State
Meyer said quarterback J.J. McCarthy will be at the center of either Michigan's victory or loss on Saturday.
"After watching the Wolverines up close and the Buckeyes up close, this guy will be the difference," Meyer said on Big Ten Network. "I think Ohio State has an excellent offense. Now the Wolverines have been up and down. if this kid plays on fire, they have a chance to win. If he doesn't I don't think they have a chance."
What could prove to be the difference in The Game?@CoachUrbanMeyer thinks it will be whether No. 3 Michigan can get J.J. McCarthy involved in the run game.
The coach takes a look at the Wolverines' offense on the latest 𝘜𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘴. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/NpX8neGkXI— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 22, 2023
And for Meyer, that starts with McCarthy's ability to run the ball.
"I know that he's a little dinged up right now," Meyer said. "But to have a good run game against an Ohio State defense, you have to get your quarterback involved. And I think this will be the difference in the game. If you can get that going and do a play action off the read zone, the read option and the direct run, that's a going to be very difficult for a defense, especially a great defense like Ohio State, to defend."
In 2023, McCarthy has 164 rushing yards on 47 carries and three touchdowns, two of which came against Minnesota Oct. 7. McCarthy had a season-high 51 rushing yards against Rutgers Sept. 23.
Ohio State kicks off against Michigan at noon Saturday on FOX.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What Urban Meyer thinks about Michigan punishment for sign-stealing scandal
