Some stories just keep resurfacing, like that of former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. Recently, he opened up about the turmoil surrounding the Buckeyes’ program during a segment on “The Triple Option Podcast.” He expressed some lingering frustration over the coverage of a scandal from 14 years ago that placed his predecessor, Jim Tressel, in the spotlight.
“I’m still annoyed about that whole situation,” Meyer commented. “I know Jim Tressel quite well and I’ve followed his career closely, so I really understand what his program was about. What happened to Tressel, especially the support he received in Columbus—that’s just not fair. Honestly, it’s almost laughable,” he added.
The scandal, highlighted in a June 6, 2011 issue of Sports Illustrated, was reported by George Dollman and David Epstein. It detailed how six players from the Ohio State Football Team were involved in trading memorabilia for cash or tattoos, with star quarterback Terrell Pryor among them.
The investigation by the Department of Justice in December 2010 didn’t yield substantial results. The issues dated back as far as 2002, involving over 28 players.
Ultimately, the scandal forced Tressel to resign from his position as head coach. Meyer took over in 2011 after Luke Fickell’s season and faced the repercussions. The Buckeyes were banned from participating in the postseason in 2012, along with receiving two years of probation and a loss of five football scholarships over three years.
“I have firsthand experience with all of this,” Meyer stated. “The 2012 team was undefeated, but we couldn’t compete in the postseason. We were due to face Notre Dame in that year’s national championship—a tough pill to swallow.”
“They were trading items for tattoos. Did that give anyone a competitive edge? Absolutely not. Was it a mistake? Sure. Jim Tressel was accused of dishonesty.”
After the events, Tressel transitioned to becoming president of Youngstown State University from 2014 to 2023 and was sworn in as Ohio’s 67th Lieutenant Governor in February 2025.
Meanwhile, Meyer continued to coach the Buckeyes until 2018, when he dealt with his own scandal that led to his retirement after that season, despite having won a national championship with Ohio State in 2014.
His subsequent venture as head coach of the NFL’s Jaguars was marked by a tumultuous period that ended with his firing due to a dismal 2-11 record, compounded by off-field controversies.
