Urban Meyer has some experience taking on Nick Saban in big games, and will be rooting for Ohio State as they take on Alabama in the national title game. But Meyer did acknowledge that the Buckeyes has=ve one big disadvantage against the Crimson Tide.
Appearing on FS1’s national title preview show, Meyer was asked whether the added games that Alabama have played over Ohio State plays a factor. Meyer asserted that the developmental nature of college football puts Ohio State’s younger players at a disadvantage.
He pointed out that in things like blocking and tackling improve for the younger players as the season goes on. With less experience than their Alabama counterparts, weaker performances like the one they had against Northwestern become more common.
“It sure is (a disadvantage),” Meyer said, via 247Sports. “College football, all due respect to other sports, is a developmental sport, much more than pro football because you’re getting guys 17, 18, 19 years old. “There’s only one true way to get better at blocking and tackling in the game of football, and it’s to play. You try to simulate it in practice but you’re always worried about injury. Teams get better. Players get better. You saw it against Clemson, Ohio State starting to get into a little bit of rhythm. They had zero rhythm going into that game. They looked average at times against Northwestern and some other teams. But they looked fantastic. A guy like Trey Sermon, normally you’d find out about a guy like that in October. Now, they have a legitimate running game to compliment that dynamic passing game.”
Urban Meyer explains why Ohio State has disadvantage in national championship game:https://t.co/YMq4sQfxBD pic.twitter.com/68NS6UHGqV
— 247Sports (@247Sports) January 9, 2021
Alabama has a few other edges that Meyer probably didn’t need to highlight.
Nick Saban boasts a significant experience edge over his Ohio State counterpart Ryan Day. Saban also has one of the best running backs in Najee Harris and a Heisman Trophy winner at wideout in Devonta Smith.
Suffice it to say, Ohio State’s underdog status in the national title game is pretty well deserved.
Can the Buckeyes pull off the upset tomorrow?
The post Urban Meyer Explains Ohio State’s ‘Disadvantage’ Against Alabama appeared first on The Spun.
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