There is a problem in Buckeye Nation.
Former Ohio State cornerback Marcus Williamson exposed the famed football program on Twitter and was then joined by others.
Ohio State defeated Utah in the Rose Bowl on Saturday. Williamson then took the time to spark controversy about his experience when he was a part of the Buckeyes.
Burn It To The Ground
As a 17 early enrollee. Urban Meyer told me he’d “ruin my f—- life” if he ever caught me smoking
— MARS (@WW_Marcus) January 2, 2022
From 2017-2021, Williamson was a defensive back for the Buckeyes, and he spent the majority of the last two seasons as a starter at safety. However, he decided not to join the team in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, announcing he “retired” from football for “self-care.”
Williamson came for Urban Meyer and into current head coach Ryan Day and the rest of the Ohio State coaching staff during the Rose Bowl. According to Williamson, Meyer made off-the-wall comments like he’d ruin my f***ing life” if he ever caught him smoking.
This was similar to the toxic culture for which the Jacksonville Jaguars organization fired Meyer.
All The Voices In The Room
https://twitter.com/MKWill1906/status/1478476389992992770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1478476389992992770%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2F2022%2F01%2F05%2Fmarcus-williamson-father-defends-son-trayvon-martin-photo-ohio-state-meeting-urban-meyer
Marlon Williamson, Marcus’ father, defended his son on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Some former OSU football players have expressed that they didn’t experience racism at OSU, but every athlete doesn’t have the same experiences,” he said in the Tweet. “Admittedly, I wasn’t in the locker room and didn’t attend a ton of practices, but I trust my son and acknowledge the challenges he’s faced as a student-athlete.”
Then, on Monday, former linebacker K’Vaughn Pope also aired out the team, echoing the prior sentiments of Williamson. Pope told potential recruits in a Monday tweet that if you go to Ohio State, be prepared to be viewed “as a hoodlum (because you’re vocal).”
Pope Weighs In
According to Pope, Ohio State coaches were disrespectful and unfair and ignored player opinions.
My first team meeting. (True story 2017) This photo was presented to us via PowerPoint to institute our building wide rule of “no hoods” in the building pic.twitter.com/bGdJVZaEVT
— MARS (@WW_Marcus) January 2, 2022
It explains why the senior walked off the field midgame during Ohio State’s game against Akron State in September before tweeting “F**k Ohio State.”
During Ohio State’s 59-7 win over Akron, Pope was escorted to the locker room after a sideline altercation before tweeting. However, he later deleted the tweet, and to no one’s surprise, Pope was dismissed from the team.
K'Vaughn Pope running to the transfer portal #Buckeyes pic.twitter.com/ltk9AcaSOI
— Josh Curie (@therealJCurie43) September 26, 2021
Smoldering Fire
However, his commentary adds fuel to the already smoldering fire of toxic culture being exposed about the organization.
Pope is now on a mission to steer potential recruits away from the organization or at least warn them of what they are signing up for.
— Dawand Jones (@dawandj79) January 2, 2022
“You only go to OSU if you want to be: highly disrespected by the coaching staff (head coach here & there); treated unfairly (young guys playing before seniors); looked at as a hoodlum (because your vocal); treated as if you are not a high caliber player (because I am); coaches first program guy (they are not a player’s first program); treated as if players opinions have no say so (because your body & mental doesn’t matter); players point of view can’t be seen (because coaches claim it has happened to them).”
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Williamson’s tweets have been heavily shared. With the collection of issues shared by other disgruntled players, it is undeniable that Ohio State has a culture problem within its football program.
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