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Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer just might be finding out that Coach Tom Herman may have some fairy dust after all. Right in his grill, great Kabuki style.
Or maybe not.
But according to Buckeye beat reporter Jeff Snook’s recent incendiary claim, Herman was the impetus for reporter Brett McMurphy looking into Urban Meyer’s handling of WR assistant Zach Smith and Big Ten media day lie-a-thon and was even behind paying some of Courtney Smith’s legal bills. From Snook’s Facebook page:
“They wanted Zach Smith fired,” one source said. “They had some dirt on him and wanted him off of Ohio State’s staff.”
The Hermans have even helped pay for Courtney Smith’s legal fees, two of my sources told me.
Tom Herman’s motive?
Herman was furious after five-star receiver Garrett Wilson committed to Ohio State in April over Texas, sources say. Wilson played at Austin (Texas) Lake Travis High, just miles from the Longhorns’ campus. Zach Smith was the Buckeyes’ primary recruiter in getting Wilson’s commitment.
All because of Garrett Wilson? Nonsense. At least mention JK Dobbins and Baron Browning! Jeffrey Okudah! He did it for so much more! Snook then followed up his anonymous sources with this post:
“FYI College football fans, another bombshell story is coming… if it can be proven — and it is HUGE, having national ramifications.”
“...another bombshell coming, if it can be proven.”
Strong journalism there, Snook.
This is currently a level of reporting that can charitably be described as speculative, but highly entertaining nonetheless. Particularly considering that Brett McMurphy just tweeted:
For those who have asked for my response to Jeff Snook’s claim Saturday: “I have never revealed my sources in my nearly four decade journalistic career & I am not going to start now. However, I will say unequivocally that Tom Herman was not my source.”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 11, 2018
And if you think that’s just a legalistic dodge, because COACH HAD HIS WIFE DO IT, it was followed by an even more appropriate Tweet to sum this all up from Tom Herman’s wife Michelle:
Nope, wasn’t me either! pic.twitter.com/OUjbn5iOJv
— Michelle Herman (@belletjh) August 11, 2018
We live in amusing times.
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