Ohio State's Urban Meyer Fires Back at Big Ten Coaches Over Recruiting Tactics

Urban Meyer wasn't about to sit back and let other Big Ten coaches take shots at him for his recruiting tactics. The Ohio State head coach fired back with a vengeance on Friday, making it crystal clear that he's going to do whatever it takes to make the Buckeyes a national powerhouse once again.

According to CBS Sports, Meyer said, “You're pissed because we went after a committed guy? Guess what, we got 9 guys who better go do it again. Do it a little harder next time."

What It Means

Several Big Ten coaches, including Mark Dantonio and Bret Bielema, made a point to single out Meyer's actions since taking over in Columbus. The pair said there's always been a gentleman's agreement throughout the conference about snatching recruits committed to other schools.

Apparently Meyer missed the memo, or perhaps he received it and immediately ran it through the shredder. He received a handful of commitments from players who had previously pledged their allegiance elsewhere despite getting a late start on the recruiting trail.

Fellow Big Ten coaches are going to have to start playing under a new set of rules with Meyer in town. He had a boatload of success at Florida because he was willing to do whatever it took to win, even if it eventually lead to some health problems.

His time away from the game hasn't changed that mentality. That puts a lot of pressure on the other coaches, and they didn't seem to enjoy it.

What Happens Next?

The CBS Sports report states that Meyer will be meeting Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany to discuss his actions in the near future. While it's a move to appease the conference's other coaches, it's unlikely to have an impact on the way Meyer handles his business.

He was able to flex his recruiting muscles by securing one of the nation's top classes, and there's no chance he's going to give up that advantage just to keep rival schools happy. Meyer might say his tactics will change, but he's never going to sacrifice his best trait, which is recruiting.

It's not the last time everybody will hear about this issue. Now that national signing day has passed, the complaints will probably die down for a while, but college football recruiting is a never-ending cycle. Coaches are already starting to get moving on 2013 prospects.

Look of Meyer to become public enemy No. 1 throughout the Big Ten. Luckily for Ohio State, that will only make him work harder to assert his dominance over the conference.

Update: Michigan's Brady Hoke Weighs In

James Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press passes along a video featuring the Wolverines head coach, who seems to side with Meyer about the recruiting issue. Hoke calls the process a "fair game" until a recruit makes their final decision. The full interview is embedded below.