Even though Urban Meyer lived and breathed through Ohio State's most recent run to the top of college football, he still enjoys looking back on it in video form as much as any Buckeye fan.
"I've seen that video probably six or 7,000 times now," Meyer said Thursday at the Morning Sports Report at the Columbus Convention Center, after a montage of the season was shown. "I'll forever remember it. From start to finish, probably the most improved team I've ever been around."
Meyer and three current players who played key roles in Ohio State's run at the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship — Jacoby Boren, Joshua Perry and Pat Elflein — received recognition Thursday from the Columbus Sports Commission for bringing the title back home.
Ohio State's four other team national titles were also acknowledged; four-time national champion wrestler Logan Stieber was on hand with assistant coach Lou Rosselli, Greyson McCaig represented the pistol team, Ashley Bauer was the agent for the three-time defending champion women's rowing team and lastly, Elizabeth Davidson was present on behalf of the synchronized swimming team.
Emceed by Paul Keels, each football player was asked to recount their favorite moment from the 2014 season. Each referred to the way the team was able to work past all the adversity in order to silence those who doubted during the College Football Playoff.
"With how doubted we were, just be able to win that with my brothers was a really amazing feeling," Elflein said, specifically speaking to the Sugar Bowl against Alabama.
"Being doubted like we were all season and being able to improve how we did with the guys and how close we got was an awesome experience," Boren added.
Meyer spent a few moments with Stieber and Rosselli on stage in addition to Keels, discussing the wrestling program's first team national championship in 94 years.
"I wasn't the biggest wrestling guy, but when I first saw them, I couldn't believe what I was seeing," Meyer said of the Ohio State program. "The athleticism, the toughness, the grind. People think it's an individual sport, it's not. It's a team sport. I'm the biggest fan of OSU wrestling."
Meyer also noted Stieber's run at four consecutive national championships, a feat only accomplished by three other athletes in history.
"I know not to mess with guys like this," Meyer joked, pointing a finger at the 2015 Dan Hodge Trophy.
Other big Columbus names were also in attendance, like mayor Michael B. Coleman, Nick Foligno of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Gahanna, Ohio, native Wil Trapp, who plays for the Columbus Crew. Cleveland Browns General Manager Ray Farmer and President Alec Scheiner also attended, previewing their team's scrimmage at Ohio Stadium Friday.
Coleman said he would like to see more great sporting events come to Columbus in the future, including potentially an outdoor NHL hockey game at Ohio Stadium, Cleveland Browns training camp and the NCAA men's basketball Sweet 16/Elite 8 rounds.
