If Urban Meyer was stranded on a deserted island and had to choose one person to help him survive in the hot sun, his name likely would be Mickey Marotti.
Marotti is the lone soul on Earth Meyer trusts to get his players ready for their upcoming season, and is as big a part as any in preparing his Ohio State teams for the gauntlet of a college football season.
Monday, Marotti earned the nod as the College Football Bowl Subdivision Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, according to a press release by the school.
"There are times in the year when the strength staff has more contact with the team than the coaching staff,” Meyer said in the release. “And I have complete trust in Mickey Marotti’s abilities to prepare our student-athletes to be the strongest, fastest and mentally toughest football players they can be.”
Marotti was given the award by weight training supplier Samson Equipment, the release said. He and five other strength coaches from various levels of football are set to be featured in this month's addition of American Football Monthly.
Meyer's either worked with or hired Marotti four times in his coaching career and the two have been at Ohio State since Meyer took the job in November 2011.
Ohio State improbable run at the first ever College Football Playoff National Championship in 2014 was the third national title Meyer's won with Marotti as his strength sidekick, as they were together when Florida won BCS National Championships in 2006 and 2008.
— Urban Meyer (@OSUCoachMeyer) April 22, 2015
It's Meyer's job to bring in the most talent he can, but it's Marotti's job to morph said talent into world beaters who are in the best shape of their lives to win football games.
Wednesday, Marotti's work was recognized.
