Urban Meyer goes off on reporter after practice

The top story coming out of Florida Gators spring practice Wednesday was not redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley being absent due to a fever and sore throat or even redshirt senior running back Emmanuel Moody leaving the field on crutches with an ankle injury. Instead, it was head coach Urban Meyer verbally attacking beat writer Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel.

Monday, Fowler wrote an article quoting redshirt junior wide receiver Deonte Thompson who made an eyebrow-raising comments about former QB Tim Tebow. “You never know with Tim,” Thompson said. “He can bolt. You think he’s running but he’ll come up and pass it to you. You just have to be ready. With Brantley, everything’s with rhythm, with time. You know what I mean, a real quarterback.”

Fowler was doing his job here – the player said it, he quoted him word-for-word. Some might question whether doing so in the manner he did was sensationalistic, but if he didn’t report the quote, it is likely someone else would have. However, Meyer did not see it that way and, after practice Wednesday, he made that quite clear to Fowler in what is (right now) the biggest story of the spring.

Watch and read what Meyer and Fowler had to say to each other after the break!

Video courtesy of GatorBait.net and Steve Johnson.
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Starting off by informing the reporter that he was a “bad guy,” Meyer began this rant while pointing his finger: “You’ll be out of practice – you understand that? – if you do that again.”

“I told you five years ago: Don’t mess with our players. Don’t do it. You did it. You do it one more time and the Orlando Sentinel’s not welcome here ever again. Is that clear? It’s yes or no.”

To his credit, Fowler did not back down one bit. “Urban, come on. Don’t make any threats,” Fowler replied. “That’s fine. I’ll play by the rules. But all I was doing was quoting the guy. I don’t think I was the only one.”

Meyer’s response? “You’re a bad guy, man. You’re a bad guy. […] If [Thompson] was my son, we’d be going at it right now.”

It is not uncommon or even questionable for a coach to go off on a reporter for an unflattering story about himself, a member of his staff or one of his players. What is noteworthy in this instance is the level Meyer took his rant to – including threatening physicality and mentioning pulling Fowler’s credential.

Thompson, apparently, has been bothered about the hoopla over his comment. Florida responded by barring players and coaches from speaking to reporters after practice (at least) Wednesday.

OGGOA spoke with Fowler tonight, but unfortunately he declined further comment.

Photo Credits: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images, Doug Finger/The Gainesville Sun