Photo of Trayvon Martin Was Used in Ohio State Meeting, Urban Meyer Says He Was Unaware

After initially denying a photo of Trayvon Martin was used during a team meeting, former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer told The Columbus Dispatch he has learned that the photo was used during a freshman meeting, but he was unaware. 

This comes after former Buckeyes cornerback Marcus Williamson tweeted a picture of Martin, a 17-year-old shot and killed in 2012, and said the photo was shown to players via a PowerPoint presentation to enforce the team's “no hoodie rule.” Martin was infamously killed while wearing a hoodie. 

Former Ohio State player Tyvis Powell later learned that a photo of Martin was used during a freshman meeting to enforce the rule, several former players told him, he said. He later informed Meyer the photo was used. Powell took to Twitter and explained the individual who was in charge of the presentation apologized after he was made aware that it was offensive, and he was uneducated on the story behind Martin. 

“I didn’t know about it until one hour ago, until after talking to [Powell],” Meyer said Tuesday. “I wasn’t there [in the meeting]. None of the coaches were present. It was a support staffer who was in error and apologized.” 

When asked whether the photo was used Sunday, he told Ohio State reporter Jeff Snook that it was never used.

“Our team rule was no hats or hoodies or sunglasses of any kind but only in team meetings, just so we could see their eyes and make sure they were paying attention and not asleep,” Meyer said, per Snook. “We did not, and never would show a picture of Trayvon Martin. My gosh, no. That is absolutely false and you can check with any other player on my teams during that time to confirm what I am saying. Other players know what he is saying is false. I would never do that. He is crossing the line here. It seems people are just piling on now. But that never happened.”

Powell told The Dispatch he disclosed the use of Martin's photo in order to make sure people knew Williamson was not lying. He also echoed his initial sentiment that while with the program from 2012 to '15, he never saw or experienced any racism from the program or Meyer. 

“People think it’s racist to show that photo of Trayvon Martin, and I understand where they’re coming from,” Powell told The Dispatch. “To the black culture that is huge. There will be an uproar whenever that is brought up in a meeting or whatever context. Automatically it is offensive to people.”