Former NFL RB Damien Harris recalls how Urban Meyer threatened him for wearing blue cleats

Until Ryan Day won the national championship last week, Urban Meyer held the title of the last coach to lift the crown with the Buckeyes. Meyer amassed a catalog of accolades over his coaching career that included three national championship wins.

Per a video shared on social media by CBS Sports, former NFL running back Damien Harris told a hilarious story of an encounter between himself and Meyer when he was still a prospect out of high school. The encounter highlighted the coach's distaste toward the Michigan Wolverines.

"My funny story about Urban is, I went to a high school and our colors were orange and navy blue and I took a visit to Ohio State, I was competing at a camp and granted, I already had an offer from Ohio State," Harris said. "But, he pulls me over to the sideline, he's introducing me to Ryan Shazier, we're having a great conversation, I'm meeting some Ohio State legends and he just happens to look down at my feet.

"And he sees I got on blue cleats and when I tell you, he stomped, smushed my foot into the ground and told me he was going to pull my offer completely if I did not take off those cleats right then and there. And I thought he was joking. I mean, obviously he stepped on my shoes and I'm like, 'He's not joking about that. But is he really gonna pull my offer?'"

Urban Meyer compiled a stunning 7-0 record against the Michigan Wolverines between 2012 and 2018 and Harris revealed how he dealt with the precarious situation between himself and the then-Buckeyes coach.

"I laughed it off and he just stood there and stared at me with these beady eyes and I just sat down, unlaced my cleats, took them off," Harris said. "I was like, 'Please, I love Ohio State, I love you, you're a great coach, let's not take it too far here. I'm just repping my school here coach.'"

When Urban Meyer revealed his stance on Michigan rivalry game

When he was appointed the Ohio State coach in 2012 after his rollercoaster stint with the Florida Gators, the charismatic Urban Meyer gave his first impression of the rivalry game against the Michigan Wolverines during his initial news conference.

"As long as I can remember, this game has been The Game," Meyer said. "When you say have fun, I'm not sure how to have fun. How to have fun is sing the fight song in the locker room after a win against your rival. That's how you have fun."

Even after leaving Columbus, Urban Meyer has continued to support the Buckeyes and was one of a few analysts who believed that Ryan Day's team could become national champions.