Urban Meyer Says Trayvon Martin Pic Was Used At OSU, But Insists He Was Unaware

Urban Meyer is now saying a Trayvon Martin picture was, in fact, used to try to help enforce a "no hoodies" rule at Ohio State -- but the ex-Buckeyes head coach claims he wasn't made aware of it until this week.

Former OSU defensive back Marcus Williamson had accused Meyer and the school of using the insensitive imagery at a team meeting in 2017 ... but Meyer had denied the claim.

"We did not, and never would show a picture of Trayvon Martin," Meyer said. "My gosh, no."

But, Meyer backtracked on those comments on Tuesday ... saying after talking it over with ex-Buckeye safety Tyvis Powell -- he learned the photo was actually used. Meyer insisted, though, it was not done under his orders.

"I didn't know about it until one hour ago," Meyer told The Columbus Dispatch, "until after talking to (Powell)."

"I wasn't there (in the meeting)," Meyer added. "None of the coaches were present. It was a support staffer who was in error and apologized."

Powell said former players had told him the member of the OSU staff who had used the photo "was truly uneducated on that situation & really didn't have any idea the story behind the image."