Meyer to OSU is official

[DJT]

Former Florida coach Urban Meyer has taken the head coaching job at Ohio State, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday morning.

Meyer, who led the Gators to two national championships before stepping down to spend more time with his family amid ongoing reports of health concerns, had worked as a game analyst this season for ESPN.

But he asked to be taken off his assignments for the network this weekend as reports swirled of his imminent hire with the Buckeyes.

Columbus will be the fourth stop in Meyer's coaching career. He had a 104-23 record over 10 seasons with Bowling Green, Utah and Florida. From 2001-10, he had five 10-win seasons, the two BCS titles with the Gators and a 7-1 record in bowl games.

Sources told WKMG-TV in Orlando last week that Meyer would be introduced in coming days after agreeing to a seven-year, $40 million deal.

The Buckeyes capped their season Saturday with their first loss to Michigan in seven years, a 40-34 defeat that left them at 6-6, 3-5 in the Big Ten.

It marked the most points Michigan had scored against Ohio State since putting up 58 in 1946 and the first time since 1999 that the Buckeyes finished under .500 in conference play.

Ohio State had been led by interim coach Luke Fickell after Jim Tressel was forced to resign nearly six months ago amid a tattoo-parlor scandal involving star Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who now plays for the Oakland Raiders.

On Saturday, Fickell tried his best to avoid questions about his future and pounded a table after one such query.

"Like I said, it's about the Ohio State-Michigan game," Fickell said. "It's been about that since last Sunday. It's going to be about that always."

Information from ESPN's Stats & Information Group and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Funny how he dodged all the rumors only to accept the deal a week later...

I wonder how long it will take him to turn this team around.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Great to hear! Glad to see Urban as the next OSU Head Coach! He'll get it turned around.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

What a joke.

 

[elcheato]

Yea, I don't see it happening.

 

[DJT]

I'm sure I wasn't the only one...

 

[RipCity32]

SportsCenter question on Facebook:
How many national titles will Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes win?

Lol.

 

[elcheato]

I don't see how its a ludicrous question to ask.. He won 2 in a short time in a harder conference to play in. Now he has more resources at a better program.

 

[RipCity32]

Cause the guy hasn't even had a press conference yet and they are asking how many national championships he is going to win.

Never said he wouldn't win any, but the hype is just ridiculous.

 

[elcheato]

It happens.. Ohio State Football is arguably the most high profile coaching job in College Sports, and Urban Meyer is one of the most high profile coaches in the Country.. It's going to get a lot of hype. If he had gone to Michigan there would be just as much hype and the same questions asked..

 

[RipCity32]

That's exactly why it is annoying to me, it is Ohio State lol.

 

[elcheato]

Enjoy your win, ignore the OSU stuff for a year lol.

 

[RipCity32]

I shall

 

[Giantmetfan07]

yea the hype is pretty outrageous already. But thats what the media does -- they get a story and beat the hell out of it.

 

[elcheato]

JasonLloydABJ Jason Lloyd
Meyer signed 6 year deal, base salary of $4 million per year. Has other bonuses/supplemental contracts on top of that

6 years 24 million, not the rumored 7/40.

 

[DJT]

I wouldn't be surprised if those recruits (2,3,4 guys) will end up signing with them now.

 

[elcheato]

Well first he's gotta stop Brionte Dunn from decommitting and going to Michigan. Looks like he's off to a good start on that as well.

 

[RipCity32]

Dunn said he doesn't want to play in the spread.

 

[DJT]

I don't see him coming back. But those other 3 guys...some of them may sign up with Meyer.

 

[elcheato]

Dunn: "Coach Meyer said he's going to stop by my school and see me soon. I had a few questions I wanted to ask him, but I got nervous."

Dunn: "He said he's never had the bigger backs like he has at Ohio State, but he's always wanted these types of backs."

Dunn: "I will definitely look forward to talking to (Coach Meyer) face to face."

Dunn: "It was a great conversation, and I feel good about things."

2 of the 3 current running backs on OSU are bruisers, and even Meyer said during his press conference he is going to use some i-formation. After he visits with Meyer, I doubt he leaves.

 

[BlueNation]

I was tweeting all day the other day about this.I was talking so much shit on Urban though mainly because I was feeling good after our win. He won 2 national championships (06 and 08) and in that year in between lost to Michigan with the reincarnation of Jesus who also just so happened to be a heisman winner.
Jim Rome made two good points...
1. Urban clearly didn't leave Florida for health concerns and/or to rebuild his family. He just din't want to rebuild the program in Florida.
2. He's tweet says it perfectly: Urb: "I didn't like the state of college football. A lot of stuff going on." Huh? OSU is scandalized and you had 30 arrests at Fla. What?!

The Ohio State coaching job is not the most high profile job in college football. That's not coming from the Michigan fan side of me either.