Ohio State Football: If Urban Meyer returns to coaching, will it be USC?
Ohio State’s victory over Washington in the Rose Bowl was said to be Urban Meyer’s last game as a head coach, but was it?
Despite being retired, former Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer has been making headlines lately. We can thank former USC stars Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart for churning the engines.
Both will be Urban Meyer’s colleagues for Fox’s new hour-long college football pregame show debuting in August to rival ESPN’s “College GameDay.” Bush told the LA Times that he and Leinart will be recruiting Meyer to consider coaching at USC.
It is easy to understand Bush’s frustration with his alma mater and his desire to help land the second-best coach over the last 20 years. Since he and Leinart departed, the program has declined into mediocrity.
Clay Helton is entering his fourth full season and is 31-17 with one Pac-12 title and one Rose Bowl win. That’s okay for some programs, but not one with a history like USC.
Another problem exists.
Meyer is retired due to serious, but manageable health problems. He’s also still employed by Ohio State.
Everyone close to Meyer has shot down the possibility of him returning to coaching, but Meyer is a football coach, not an announcer or analyst. I don’t know if he can stay off the sidelines forever.
He’s also ultra-competitive and just 54.
If Meyer does step back into coaching, will it be USC? Possibly.
Fertile recruiting location, warm weather, easier conference and the opportunity to lead another top-tier program are enticing.
He’ll also get a chance to battle his close friend Chip Kelly every season. What’s not to like about that?
Meyer would inject the much-needed firepower into a conference that has little right now. The Big Ten is far better top to bottom now than it was in 2011. Meyer is the reason.
What about Notre Dame?
Brian Kelly has resurrected the program and may not be leaving anytime soon. That could be good for Meyer. He can stay off the sidelines a little longer than one year and get his health back in line.
The likelier place that I think he would end up is at Ohio State again.
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I like Ryan Day and if he’s the Buckeyes’ coach for a long time that would be wonderful. I just think he’s got NFL written all over him.
Kliff Kingsbury is already in there. Lincoln Riley is coveted. Day must to be on every general manager’s radar.
If he develops Justin Fields into a star like he did Dwayne Haskins, many teams will throw all kinds of money at him.
If Day leaves, Meyer will be the first choice providing he wants the job and is healthy enough to take it.
Next. Linebackers improving under Al Washington. dark
For now Meyer is an analyst again. Will that be enough? I don’t think so.