Urban Meyer Retires, Ryan Day Chosen to Lead Buckeyes

What some call “the longest season of Urban Meyer’s life” has come to a screeching stop.

Meyer’s Ohio State and maybe even coaching days are numbered. On Tuesday, Meyer and OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith held a joint press conference that Meyer would be retiring after the Buckeyes play in the Rose Bowl on January 1st.

What’s Next?

Smith announced at the press conference that offensive coordinator Ryan Day will replace Meyer as the head coach after the bowl game. Day was the interim head coach for the first four games of the season this year while Meyer was serving a four-game suspension due to the Zach Smith situation.

One of the main reasons for Meyer’s abrupt retirement seems to be his health. Throughout the season, it was a regular site to see Meyer laboring on the sidelines.

It seems like deja vu for Meyer as he “retired” from Florida in 2010 due to similar health concerns. Meyer came back to coaching only a year later to become the head coach of the Buckeyes.

According to Meyer, he doesn’t see the same thing happening this time around. However, never say never as Meyer left the door slightly open when he was first asked whether he was done coaching forever.

“It’s a complicated question, and I’ll try to answer it the best I can,” Meyer said.

Dear @OSUCoachMeyer,

Thank you.

– Buckeye Nation #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/uzSEWxiYQt

— Ohio State Buckeyes 🌰 (@OhioStAthletics) December 5, 2018

Legendary Status

If it is indeed the end for Meyer, his time in college football is nothing short of the hall of fame. Meyer finished with a 186-32 all-time record as a head coach. He got his first head coaching opportunity with Bowling Green in 1990. After being with the Falcons for a year, Meyer was hired at Utah where he would also stay for just a year before going to Florida to coach the Gators.

It was in Gainesville where Meyer started putting himself among the greats. From 2005-2010, Meyer had a 65-15 record and won two BCS National Championships.

Urban Meyer will retire as one of the greats of his era. pic.twitter.com/oIK1kxi4qo

— World Sport Magazine (@ZimSport263) December 5, 2018

After dominating the SEC, Meyer went up North to coach the Buckeyes. He took control of the Big Ten from the start and never let go. He had an 82-9 overall record as coach at OSU, winning the first ever college football playoff and Ohio State’s eighth national championship.

Only time will tell whether if Meyers is truly done with coaching.