The writing was on the wall. Ever since this season started, all signs have pointed to this decision by Urban Meyer. When the Zach Smith scandal dropped into college football over the summer, many felt like Urban Meyer should’ve lost his job. After a disastrous press conference that at best felt tone-deaf, Meyer was only given a three-game suspension. When he came back, things still didn’t feel right. Ohio State’s defense became a sieve and Meyer constantly ended up on the ground or bending down with his hands on his knees, clearly in pain. Even after beating Michigan 62-39 a few weeks ago, uncertainty still swirled around in Columbus. Now, that uncertainty has given way to a decision.
Urban Meyer is retiring from Ohio State after the Rose Bowl, and Ryan Day (who served as interim in Meyer’s absence to begin the year) will take over as head coach.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Meyer has been crucified all season for his handling of the Zach Smith case, his apathetic press conference discussing that case, and his laundry list of strange actions listed in the report about that case (deleting texts, memory loss, the list goes on). For any human being, that much criticism can be just too much to bear and, coupling it with an arachnoid cyst on his brain that has only gotten worse in recent years, Meyer made the next logical step.
Whether he gets back to coaching in the future is unknown. Remember, Meyer cited health issues when he retired from Florida. A few short years later, he was on the Ohio State sidelines.
“If I can’t coach like I need to coach, I can’t do it,” Meyer reportedly told recently-hired North Carolina coach Mack Brown this morning (Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic). So if Meyer can’t do it anymore, it’s worth discussing how he’ll be remembered at Ohio State.
In 20 years, will we recall the 2014-15 National Championship run? In the first year of the College Football Playoff, Meyer led the Buckeyes to a title behind third-string quarterback Cardale Jones. In doing so, Meyer upset Nick Saban and Marcus Mariota to raise the trophy. Truly, it was a remarkable coaching job.
Will we remember the record vs. Jim Harbaugh and Michigan? Meyer was 7-0 in his career against the arch-rival Wolverines and 4-0 against Harbaugh. His Buckeyes constantly confused Michigan in the four meetings with Coach Khaki at the helm, especially this year in easily the most impressive win for Ohio State and embarrassing loss for Michigan in recent series history.
When we look back, will we see the 82-9 overall record? The 54-4 Big Ten record? The five NY6 bowl bids and the one playoff appearance?
No. And we shouldn’t.
No matter what you believe to be true about the Zach Smith case, how Urban Meyer handled the entire controversy will be how his tenure is remember at Ohio State, at least for me. I can’t overlook the fact that he never said the name of Courtney Smith during that press conference. I can’t overlook this quote, which was in response to a question about what Meyer would like to say to Ms. Smith.
“Well, I have a message for everyone involved in this. I’m sorry that we’re in this situation, and, um…I’m just sorry we’re in this situation.”
I can’t forget how Meyer kept a known abuser on staff, even if that abuser was related to Meyer’s mentor, Earle Bruce. I can’t ignore the claim that Meyer and his wife never discussed the Courtney Smith text messages, which I still do not believe.
I can’t forgive that Urban Meyer enabled an abusive marriage by sitting on the sidelines with his hands on his knees, doing nothing, when all the facts of the 23-page report released earlier this fall pointed to knowledge of something.
When you win, you earn favor with your fanbase. Your people will love you, no matter. Urban Meyer got Ohio State a national championship and returned them to consistent dominance. That won’t be forgotten in Columbus as he packs his bags and rides off to wherever he plans to retire.
Still, we’d be no better than Ohio State and Urban Meyer if the Zach Smith scandal wasn’t at the forefront of our minds anytime we think of Meyer’s tenure in Columbus. Whether you like it or not, this controversy will (and should) hang over Meyer’s legacy for a long time.
In the preseason edition of The Hangover, I wrote that college football must be better. I think college football is better with a fresh start at Ohio State. Ryan Day, who’s a very talented coach, will come in and insert a brand new culture. It’s what Ohio State needed four months ago, and it’s what’s happening now.