Browns Fade in Second Half to Lose in Cincinnati
November 27, 2011While We’re Waiting… Tribe and Cavaliers Off Seasons, Urban Meyer Effect and Vintage MLB
November 28, 2011
Ending what has been several weeks of rumors, speculation and posturing, per his agent Trace Armstrong, Urban Meyer has accepted the offer to coach the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2012 and beyond. Meyer will reportedly make $5.7 million per season through what is now a seven-year deal.
There were reported hang-ups this weekend with Meyer denying all accounts of an offer from The Ohio State University coupled with rumors of the two-time national champion looking for the school to replace current athletic director Gene Smith who allegedly had very little to do with the recruiting process. Nevertheless, with the Buckeyes regular season now over, the school was able to waste little time in officially setting the stage for the future after what was a tumultuous season at best, beginning with the resignation of Jim Tressel in late May.
Where this leaves interim head coach Luke Fickell remains to be seen. Fickell, head coach of the 6-6 2011 Buckeyes, it thought to have been a big proponent of Meyer coming aboard and had been rumored to have been one of the assistants that the former Gator head coach would keep within his cabinet. Bruce Hooley of ESPN Cleveland reports, however, that Meyer is not required to keep Fickell aboard and all options remain open at this time.
Meyer brings along a 104-23 record in 10 years as a collegiate head coach. He is 7-1 in post-season bowls, including 4-0 in Bowl Championship Series games, an area which Ohio State has been nationally criticized despite their 2010 Rose Bowl win over the Oregon Ducks. It is also believed that Ricquan Southward, a Florida-based high school wide recevier, has withdrawn his oral commitment to Miami (FL) University and has committed to attend Ohio State. This commitment comes less than a week after the Buckeyes landed the top recruit in Ohio, Adolphus Washington.
Big props to the folks at Eleven Warriorsfor their rockstarian work over the last few weeks.
23 Comments
Woohoo! I’m really geeked about the prospect of Meyer bringing the “SEC Speed” into the Big 10..err 11…err 12. With Braxton Miller he already has his type of QB (as long as he doesn’t overthrow his WR’s by 10 yards like he did in the Michigan game). I liked Luke Fickell but I don’t think he can recruit like Meyer can.
Having followed the SEC for awhile, I think in the end, Ohio St fans will be disappointed. Meyers clearly can coach. I won’t deny that. But I also believe Tebow covered up a lot of sins on Florida’s offense. And I also think Meyers “I’m going to retire…oops…no I won’t” routine will rear it’s ugly head again. Go into this with your eyes wide open my Ohio St friends.
Since he is going to be around (hopefully) for a while, can we go ahead and put it out there that there is no ‘S’ in his last name?
As an OSU fan I realize where people are coming from when they say that Meyer may not be a long-term coach and OSU fans should be careful. I get it. But what those people fail to understand is the significance of this hire.
For nearly a year, OSU has been dragged through the mud and it has been said that the program was going to knocked from national prominence for years. We were told to expect tv bans, bowl bans and huge recruiting defections. Instead of that, OSU is going to end up with top-tier coach. Meyer wouldn’t take the job if this program was going to get sanctioned into the stone age and I think his hire will solidify and even enhance OSU’s recruiting. What’s not to like?
Through the player suspensions and coach firing, and what should be the AD on the chopping block as well, I think OSU was ahead of the NCAA in bans and all that so I doubt they get much more done. Meyer had a great O in Utah as well, so I dont buy that it was Tebow. He just knew how to utilize his players.
Thats true cro..he had 2 passed for sure touchdowns and just didnt make the connections…
Might have won that game if he did…
Although I have always known that he is from Ohio, I wasn’t aware until recently that OSU was Meyer’s “dream job”, and that he is apparently a pretty hard core Buckeye.
That being the case, welcome home Coach Meyer!
I also hope he keeps Fickell on in some capacity. He really “took one for the program” and did an admirable job leading the team through this season, despite their final record.
I tend to agree with post #4 that the sanctions coming to OSU must not be too bad, or he wouldn’t have taken the job. Also, this is quite a game changer when it comes to recruiting.
Even after everything that has happened, it is certainly possible that OSU’s best days are ahead of them…and that’s certainly exciting.
Hell, if they do much more severe punishments for Ohio State, they don’t have a whole lot of room left to discipline Penn State or Miami which actually had huge program problems short of dismantling the program or going-SMU on two top 20 programs in the country. I dont think they want that
So he’s going to make $5.7 Million a year… Coaches make a ridiculous amount of money compared to the players…
Clown Baby – Meyer is a great coach but there are a few things not to like. Meyer won’t have what was probably the best supporting staff in the country like he did with Mullen, Mattison and other coaches at Florida. And who knows how long he’ll stay? And have you see the arrest records of those Florida teams? Look, Meyer shows a lot of legitimacy for a program that desperately needs it right now and means Ohio St probably will weather the storm in regards to the sanctions. But a lot of Buckeye fans are treating him like a savior and that he can do no wrong, and I think they’re in for a bit of a surprise.
Steve – Are you sure that you aren’t applying your own assumptions here? In a sense, Meyer is saving OSU from going off the rails and becoming the Um from last decade. Meyer recruiting like he can/should will equal wins in a top-heavy B1G. I haven’t seen anyone say that Meyer is going to win 20 MNCs. I have seen many people saying things like, finally good news and the like.
So Michigan wins yet Ohio State is the bigger story, nice. I’m excited hopefully Meyer can bring some Florida speed and athleticism to Columbus. And I’m sure you’ll see some of his former assistants follow.
MULTIPLE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE WAY! ORDERING MY TICKETS TO TEMPE!!! ww0000000000ttt!!!!111!
$40 mil over 7 seasons, huh?
What recession?
On a less snippy note, I’m just wondering who will coach the bowl?
I ask because one ESPN analyst actually has the Buckeyes slated to play my OU Bobcats in a bowl game. Anybody heard anything?
@15 – if we play OU, Hoke will be so confused.
I’ve heard this “Tebow created Meyer’s offense” stuff from others, and it’s just not true. Tebow wasn’t the full-time starter at QB in 2006 when they won their first title (bitter memories for us), that was Chris Leak. Tebow got about 10-12 snaps in that game, almost all option running routes in short yardage running situations. Tebow didn’t become the full time starter until the following season. Leak was under center for the majority of that game and almost the whole season. That’s just fact.
In addition to the above, prolific offenses at both of his other head coaching stops prior to Florida point to the same thing: his offense works.
I’m aware that at some point, the whole retirement/non-retirement issue might raise its head. I’m willing to take that risk for now and call this a great hire. Urban will be worth it for the recruiting if nothing else.
i thought he was going to spend more time with his family, wow what a joke
@Painesville
Ha! Nice…
For me, I’m kind of hoping for the matchup. Given the season OSU has had so far, it might be the most compelling matchup available…an All-Ohio matchup. That is, if they played it relatively close to Ohio so that worn out OSU fans will be willing to attend and OU fans can ‘road trip’ by car (Bobcat fans like their team…just not enough to fly to Boise for the ‘Famous Idaho Potato Bowl’).
I think Urban Meyer is a great hire for Ohio State, but I don’t think this guarantees anything. Jim Tressel was the best coach in the country bar none. 6 straight BCS games is insane. He also dominated my Michigan Wolverines. I don’t expect Urban Meyer to replicate the results that Tressel had.
At Florida he reached 3 BCS bowls in 6 seasons. He lost in a bowl to Michigan in Florida. Once Tebow’s class left, Florida only went 7-5 in Meyer’s last year and they went 6-6 this year suggesting that the cupboard may be bare especially since they are in such a weak division. They should have won at least 9 games. What does that say about his recruiting? Is he really going to be able to convince Florida high school recruits to leave the sun for the snow? I think he will do well at Ohio State but I certainly don’t think this hire guarantees a national championship.
Wow, just when I thought OSU couldn’t hire a worse snake in the grass that Tressel. Just another sign that money trumps ethics and morality in collegiate sports. T-minus two years until Urban has another “family” problem. Seems to be a common trend with this guy if you do your research about the true reason he left Florida, you’ll find out the same issue was alleged at BGSU.
Good football coach. Knows how to use talent. Not a good guy.
@18 – He probably did plan to take more time off than he did. He probably figured he had another 2-3 years until Tressel hung it up, and that he would try to come to OSU then. Obviously, the timeline changed.
To everyone who wants to give him grief about the whole “taking time off” bit…he never said he was done coaching. His “dream job” came open earlier than expected, and I’m sure he figured that this would be his best, and maybe only shot at coaching at OSU.
I think many of us, faced with the same situation, would do the same. Put yourself in his position…you are a highly successful, high profile coach who has OSU at the top of the list. You were taking a break with the intention of getting back in in a couple more years, but the opportunity of a lifetime shows up unexpectedly…and you probably won’t get a second chance if you turn it down now. Most of us would do it too.
I was hoping for Rural Kroger