Urban Meyer announced his retirement from football during a press conference on Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Ryan Day will take over as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, following the Rose Bowl, the university announced.
The longtime head coach said an accumulation of health issues, family need, and the presence of a budding, elite coach on his staff contributed to his decision to retire. He will leave a very long shadow.
Meyer, who went undefeated against rival Michigan during his tenure, said he hopes his legacy will be “the truth, that I dedicated 33 years of my life to student-athletes.” He said he was aiming for 100 percent job placement for his players after their Ohio State careers were completed.
Meyer will more likely be remembered for his one national championship with the Buckeyes, three Big 10 titles, and his undefeated record against the Wolverines. Prior to coming to Ohio State, Meyer won two national titles with the University of Florida. He will almost certainly be placed into the pantheon of great college football coaches from this era.
Despite his sterling on-field record, Meyer, 54, has battled both controversy and health issues during his tenure at Ohio State. In late October 2018, it was revealed Meyer had a cyst on his brain.
He said at the time he would “coach as long” as he could. The condition led to severe headaches and doctors asked him to be cognizant of how often he screamed or blew a whistle, USA Today reported. Despite the ailments, Meyer said he planned to coach in 2019.
On Tuesday, Meyer said his head coaching style was very “intense.” His health became a cumulative drain on his resolve, leading to his decision to step-down.
In addition to health concerns, before the 2018-2019 season, Meyer was placed on administrative leave and then suspended for three games after the university investigated domestic violence allegations against one of Meyer’s assistant coaches, Zach Smith.
Day took over coaching duties in Meyer’s absences and guided the Buckeyes to a 3-0 start, including a massive win over then-ranked No. 16 TCU. Meyer described his successor as uniquely qualified for the position.
Learn more about the new Ohio State head coach.
Speculation surrounding Meyer’s continued career with Ohio State, as well as Day’s ascendance, followed the Buckeyes this season. While the team managed to win another Big 10 title, it did so while looking sloppier than it has in years.
Meyer acknowledged during the press conference that Day had been offered a head coaching position by another, prestigious university. He turned it down and will soon be the head coach of the Buckeyes.
Despite being consistently ranked as one of the best teams in the nation, Ohio State got absolutely rocked by lowly Purdue this season, losing 49-20 to the Boilermakers. It was an embarrassing loss that knocked Ohio State out of College Football Playoff contention. Many critics thought Ohio State looked like an entirely different team than the one predicted in the off-season.
With Meyer’s mounting health problems (remember, he left Florida for health reasons in 2010), perhaps news of his departure shouldn’t be shocking. For most Buckeye fans though, seeing someone other than Meyer patrolling the sidelines in the Horseshoe will take quite a bit of getting used to.
The Rose Bowl will be played New Year’s Day and will feature the Buckeyes versus the Washington Huskies. It will be Meyer’s last outing as Ohio State’s head coach.
Like it or not, it will soon be a new day for Ohio State football.
(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)