So long as he is working in the media and not on the sidelines, Urban Meyer is going to be mentioned in rumors for head coach vacancies at Power 5 schools in college football. So it’s no surprise that Meyer’s name has popped up in connection with the Michigan State job.
Bernie Fratto, a FOX Sports Radio host, reported via X on Tuesday that Meyer will interview for the Spartans job. Fratto added that Meyer “has a lot of backers” at Michigan State.
😍My best mole tells me #UrbanMeyer will interview with #MichiganState for their HC position. Stay tuned. Yes, it's real. It's possible. He has a lot of backers, so we'll see where this goes.@FoxSportsRadio
— Bernie Fratto (@BernieFratto) October 3, 2023
Fratto’s FOX Sports Radio colleague Brady Quinn, who works with Meyer on FOX’s college football set on Saturdays, disagreed with Fratto. Quinn said he had “heard otherwise” regarding the rumor. But Fratto insisted that there is mutual interest between Michigan State and Meyer.
I'm told he's in East Lansing this week… That said, no one is predicting this will happen. Not yet. There IS mutual interest and he's going to get an interview per my best moles… Either way, this ordeal is good for our business 👊@FoxSportsRadio
— Bernie Fratto (@BernieFratto) October 3, 2023
Meyer had great success as a head coach at Utah, Florida and Ohio State. He had won three national championships. But the 59-year-old flamed out spectacularly in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was part of multiple controversies and fired during his first season.
Though Michigan State wants to rebuild their program to where it was under Mark Dantonio, the idea of them hiring Meyer seems far-fetched. Meyer comes with all sorts of baggage. He was criticized for his handling of Zach Smith at Ohio State. He was part of a scandal after being photographed with a girl at a bar while coaching the Jags. And he has left both Ohio State and Florida somewhat abruptly.
For a school that is now conscious of their image and the type of employee they are hiring, replacing a coach fired for alleged sexual harassment with Meyer wouldn’t make a lot of sense. But crazier things have happened.
