Urban Meyer flamed out rather spectacularly as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. But he was actually very good as a TV analyst for FOX before heading to the NFL.
Could Meyer make a return to FOX’s airwaves? One reporter thinks so.
Austin Ward covers Ohio State for Lettermen Row and was talking about the Buckeyes on their “Ohio State Football Podcast” show. In Monday’s episode, Ward volunteered that he thinks Meyer will be back at FOX.
“I do think Urban will be back in college football as an analyst sometime soon. I think he’ll be returning to FOX,” Ward said. “I can’t say that it’s done, I just think it’s gonna happen again.”
Ward added that he felt there was a dropoff from Meyer to Bob Stoops, who replaced the former Ohio State coach on the FOX college football show.
We concur.
Meyer was great on air. He speaks with authority and had the credibility and aura of one of the greatest college football coaches.
Some are probably wondering whether Meyer’s credibility has been undermined by a poor tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars that included multiple controversies. Whether it was the allegations from Josh Lambo or videos with a blonde at a bar, Meyer’s image took a big hit.
While all of those factors probably hurt Meyer’s credibility, he still has a major name and legacy in college football. The more time he spends out of the spotlight — and another four months of the offseason should help — the more the public will forget about some of the nonsense that encompassed him in Jacksonville.
If Meyer doesn’t return to FOX until just before the season, that will probably be enough time for the negative cloud surrounding him to have dissipated. Plus, FOX’s biggest audience are Big Ten fans — and Ohio State ones — and many of them probably are willing to overlook the Jags issues.
H/T Awful Announcing
Photo: Oct 10, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer reacts during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
