Ohio State’s next game will come against Washington in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, and that will be the last one Urban Meyer coaches for the buckeyes.
According to a report from Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, Meyer will step down as the head coach at Ohio State following the season. Offensive coordinator Ryan Day, who served as interim head coach when Meyer was suspended earlier this season, will take over as the team’s full-time coach.
Several factors contributed to Meyer’s decision to retire, but Thamel reports that his confidence in Day is foremost among them. Meyer believes the program will be in great shape with the 39-year-old taking over and views the situation as similar to when Bob Stoops left Oklahoma in 2017 and Lincoln Riley became head coach.
Ohio State is expected to announce the move on Tuesday, as the school wants to be transparent with recruits going forward. Some top recruits have already been waiting to make their decisions with rumors swirling about Meyer’s health and coaching future.
Meyer has had health issues throughout his coaching career. After he went down to his knees during a game earlier this season, he revealed that he suffers from headaches that are caused by a cyst he has had on his brain for years. He said the issue is one that needs to be monitored by doctors.
In 2010, Meyer experienced chest pains before he decided to leave his job at Florida to spend time with his family. He has been publicly accused of exaggerating the issues to get what he wants in his career, which is something his family has passionately defended him over.
Of course, Meyer’s reputation has also taken a huge hit this year after he was accused of helping to cover up domestic violence allegations against a longtime member of his coaching staff. The 54-year-old is still young by coaching standards, so a return down the line cannot be ruled out.
