At the age of 58, Urban Meyer is still relatively young in college football coaching years, but the well-traveled and oft-controversial three-time national champion indicated this week at the Ohio State coaches clinic that his career on the sidelines is over.
"That book is closed," Meyer told the Columbus Dispatch. "It's going to be TV and grandfather."
Less than two years after his disastrous 13-game stint as the Jacksonville Jaguars coach came to an end, Meyer remains connected to the game as a TV analyst. Though his time in the NFL amounted to a flop, Meyer is also a perpetual name of interest for open college jobs because of his two-decade track record of success as a head coach at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State.
At a time when Alabama's Nick Saban and North Carolina's Mack Brown are running successful college programs into their 70s, there is plenty of time for Meyer to reopen the "closed" book. In fact, Meyer has taken time away from the game before, only to find the coaching itch again. Ironically, Meyer's remarks came at the Ohio State coaches clinic, which is a strange place for a coach to declare that his career on the sidelines is over.
Ultimately, no matter what Meyer says, fan bases are likely to continue clamoring for his return during future coaching searches. Despite his NFL failure and questionable handling of some off-field issues, such as the domestic violence allegations against former Ohio State receivers coach Zach Smith, Meyer has proven to be a steady collegiate winner.
But, at least for now, he is not planning a sequel to a "book" that is highlighted by a 187-32 mark across 17 seasons as a college football head coach.
