Ever since Ohio State lost to archrival Michigan for a fourth straight time last Saturday, speculation has been rampant regarding the future of head coach Ryan Day.
Though Day has won 63 games and two Big Ten titles across six full seasons in Columbus, he has drawn the ire of fans and alumni for his 1-4 record against "That Team Up North." Even with the Buckeyes poised to easily make the College Football Playoff for the fourth time during Day's tenure, if the Buckeyes don't go on to win the national championship, there is a belief that Day's time leading the program could come to an end.
Should Ohio State actually fire Day, the list of candidates to replace him would be endless. However, despite rumors to the contrary, Day's predecessor at OSU is adamant that list will not include him.
In a statement released Thursday, former Buckeye coach Urban Meyer denied he has any desire to retake his old job should it become available again, writing, "I have no interest in coaching again." The 60-year-old did express his continued admiration for Ohio State football, as well as his support for its current coach.
"I will always be a Buckeye and have full confidence in Ryan Day, his staff, and every player that puts on the Scarlet and Gray," Meyer added. The statement was issued through the X account for "The Triple Option" podcast, which Meyer co-hosts with fellow Fox college football analysts Rob Stone and Mark Ingram II.
During his tenure at OSU from 2012-18, Meyer went a remarkable 83-9 with three Big Ten titles, two CFP appearances, and a national championship in 2014. Perhaps most importantly, the Ohio native and Ashtabula Saint John grad finished a perfect 7-0 against Michigan.
Prior to the 2018 campaign, the school suspended Meyer three games for his handling of domestic violence allegations against receivers coach Zach Smith, and the then-offensive coordinator Day filled in as interim head coach during that stretch. Following the season, Meyer announced what was described as his "retirement" from both Ohio State and college coaching in general, and Day was immediately named as his successor.
Meyer resurfaced on the sidelines in 2021, this time in the professional ranks as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. His stint in the NFL was memorable for all the wrong reasons, both because of the team's 2-11 record and his antics both on and off the field, and he was fired after just 13 games.
With such a disastrous end to his last coaching job, and with his current gig at Fox likely bringing him much less stress, it's reasonable to wonder why Meyer would even want to return to Ohio State if Day gets the axe. Still, given his unquestioned pedigree at the college level and obvious love for the Buckeyes, it's only natural his name would come up in conversation, and some in the industry feel there could be mutual interest.
Monday on the "Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show," 3News' Jay Crawford cited multiple "dialed in" sources in Columbus who stated Meyer would be open to coming back to OSU and that the school would be willing to offer him the position. He also alleged that, despite what was said publicly at the time, Meyer's exit from the program six years ago wasn't exactly a "retirement."
"Urban never wanted to leave Ohio State. The people that were closest to him and that know him well know that he did not want to leave Ohio State," Crawford told his co-hosts during a discussion on the Michigan loss. "His hand was forced because the administration at the time did not like how powerful Urban had become at the university, and so there was a real power struggle."
Crawford also noted that the "two main players" from the the time Meyer stepped down are no longer at Ohio State, referring to President Michael V. Drake and athletic director Gene Smith. Whether that would influence Meyer's present-day thinking is unknown, but as of Thursday, he's at least trying to make it clear he will not be the next head coach.
For what it's worth, Day this week told reporters he wants to remain with the Buckeyes, saying, "I have one of the best jobs in America." In an interview with The Columbus Dispatch, new athletic director Ross Bjork also stressed his belief that Day "does a great job leading our program," but also admitted that, "There's going to be plenty of time to dissect what happened in the rivalry game the last couple years."
For now, Day will lead the 10-2 Buckeyes into the CFP yet again, a possibility this year with the expansion from four to 12 teams. They will learn their first-round opponent on Sunday.