Urban to OSU: Legend or Legendary?

Though the days of digesting the latest news over a morning cup of coffee and slice of toast have since been replaced with Twitter, there was an unmistakable buzz Friday morning when Buckeye fans got out of bed: Urban Meyer was ready to take over the throne.

With rumblings coming from Scout.com's "nevadabuck" early in the afternoon, OSU blog Eleven Warriors upped the ante Thursday evening when they sent out a tweet stating 99.7 percent certainty that Meyer had, at least in principle, agreed to become the next head coach. The national media has reached a split decision on the veracity of the rumors, though Friday evening, Gainesville Sun beat writer Pat Dooley reported a Meyer text message that said there was "no truth" to the rumors. 

So where do we stand? Well, long-time sources close to Along the Olentangy are more in agreement with the former rather than the latter. 

For several months, people close to the situation -- both in Urban's inner circle and among the core of Ohio State decision-makers -- have said negotiations have been ongoing. When Luke Fickell was announced as Jim Tressel's interim replacement at the end of May, Ohio State made quick work to contact Meyer in early June. Since then, through back channels and recently in a less concealing capacity, the OSU brain trust has ironed out budgets, salaries and logistics with Meyer. So reports of his agreeing in principle are not only plausible, but some would say likely.

Dooley and members of the national media are probably within reason to deny such rumors. After all, one rumor had Meyer signing a 7-year, $35 million contract with Ohio State. That kind of specific report is probably premature, though not necessarily off the mark (sources continue to estimate Meyer's contract to be worth just over $5 million a year in total compensation). 

Some, however, still question why Meyer would get back into coaching so soon.

Meyer stepped down from his post this past year after a grueling 8-5 season that was equally as notable for his health concerns as much as L.A.T. (life after Tebow). He cited burnout and a desire to spend more time with his family as a reason he was giving up his cushy S.E.C. job after six seasons. Instead, Meyer joined ESPN as a color commentator. 

The truth is, though, while the health concerns were legit, they were probably overblown. And though he's enjoyed watching his daughters both play collegiate volleyball and spend more time with his wife Shelley and their 12-year old son, the Ohio State job has always been at the top of Urban's wish list. 

Meyer was born and raised in Ashtabula, Ohio. In his autobiography -- written by Gator beat writer Buddy Martin -- Urban admits he grew up idolizing Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes and wore No. 45 in high school as a testament to two-time Heisman winner Archie Griffin. The most telling part of the book, however, was Urban's reaction when he first joined Ohio State as an assistant coach after graduating from the University of Cincinnati...

"I had tears in my eyes," he recalled on page 66. "I remember grabbing a scarlet and gray jersey and going, 'Wow!' I mean, 'Wow! I'm here.' Every kid growing up in Ohio wants to do that."

Later in the book, Meyer notes that Shelley would have an equal vote as to what jobs they would consider but with one stipulation: if Ohio State, Notre Dame or Michigan came calling, her vote had little weight. 

Shelley herself grew up in Ohio and a fan of Ohio State. A native of Frankfort, a town in southern Ohio, she met Urban at Cincinnati. Prior to the National Championship in Jan. 2007, when Urban's Gators were set to meet the Buckeyes, she admitted to the USA Today that she carried around a Buckeye for luck. 

Some observers have expected Urban to be interested in the Ohio State job for several years. In fact, when rumors were going around last season that Tressel might retire in a few years, some expected Urban to monitor the situation hoping he would be under consideration. Ever since his time as an Ohio State assistant, he's kept at least some of his heart in Columbus.

His mentor -- former Ohio State head coach Earle Bruce -- keeps in constant contact. Before every major career decision he's ever made, he's sought Bruce's advice. But there will be none bigger than the one he's reportedly facing now. 

With Jim Tressel gone, after a National Championship, seven Big Ten titles, a 6-4 bowl record and a 105-22 record (prior to 11 vacated wins from last season), Meyer would have big shoes to fill. Not to be outdone, however, Meyer has won a pair of national titles, 82 percent of his games and 7 of 8 bowl appearances making him an easy first choice for the guy to supplant Tressel on a permanent basis.

When Fickell took over this summer, he was not promised anything beyond this season. His contract expires January 31, and he was informed there would be a national search after the year ended. Though a successful season may have complicated matters, it now appears at 6-4 and Meyer showing signs of being ready to take the job, the search is over before it ever really began.

According to Ohio State policy, nothing can happen until the university posts the job on the OSU careers website. The university FAQ section states that jobs must be posted for a total of nine days, with all postings going up Friday at 11:59 PM and expiring at 11:59 the following Sunday. As of Midnight on Friday, there was no posting involving the head coaching position at Ohio State -- meaning the job won't be open officially for at least another week.

Most likely, Ohio State will post the position the Friday following the Michigan game (Dec. 2). The following week, Ohio State will announce a formal, national search and will have a few token interviews. The job would then be filled as soon as Monday, Dec. 12. If this timetable holds, it means there will be no halftime unveiling of Meyer at the Ohio State-Duke basketball game on Nov. 29. 

Nonetheless, it appears close enough to fruition that rumors are running rampant about coaches already having been contacted as prospective assistants under Meyer.

The two leading candidates for coordinators are LSU offensive coordinator Greg Studrawa and Temple defensive coordinator Chuck Heater. Studrawa just took over at LSU this past season after spending four years as an offensive line coach. He is a Bowling Green graduate, former assistant for Meyer at B.G. and spent 1997 as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under John Cooper. He is a native of Fostoria. 

Heater, meanwhile, joined Temple as the defensive coordinator this year under former Meyer assistant Steve Addazio. The former Michigan standout coached with Meyer in 1987 at Ohio State and was an assistant for Urban the past seven seasons at Utah and Florida. 

Of the current staff, Fickell and receivers coach Stan Drayton are possible candidates to be retained if Meyer accepts a position at Ohio State. Fickell would likely be named an associate head coach with a comfy salary. Drayton, meanwhile, is a Pennsylvania native that had two stints for Meyer in Gainesville. Secondary coach Taver Johnson is also on the radar, as he was an assistant with Meyer at Notre Dame under Bob Davie.

While ESPN analysts Chris Spielman and Kirk Herbstreit have been mentioned as wildcard coaching candidates, there are other guys from Meyer's coaching tree that could be in the mix. One is Florida linebackers/special teams coach D.J. Durkin.

Like Studrawa, Durkin is an Ohio native and former Falcon. A Youngstown native, Durkin got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant under Meyer in 2001. Where he would likely coach the defensive line, the offensive line could be mentored by Studrawa or Mississppi State line/tight ends coach John Hevesy. Hevesy was with Meyer since he got his start at Bowling Green. 

One other name to keep an eye on: Boston College offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers. Rogers also served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame under Davie and earned his master's from Ohio State in 1978 while serving as a graduate assistant under Hayes for two seasons.

While assembling a staff seems like putting the cart before the horse, those in the coaching ranks have been known to chatter quite a bit. Still, some ask why Meyer would leave a cushy broadcasting job for coaching. 

Consider that even in broadcasting, he's gone from Wednesday through Saturday of each week. And for a guy like Urban, coaching runs in the veins. People close to Meyer says he is eager to get back into coaching, though it's always been the qualifier 'for the right opportunity.' Nonetheless, Meyer probably could have named his role and broadcasting partner when he joined ESPN, and some found it interesting he was paired with Spielman with the Big Ten being his primary responsibility (rather than doing SEC games where he's been a coach for the past six seasons).

For at least a few more weeks, there will be plenty more to chew on. The only difference instead of morning coffee, we'll likely need the caffeine to keep us going with all the speculation.