Urban Comes Home

For nearly five years, some Ohio State fans have dreamed of the possibility that Florida head coach Urban Meyer would one day coach the Buckeyes if Jim Tressel ever left. On Monday, their visions of sugar plums became a giant dose of reality.

At a long awaited press conference, Ohio State will finally confirm the worst-kept secret in a long time: Meyer is taking over as the twenty-fourth head coach in Ohio State football history. 

Meyer replaces Tressel who stepped down in May, following a violation of NCAA Bylaw 10.1, ethical conduct. The charge was levied after it was learned in January that Tressel had not reported to OSU compliance officials the possibility that five players -- including quarterback Terrelle Pryor -- may have traded memorabilia in exchange for free tattoos. Meyer himself had just left Florida, months prior, after six seasons due to health and family concerns. He had quit in December 2009 for the same reasons, but one day later announced he would stay on after Athletic Director Jeremy Foley talked him out of leaving.

Luke Fickell was named as Tressel's interim replacement for this past season. Almost immediately, Meyer's name surfaced as a possible permanent replacement due to his growing up in Ashtabula, Ohio, his affinity for the Buckeyes and having his Master's from the university. Meyer, meanwhile, only barely fought speculation with generic denials while serving as a color commentator for ESPN. With each mounting loss in a tumultuous 6-6 season, speculation grew that Meyer was ripe for the job.

Reportedly, Meyer was under constant contact with OSU officials, including several trustees -- an allegation that Meyer has never denied. About 10 days ago, several Ohio State insiders, including BuckeyeSports.com and Eleven Warriors, reported that Meyer was likely to accept the position. Later, Scout.com's Bill Green reported he had accepted the deal in principle. 

Though Meyer issued a denial last Saturday during the Michigan-Nebraska telecast on ESPN, chatter from within the program escalated. As Fickell maintained focus for his Buckeye team against arch-rival Michigan, a game lost 40-34 this weekend, Meyer spent the weekend in Columbus finalizing details of an agreement that was months in the work. Reportedly, the details were hashed out Sunday evening, and ESPN first reported early Monday morning that Meyer had agreed to terms with OSU. 

Although terms of the actual agreement have yet to be disclosed, reports put the deal for as long as 7 years and nearly $6 million a year in total compensation. The deal would likely make Meyer the highest-paid coach in college football. 

Not only is Meyer an Ohio native, but so too is his wife Shelley, whom he met while doing his undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati. She is from Frankfort, a small town in Southern Ohio, and has been said to be very excited about coaching the Buckeyes. They have three kids, including two daughters that play college volleyball and a teenage son who lives with them in Gainesville.

Meyer, who has two national titles and four BCS wins to his name, was considered the only home run possibility for OSU. He's the one guy that could unite the fan base, after Tressel departed with a 9-1 record against rival Michigan, seven Big Ten Championships and a cherished national championship in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl against Miami. 

The career of Meyer began in 1986 as a graduate assistant and tight ends coach under Earle Bruce. Since then, he had stops at Illinois State, Colorado State and Notre Dame before getting his first crack at a head coaching gig in 2001 at Bowling Green. Meyer went 17-6 in two seasons at B.G. before moving on to Utah.

In Salt Lake City, Urban transformed a 5-6 program into an undefeated, BCS bowl game winner in just his second season. Having a stout 22-2 record, Urban flirted with openings at Notre Dame and Florida. He eventually accepted the Florida job, after Notre Dame was reportedly unwilling to meet his prerequisites for loosened admissions standards for its football players. Meyer ultimately went on to winning over 80 percent of his games in Gainesville and a pair of national titles.

The first of those titles, unfortunately for Buckeye fans, came in 2007 at the expense of Ohio State. Urban led the 12-1 Gators to a stunning rout of the top-ranked, undefeated Buckeyes 41-14. Under Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the Gators picked up their second title just two years later with a win against Oklahoma.

Now speculation turns to who Meyer will add to his coaching staff. WBNS 10-TV reported early this afternoon that Fickell will be retained on the Ohio State coaching staff. It is believed Fickell will serve as an associate head coach under his current salary ($750,000). It is widely believed that current OSU receivers coach Stan Drayton, Florida linebackers coach D.J. Durkin, a Bowling Green alum and former defensive end, and UF strength & conditioning coach Mickey Marotti will be joining Meyer as well. Drayton coached under Meyer for three seasons.

In addition, there are several rumors that former Oklahoma Defensive Coordinator and now-former Arizona head coach Mike Stoops is the leading candidate to replace Jim Heacock as defensive coordinator at Ohio State. LSU Offensive Coordinator Greg Studrawa, a Fostoria, Ohio native, is the leading candidate for the same position at OSU.

At least for Ohio State fans, the big name is in the bag. That's a good start.

Stay tuned for much more coverage from Along the Olentangy, including a recap of this evening's press conference and columns from our staff on this hire.