The Front Row

Ok, I posted this just a little while ago on a different thread based off a news article from today that drwhitefps posted (see link below), but I thought I would repost it here if this is going to be the "Official Urban Meyer to OSU" thread containing all rumors, truths, sightings etc. related to Urban. Below are my thoughts regarding why Urban Meyer is considering coming to Ohio State and why it is "the perfect situtation."

The writing is on the wall. I truly believe this deal has been in the works for a while. I believe Urban walked away from Florida so he could spend time with his family until Tressel retired after the 2013 season. The memorabilia for tattoos and cash scandal just expedited the process. Unlike the Penn State rumors, Urban Meyer is not denying any of the Ohio State rumors. In fact, if you pay close attention when he speaks, what he does say indicates he is considering the job. For example, soon after Tressel resigned and Ohio State announced that Luke Fickell would be the interim head coach with the search for a permanent head coach occuring after the 2011 season, Urban Meyer stated publicly that he has no intentions of coaching THIS fall. That is very telling since the Ohio State job wasn't going to be open THIS fall.

Furthermore, in an article from News-Press.com from earlier today ... http://www.news-press.com/article/20111013/FGCU/111012058/Father-daughter-enjoy-time?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome ..., it appears that Urban Meyer and his family are considering the possibility of some coaching job in the next couple of months ... "Urban Meyer said it would have to be the perfect situation for him to return as a college football coach in the next couple of months." Urban Meyer's daugther Gigi is quoted as stating "We all miss football, but we don’t miss the stress. I’m pretty sure he’ll find a way to be happy and do what he wants. He has all our support, whatever way he chooses.” ... Sure makes it sound like he is in the process of making a choice to me. He is just making sure it is the perfect situation for him.

So, which job might that be? He has already publicly denied considering the Penn State job at the moment ... which won't be availble until JoePa retires (no indication that is happening in the next couple of months). Is it Arizona? Is it UCLA? Neither of those would be more appealing then where Meyer just was - Florida.

So what makes Ohio State the perfect situation? First, it is his dream job. Like all of us on this board, he was born and raised a fan of the Buckeyes. He idolizes Woody Hayes. Earle Bruce gave him his first college coaching job (at Ohio State by the way) and is like a second father to him. Oh, and by the way, everywhere he has coached, including Florida, he has had a no penalty clause in his contract to take the job at one of 3 places: Notre Dame, Michigan and Ohio State. He has already passed on the first two on his list ... was that because he has always had his sights set on the third?

Second, its a premiere coaching job. Ohio State is one of the top 5 places to coach in all of college football (no offense to Florida). In spite of our 3-3 record and how awful we look on the field this year, we are loaded with talent. Ohio State recruits itself. The state of Ohio is loaded with talent every year. The Ohio State fan base is second to none.

Third, expectations will be low. Given all the offseason turmoil and the teams poor performance so far this year, fans and the administration will give Urban Meyer some time to right the ship. He is a proven winner and he wins without breaking NCAA rules. Ohio State needs that right now. He will get a 3-4 year cushion to get the program back to where it was.

Finally, in spite of the low expectations, he could win right away. As I previously mentioned, we are loaded with talent. Don't let the 3-3 record and all the suspensions fool you. With the right coaching, we could be 5-1 or possibly even 6-0 right now. Plus, the team is young. With Nate Williams back, our D will be a force to recon with next year. And, say whatever you want about the mistakes Braxton Miller has been making, he is exactly the kind of QB Urban Meyer loves in his system. He has had a lot put on his shoulders so far this year with a coaching staff that doesn't appear to know what it is doing at least half the time (yanking him in and out of the Miami game, replacing him with a pathetic JB in the 4th qtr of the MSU game and having Graham be the one to break the news to him, etc.). Look at how the team played against Nebraska with Miller in the game. The kid can flat out play. Urban Meyer knows if he comes to Ohio State, he has a chance to win a national championship and get Braxton Miller a heisman trophy within his first 3 years.

There is only one thing that could keep Ohio State from being the perfect situation, and that is NCAA sanctions. If the NCAA hammers Ohio State (massive scholarship reductions and bowl bans for multiple years) then Urban Meyer will likely not see Ohio State as the perfect situation anymore.

I believe he has already been contacted. The deal is in the works and pending the outcome of the NCAA investigation. If the NCAA comes back in November with not much more than the self-imposed sanctions (which I think is highly likely), on or around 1 December 2011 Urban Meyer will be announced as the new head coach at the Ohio State University."

Meyer will not last at OSU. He is a liar and his recruits were in more trouble than any team OSU has had. But the OSU fans seems desperate at this point. We need to find a 15 year coach and not a 3 year one. H does know how to surround himself with great assistants and not "friends. Time will show the Meyer is a bandaid and not Nick Saban.

I hate threads like this because I have to filter through so much bs. I would rather people start new topics. You can get lost in a thread like this.

At least Earle Bruce has enough class and common decency to respect Luke Fickell and the other Coaches. Can you imagine more difficult circumstances to take over as Coach of a prestigious Program. JT played 1 QB during the past 2.5 years and 90% of the offensive production depended upon that QB. That QB nearly brought down the program and has left taking JT down with him. There was never any successor QB groomed for the job.
Miller is terrific and will be a superstar some day soon, but he is 18 years old and has started 2 games. The would be OC has no real experience as an OC and no creativity so the Defense is forced to play more than 60% of the time.
Not really a fair chance for Fickell and his staff and yet most of the people commenting on these Boards are cutting him no slack and are already acting like he is gone and Meyer is the new HC. It is nausiating and incredibly unfair to Fickell.
Fickell has made his share of mistakes - not surprising for a first time HC. He should have taken control of the Offense at halftime of the Miami Game and never given it back to Bollman. He should have played Guiton or Graham or both when Miller got hurt (and yes I know Graham did not make the trip - I don't know why). He should have run the ball once we were up 21 at Nebraska.
But, he is a true Buckeye and he has actually done a pretty good job given the circumstances. He has had former Buckeye stars like Herbstreit and Spielman undercutting him in favor of Meyer since he was named HC. It is absolutely disgusting that these guys would not rally to his defense instead of undermining him in favor of their new friend.
Fickell never got a chance to name any of his own Assistants, something Meyer will insist upon. He has no OC. If OSU wins 7 or 8 games this year and beats Michigan, he deserves a chance to Coach next year and hire a real OC. I think JT went 7-5 his first year and he came into a situation nowhere near as difficult as that which Fickell has faced. This "thread" Board is unfair to him and the other Coaches who are trying as best they can to hold this team together. If they fail there will be plenty of time after the season to speculate about the future coach. And, by the way, few commentators are mentioning any of the negative about Meyer.

Pdan46. So basically you want to keep a guy who is obviously clueless on how to run an elite program because he is a true buckeye? Do u think maybe herbie and speilman are saying those things because they can see the obvious? Luke is no where near ready to run an elite program and is certainly not the answer here.

You obviously are clueless as to what is required to succeed in circumstances like those facing Fickell. What qualifies you to judge him as clueless? You did not address any of the facts which I highlighted in my comment. Facts, not opinion which is all you expressed. You have obviously decided, on the basis of everyone else's hysteria, that Meyer is the answer and Fickell is not! That's fine and you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but it is incredibly unfair to Fickell.