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Ohio State Football: 3 biggest impacts of Urban Meyer’s Retirement

By John Mitchell

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 25: Urban Meyer head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes after the game against the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State won 31 to 20 on November 25, 2017 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 25: Urban Meyer head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes after the game against the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State won 31 to 20 on November 25, 2017 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

2. What’s next for Urban Meyer and Ohio State?

Is this really it for Urban Meyer? This is the second time his health has forced him to “retire”, leaving behind a prestigious program.

The coaching itch returned with vigor after he left Gainesville, will it return again after another brief exit?

Meyer is only 54-years-old, and will have no shortage of suitors for his services if he again decides to return to the sideline. For his sake, however, I hope he stays at home.

Football is supposed to be fun, and no coach, not even Nick Saban, look like they are having less fun than Meyer during a game. Living and dying with every play, Meyer appeared to be in agony throughout the 2018 season, at times unable to even watch the events that were unfolding in front of him.

The arachnoid cyst on his brain no-doubt playing a part, but Meyer’s troubles felt like more than that. Football has always caused him great stress, and the joy that comes with the game felt more and more fleeting each passing year.

Success breeds expectations, and even despite winning 90% of his games in Columbus, there was plenty of frustration among the fanbase with his inability to capture a second national championship. The fun gets sucked out of the game when Top 5 finishes aren’t good enough, when every loss feels like the end of the world.

Hopefully, Meyer can derive pleasure from retirement, spending time with his kids and grandkids producing a new altar at which to worship. It’s tough for old coaches to walk away for good, though, and his name will repeatedly be brought up with every prestigious opening over the next decade.

For Ohio State, replacing a legendary coach is never easy. They think they have identified the next coaching great with Ryan Day after he successfully kept the Buckeyes afloat with a 3-0 record during Meyer’s three-game suspension.

But you never know until the real results come in. How will Day manage as a recruiter in the big seat? How will his in-game management be in hotly contested games? Day would be far from the first perfect fit to fail in their first coaching gig.

Only time will tell whether he’s Will Muschamp or Jimbo Fisher, and popular opinion could sway with just one single defeat.

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