After tumultuous tenures with the Florida Gators and then the Ohio State Buckeyes, is there any chance that Urban Meyer could end up as a head coach again back in the SEC?
Could Urban Meyer potentially return to coach in the SEC?
While Meyer has a checkered past in the eyes of many, he’s a proven winner. And despite a decision to “retire” after leaving the Gators after the 2010 season, just one year after winning his first national championship as a head coach with the Gators in 2009. Meyer couldn’t help but return to the sidelines as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2012 taking just one year off. And can you blame him? When you’ve been a proven winner at three stops previously, that’d be hard for anyone to retire for good – especially when the offer is at a premier program and your alma mater.
Meyer won a national championship during his time in Columbus in 2014 and would stay with the school until 2018 before retiring again due to health problems, which was the same reason he cited for leaving the Gators in 2010.
Many rumors have circled, pictures and videos emerged, etc. to the point where many speculate that Meyer is done coaching for good with too much “baggage” surrounding him. Meyer’s reputation took it’s most recent hit during his time as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team didn’t fare well either going 2-11 under Meyer in his first season before his firing in the middle of it.
Again though, despite all of this, Meyer has been a proven winner at the collegiate level. Not only did Meyer win at Ohio State and Florida, but stops before that at Bowling Green and Utah saw success for Meyer as well.
As a college head coach, Meyer’s overall win percentage at the four schools combined is 85%. Amongst current SEC head coaches, this would rank Meyer tied for first in the SEC with Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.