bostonsix

September 23rd, 2018 at 12:43 AM ^

If it's true, that's got to be one of the dumbest things their program could do. 

 No.1 Day was running Meyers coached system, and has never been a head coach

No.2 Meyer is only 54 years old...

No.3 if Meyer fucks up again, Day will     probably go down with him if he's already been named the successor.

There is absolutely nothing their program can gain by doing this.

So... I'm all for it!

Newton Gimmick

September 23rd, 2018 at 12:57 AM ^

That was my first thought as well: yes, DO IT. 

It's not that I think Day is a bad coach -- and he's probably a better human than their current coach -- but these situations always become distractions, with people wondering when the current coach will leave.  (Especially after every loss or disappointing result.)  It's like QB-by-committee, for coaches: a recipe for hot-take Hell.

I was driving through Ohio a couple weekends ago, and heard Buckeyes calling into a local radio show already complaining about Urban.  They thought Day's offensive playcalling was more dynamic, and they were worried that when Urban returned that he would do too many QB draws.

It's amazing.  Saban has six titles, Urban has three, and the rest of the current coaches in college football have a combined total of two.  To think that they'd move on from Urban so easily (for football reasons), after defending him so vigorously when he should have been fired for moral reasons, is so thoroughly Ohio State. 

 

JOHNNAVARREISMYHERO

September 23rd, 2018 at 1:10 AM ^

This is absolutely pointless unless he expects to be named head coach sooner than later.  

If this guy is good enough to lead a team, he isn't waiting more than 2-3 years.  

I know there are the McMurphy rumors that Meyer is gonna leave after this year because of what he had to go through.  Probably just speculation, but hearing this now maybe there is more too it.

No one is waiting more than a couple years if they indeed do this.  

 

Benoit Balls

September 23rd, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^

re: the McMurphy rumors:  I know waaay too many people in Ohio, connected to OSU, connected in political circles, OSU donors who donate to campaigns, etc and there is a bit of truth to this. No that Urban has a plan or has even made a decision to do anything, but only insofar as Urban really does think he got the short end of the stick in all of this and is upset the school didn't stick up for him. 

Additionally, it was Dr. Drake who was pushing for the suspension to be greater than three games.  Urban seems to feel that if the University President thinks that football shouldn't run the university, then he will leave and let the President deal with the fallout (which, Urban likely assumes will be fewer wins, fewer dollars, and fewer students trying to get admitted).  Obviously thats not documented anywhere, but dovetails with what we've seen of Urban's personality.

AT the end of the day though. I have a feeling it will depend on 2 factors: First - the status of Gene Smith.  If Smith leaves, that greases the skids (somewhat) for Urban's exit. Smith is Urban's #1 fan and has a TON of juice in Columbus.  Rumor has it Drake and Smith have a tepid relationship, but its kind of almost the typical "jock/ nerd" thinng where Drake thinks the purpose of the University is to further academics, whicle Smith figures without his Athletic Department, then the nerds wouldhn't have any money for their experiemnts (obvious oversimplification is obvious).  There could be a storm brewing there.  If Smith isn't around to shield Urban from some of the criticism from higher ups (Urban just wants to coach football and be left alone) then Urban might leave as well.

The #2 pellet here is Brian Kelly at ND.  Everyone knows thats the other place Urban is reputed to want to coach. Kelly doing well last year and really well so far this year has quieted some of the cries for his head. BUT, if things go sideways there (somehow) then that might also lead Urban to jump.

tl/dr - probably nothing but there is a level of truth where the stars could align and he would leave

Commie_High96

September 23rd, 2018 at 9:47 AM ^

Sometimes when you are "fair" and allow a coach to go on his own terms you get a Paterno situation.  Usually is just better to get the old man out as things start getting bad.  Lloyd could have set things up a lot better as well with a successor in waiting that was like what we saw with Oklahoma last year.

BeatIt

September 23rd, 2018 at 8:17 AM ^

I wouldn't hold a whole fan base responsible for 2 callers on a local radio show no more than i would hold half of this blogs membership responsible for the handful of comments after the loss @ ND that it was time to move on from Harbaugh. 

         Some OSU fans like myself know coaches are not infallible. I think Meyer has made numerous mistakes possibly costing us at least 1 more championship. First mistake was naming Ed Warinner offensive coordinator for 2015. Instead of sticking to the gameplan already served up on a silver platter via the 2015 post season offense by Tom Herman,  Warinner wanted to do it his way, which failed miserably for 2 years. In that we couldn't back the D outa of the box.  2nd mistake is naming JT Barret the starter before spring practice in 2017. If not for wilton speights mistakes in the 2017 "Game", michigan wins that game by a score. Not the first Meyer erred in naming a starting QB. 

Leaders And Best

September 23rd, 2018 at 9:05 AM ^

I see it as one of two things:

1) Meyer is not planning on coaching much longer

or

2) Gambit to keep Ryan Day on his staff longer. Muschamp was the coach in waiting at Texas until he got tired of waiting. Meyer has had a lot of turnover on his staff the last 5 years and maybe this is a way to keep stability.

The article has some valid points. Ohio State would probably get its pick of the available candidates when looking to hire, but what happens if there is no Urban Meyer available to fall in their lap at that time? Tom Herman and Dan Mullen are probably no longer options anymore so there isn't much left in the Urban Meyer coaching tree either.

Looking at programs like Florida, FSU, USC, Texas, and LSU struggle to find good coaching hires while Oklahoma and Clemson thrived in a transition to assistants like Lincoln Riley and Dabo Swinney may make them consider this as a better option. And FSU had a good run with Jimbo Fisher following Bowden.

bluefanindc

September 23rd, 2018 at 9:33 AM ^

Labeling someone "coach in waiting" never works out. Ask Maryland when they had James Franklin as their "coach in waiting". Ralph Friedgen wasn't going to leave and Franklin said see ya later and took a HC job at Vandy. Yeah Day will be gone.

Hotel Putingrad

September 23rd, 2018 at 9:39 AM ^

Interesting timing to these articles. Wasserman in particular could have inside information, because he too has been banging the "Urban's days are numbered" drum. Meyer may very well have legitimate health reasons ( head and/or heart) to step aside after the season, but why tab Day? On the basis of a three game interim run? OSU could have their pick of coaching candidates, but I guess Gene Smith knows what he's doing.

kevbo1

September 23rd, 2018 at 10:12 AM ^

Is there a coach in waiting contract?  The minimum qualifications for a coach in waiting at OSU are banging a grad assistant, enabling domestic abuse, and lying out both sides of your mouth.

NittanyFan

September 23rd, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^

Bielema was a coach-in-waiting at UW.  That worked.  Primarily because Alvarez was on board with it.

Jimbo Fisher was one too at FSU.  That worked, though Bobby Bowden didn't leave overly quietly.

So it has worked a couple of times.  You need commitment from both parties, of course.

Newton Gimmick

September 23rd, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^

I don't remember Bielema as coach-in-waiting.  At least I don't remember it being publicly discussed much during Alvarez's final seasons.  Alvarez was the AD so he may have known when he'd retire, and naming your own successor makes a difference.

Yes, Fisher eventually won a title, but I'd love for OSU to go through the turmoil and mediocrity that late-stage Bowden suffered with a coach-in-waiting breathing down his neck.  That whole situation took a good five years of turning out wrong before it "turned out alright."

Perkis-Size Me

September 23rd, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^

I don’t know what the point of this is. OSU will likely have first pick of whoever it wants leading the program after Meyer retires. Even in the strange scenario where this is signaling that Meyer doesn’t want to coach much longer and they will want some continuity in the schemes, is there really enough of a sample size to say that Day is ready to lead a program of OSU’s caliber?

For the Oregon State and Rutgers wins, you literally could’ve pulled anyone out of the stands and they could’ve coached OSU to a double digit win. I’m not going to give Day much credit for that. And the TCU win doesn’t look quite as impressive now after yesterday.

I’m also of the mindset that Meyer is going to be around for a while, so if Day really is good enough to lead his own team, I don’t think he’s going to want to wait around for Meyer to hang it up.

Urban_warfare

September 23rd, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^

This is about a lame as giving your mediocre, 8-4 coach a lifetime contract. OSU should start charging you nerds rent. 

JDeanAuthor

September 23rd, 2018 at 3:17 PM ^

Assuming for a moment that it even MIGHT be true, it's insane for several reasons

1.) Even though Urban was suspended for the actual games, he was allowed to work with the teams during the week.  So what you saw on the field was not really Day's head coaching, but Meyer's (which makes the punishment against him look even more ridiculous)

2.) Day is dealing with a high level of talent. He may or may not be a good coach, but OSU's work with Meyer during the week (see #1) combined with the level of players he has makes him look better than he actually may be as a coach.  If I were to step in his shoes, I GUARANTEE you that I, who have coached nothing more than flag football, would look like a top 10 coach in a heartbeat.

Day may be a great coach.  Then again, he may be Luke Fickell part 2.  The only way to know for sure is to turn him loose on his own lower level team to see what happens (and I'm pretty sure that's going to eventually happen, btw).

UofM626

September 24th, 2018 at 1:44 PM ^

OSU is not dumb, others schools will be calling at the end of this year for Day. 

Also I am betting big $$$ that Meyer w not be the coach of OSU come next year. You can count on that. He is fed up w University as much as deep done the University is done w him and his antics.

Meyer w be roaming the sidelines at Southern California, LSU or maybe even Florida St or Notre Dame. It’s the reason his wife has gone dark. She was told “we are out of head in 5 months sonsay the right things” 

Like I said I do believe he is gone from OSU and he can’t wait to leave now.