Speaking on his call-in show on the Ohio State IMG Radio Network Thursday, Urban Meyer said that two of his coaches have been contacted about head coaching positions and a third has turned down a coordinator position elsewhere.
The early signing period that will be implemented for the first time this December has sped up the coaching carousel and schools are already reaching out to Ohio State even with the Buckeyes still having a game to play this week.
“The early signing period is not making it any easier,” Meyer said. “We have had two coaches be contacted about becoming a head coach, and one assistant coach just turned down an opportunity to be a coordinator somewhere.”
In the past week, defensive coordinator Greg Schiano had agreed to become Tennessee’s head coach, but that deal fell apart infamously shortly after it was agreed to. The timing is not ideal for Meyer who is trying to keep his players focused following an emotional win at Michigan less than a week ago.
“I don’t want to have those conversations now because we expect laser focus, but I can say this, my staff is very professional,” he said. “At some point if you want to be a head coach, those are conversations to have. But what’s happened is the early signing date has moved everything up and we’re one of a handful of teams still playing because everybody else is done. And you can see people making coaching changes, and our players deserve their very best.”
To this point, however, he has seen nothing but that same laser focus he wants from his players.
“And that’s why I feel so great about our staff. Yeah, there were a couple of opportunities – two in particular turned it down and said, ‘Let’s go beat Wisconsin.’”
As troubling as it can be to have coaches being contacted for new positions, it is much better than the alternative.
“A wise old man once told me there are two types of coaches – ones they want and ones they don’t want, and we’ve got a bunch of wants,” Meyer said. “As long as that’s happening, that means I’ve hired the right people. That comes with life in the big city. I can’t stand it, but that’s part of the deal.”