After his most recent retirement from coaching, Urban Meyer is once again stepping back into broadcasting. Following his initial retirement at the University of Florida, Meyer took an analyst position at ESPN for the 2011 season. Of course, Meyer didn’t even make it through the full 2011 season in TV before taking the job at Ohio State where he went 83-9 in seven seasons. In Columbus, Meyer won a national championship and never lost to Michigan, but also endured a suspension and whirlwind of controversy surrounding his handling of the Zach Smith scandal before retiring again in December.
For the 2019 season, Meyer will work as a studio analyst for Fox Sports. Fox will launch a new-look studio show this fall on Saturday mornings — in an attempt to compete against the juggernaut that is College GameDay — with Meyer and star players of the 2000s like Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, and Brady Quinn.
In a new development, Meyer will also serve as a studio analyst for Big Ten Network this year. With Fox’s part-ownership of BTN, it opens the doors for Meyer to work on both networks throughout the year.
Via BTN:
Hosts Dave Revsine, Mike Hall and Pizzo will once again anchor studio coverage for BTN, alongside Coley Harvey who will make his debut with BTN in a reporting role. They will be joined by an accomplished group of analysts, including new additions in three-time national champion coach Urban Meyer, two-time All-Big Ten defensive tackle and Michigan Wolverine Mike Martin and former San Diego Chargers and Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Joshua Perry. Martin, Meyer and Perry will become a part of an experienced roster, which also includes BTN and FOX Sports veterans Gerry DiNardo, Howard Griffith, Glen Mason and Dave Wannstedt.
The hosts and analysts will rotate among a fall football programming lineup with daily BTN Live Updates, appearances on The B1G Show and Saturday’s on BTN Tailgate, B1G Football Game Break, B1G Football Postgame and The Final Drive
Naturally, speculation has already begun before he’s even started at Fox that his time in television could just be temporary once again, with USC potentially in need of a big-name coach to turn their program around in the near future.
The BTN work comes as a surprise just from the increased workload and travel that Meyer will likely take on in his return to television. It’s a coup for BTN to get Meyer on the air for the new season, where the former Buckeye coach will likely speak to a much more receptive audience filled with Ohio State fans, compared to a national audience that will still carry the cloud of his suspension last year.
In addition to Meyer’s two television analyst roles, he has a leadership class to teach at Ohio State, and a new restaurant opening in Dublin. Perhaps that will be enough to keep him from returning to coaching, at least for a few months.
[BTN]
