Ohio State and Urban Meyer: Is It Deal or No Deal for Former Florida Coach?

Urban Meyer has a deal to be the new head football coach at Ohio State University.

Or he doesn't.

For the second time in less than a week, it was reported Wednesday that Meyer, who left the University of Florida job last year because of health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family, has agreed to a deal to coach the Buckeyes.

Wednesday's report from Orlando, Fla., television station WKMG and one in the Columbus Dispatch came on the heels of Saturday's breaking news a deal was close to being done.

But on both occasions, Meyer has responded much like another former coach that now works for the Worldwide Leader in Sports, as in, "Not so fast, my friend."

Meyer denied Saturday that there was a deal and he did the same thing on Wednesday. That denial is going to look awfully weird next week, when Meyer is reportedly to be announced as the next coach of the Buckeyes.

It's somewhat reminiscent of then-Miami Dolphins coach Nick Saban denying he had any interest at all in the job at the University of Alabama—right up to the point he was introduced as the new football coach at the University of Alabama.

One aspect of this I find funny—and I freely admit it may just be a byproduct of my own warped sense of humor—is Meyer is reportedly coming back to coaching just a year after leaving it to spend more time with family. Does this mean he doesn't like his family as much as he thought he might?

I mean, seriously, how do you go from wanting to be a family man to wanting to get away from them in just 12 months?

Actually, I know the answer to that question. If the reports Meyer keeps denying are true, he's got 40 million reasons to trade in family night for another night in the film room. WMKG reported Meyer's deal was for seven years and $40 million.

I also understand, though, why Meyer is playing the denial game. It's Ohio State-Michigan week and the rumors alone are sucking most of the oxygen out of the pregame coverage.

Could you imagine how much we'd be reading and hearing about the actual game coming Saturday if Meyer had confirmed the news reports?

I get it, but apparently there are some in the media who don't. FOXSports.com's Peter Schrager wrote a scathing piece which placed Meyer in the same category of shameless diva as now-retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre.

I'm more willing to give Meyer a pass on this one. He's sort of damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

If he confirms the reports then the Michigan-Ohio State storyline instantly morphs into "Urban Meyer to Coach Ohio State." If he denied the reports as he's done, then the storyline for the Wolverines and Buckeyes turns into "Will Urban Meyer Coach Ohio State?" It's a no-win situation.

However, I'm inclined to believe the reports, simply because of the level of detail contained within them.

It would be one thing if the reports stated Meyer was going to Ohio State for some length of time and a lot of money and, yeah, there will be some dudes working on his staff, too.

But WKMG's report included sources saying Mickey Marotti, currently the strength coach at Florida, would join Meyer in Columbus and become director of football operations. It was also being reported Luke Fickell, the Buckeyes' current interim coach, would remain on the staff as assistant head coach.

That would be a lot of details to throw out there without confirmation.

So when—sorry, if—Meyer is introduced in Columbus next week, forgive me if I won't exhibit a lot of surprise.