Urban Meyer Ohio State Rumors: Why Meyer Would Tank at OSU

This has been a very odd week with regard to Urban Meyer, who was reported to have accepted the head coaching job with the Ohio State Buckeyes, a claim which he himself publicly denied.

I would find Meyer's taking the Ohio State job odd for a number of reasons. First and foremost, because he left his job with the Florida Gators in response to health problems and a desire to spend more time with his family. After only a year off, it would seem strange that he has changed his mind about all this already. But there are a number of other reasons why I think Urban Meyer would be better served to keep his job in the ESPN broadcasting booth for now, because he would be a failure at Ohio State.

Arguments Against

1. He will not get the same quality of recruits at Ohio State that he got at Florida. Yes, Ohio is a good state for high school football, and yes Ohio State is a premier program. But Florida (along with California and Texas) is one of those states that just oozes football talent. And with Florida State and Miami down right now, Florida is the place to go for in-state recruits that want to stay home.

2. The expectations are just as high at Ohio State as they are at Florida. From what we've heard, Meyer was experiencing such anxiety at Florida that he was hospitalized after the 2009 SEC Championship Game. These same stress-related problems are what forced him to quit. The pressure of winning at Ohio State will be just as oppressive. The Buckeyes have won seven Heisman Trophies and seven national championships. They don't handle losing well.

3. The SEC is the place to be for football. It may not have been that way a decade ago, but right now that conference is head-and-shoulders above the rest. The SEC has won the last five BCS Championships, and they look almost certain to claim a sixth this year. The SEC has unparalleled support, better players and faces superior competition. The SEC is the best place to be for a young coach.

4. Ohio State may yet be facing NCAA sanctions. Yes, Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor are gone, and yes the Buckeyes did self-impose sanctions. But that doesn't mean the NCAA is done with them yet. After the way they manhandled the USC Trojans, the NCAA has shown it's not afraid to go after the big boys. A similar postseason ban with scholarship reductions could hinder the all-important first few years of recruiting immensely for Meyer.

5. Ohio State fans will be expecting immediate success based on his track record. It only took Meyer two seasons to get the Utah Utes to an undefeated season and unprecedented BCS bowl berth. It only took him two years to get the Florida Gators a BCS National Championship, and only two more to notch a second one. Buckeye fans are already assuming he'll win a national championship in Columbus by 2013.

It just doesn't make sense to me that Urban Meyer would take this job. Why a guy with health problems and trouble dealing with the immense stresses of college coaching would seek a high-profile job where it's harder to win than at the place he just left last year is beyond me. Meyer would be smart to take a few more years off, enjoy a little bit more relaxation and wait for a better offer.