Urban Meyer to Ohio State Rumors: Why Meyer Should Back out While He Still Can

Urban Meyer was just a coach at a small-time university like Utah who decided that winning games just wasn't enough for him. He wanted to win it all and he wanted to do it in the big leagues.

The University of Florida took notice of that spirit he possessed and hired Meyer on as their head coach. It was a brave move, changing not only where one lived and what one did, but also placing oneself under such pressure to succeed. Florida was an SEC powerhouse and those kinds of fans expect to win.

Urban more than performed during his tenure at Florida, he crushed the competition and won two National Championships in the process, taking an lost program to the top in just a few short years.

He produced big-time NFL players as well such as Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin, both starters for their respective teams nowadays. Meyer was the ultimate coach on the biggest playing field in the country, and it was his drive, his hunger, to succeed that put him there.

However, all good things must come to an end, and that's how Meyer had to leave Florida. After having some medical issues, Meyer resigned from his position at Florida in lieu to spend more time with his family, and by family what he really meant was hang around at ESPN.

Meyer has been a correspondent for ESPN since he resigned at Florida, helping the experts analyze teams inside and out all over the nation. Now, though, another calling seems to be awaiting him.

Like a rescue dog, Meyer has sniffed out his next target in need of assistance; the Ohio State Buckeyes and their drowning program. The Sweater Vest Scandal put a hole in one of the oldest and most storied programs in the nation, and Luke Fickell has yet to even attempt to patch it up.

Hiring Meyer would be a widely popular decision for the Buckeyes, taking the two-time National Champion coach back to his home state to fix a sinking ship. The temptation of heading back home, repairing one of the greatest programs in the country and being in the spotlight again will be overwhelming for Meyer.

The coach needs to get a hold of himself and turn down the job. 

Here's why: The Buckeyes play in the second-most grueling football conference in the country and although the Leaders Division is no SEC East, winning consistently, even for him, will be tough. It would take years, decades maybe, to fix the hole that resides in the Ohio State ship, and does Meyer have not only the stamina, but also the drive to see that repair through to the end? I don't think so.

He obviously has medical conditions that he claims were brought about being the head football coach at one of the most storied universities in the nation.

Well, guess what? As far as storied and renowned programs, Ohio State probably ranks up their with Notre Dame, Michigan, Rutgers and Army, and taking this job would create double or triple the pressure he felt while down in the sunshine state.

When he took over at Florida, the ship was still upright, it just wasn't moving very fast. He crafted it into a dangerous vessel that owned the SEC East year after year. This Ohio State boat is, excuse the ship analogies, sinking without a captain. Does he really want to be that captain and risk his reputation, career and health on a program that is dangerous to begin with?

I say no. Meyer is and always will be an SEC coach. Ohio may be his home state, but the south has made him family and he shouldn't give all that up to try and fix a ship that is so flooded with corruption, fraud and arrogance that righting it could cost him a lot more than he is willing to give.

Coach Meyer should take a few years actually off and spend real time with his family, not ESPN. He may find it relaxing. Once he's back on his feet and ready to tackle another program that needs some help, there will be plenty universities ready and waiting to ask him to be their man.

What he has to avoid is giving into temptation now. Don't go down with the ship, Captain.