Urban Meyer to Ohio State: How Long Will It Take to Win a National Championship?

Multiple sources have confirmed that Ohio State has hired former Florida head coach and ESPN analyst Urban Meyer to be the coach of its football team. The announcement follows the Buckeyes' 40-34 loss to rival Michigan.

The university last won a national championship in 2002 following an undefeated season and Fiesta Bowl win. So how long will it take for it to win another one under Meyer?

At least a year.

He came to Florida in 2005 and had some success, going 9-3 and 5-3 in the conference. A similar outcome should be expected next year in Columbus.

The Big Ten will have some tough teams next year including Penn State, Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska and getting by all of those teams will be tough but the new Big Ten Championship will make things that extra bit tougher.

Another thing to remember is that major coaching changes like this typically take some time before the players are comfortable with the new system.

The most anticipated change will be on offense with quarterback Braxton Miller. The similarities to former Florida QB Tim Tebow are obvious and the expectations will skyrocket now that he will be under the coach who made Tebow what he is today.

Sure the Gators won the national title when Tebow was a freshman but he was not the starting quarterback and the defense was spectacular. Miller has progressed at an astonishing rate but it would be unfair to expect him to learn everything he needs to in just one offseason.

The other major thing to consider is the impact recruiting will have on his success. There are few players who wouldn’t want to play under Meyer and the announcement will surely sway some of the nation’s best to Ohio State.

Once those players get some time to adjust to college ball, the Buckeyes will be one of the best teams in the country. But that doesn’t happen overnight.

There’s no reason to assume a national title won’t come under Meyer but fans should not expect it to happen right away.