Every time a head coaching opportunity opens up in college football, it always seems that Urban Meyer’s name gets thrown into the mix. Whether that’s his agent’s doing or just hopeful fans trying to stir up a storm is anyone’s guess, but Meyer’s name has now been floated for the Michigan State University opening.
Meyer last appeared in the coaching world with the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL. After having enough of Meyer and his antics, Jacksonville fired the three-time national championship head coach just 13 games into his NFL tenure. The former Ohio State, Florida and Utah head coach is now an analyst with Fox Sports.
While his antics can grow tiresome, he is still one of the greatest college football head coaches in modern history. While it’s hard to envision that some parents would let their children play for the embattled Meyer, there are plenty of other FBS coaches who have been granted multiple opportunities after committing multiple wrongdoings.
With that said, Meyer has to be interested in returning to coaching in the first place. And the Spartans have to reciprocate that interest, especially after firing their previous head coach, Mel Tucker, with cause.
According to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, it appears that those rumors were unsubstantiated
“About the “reports” linking Urban Meyer to the Michigan State HC job… I just checked with him. There is zero truth to it with him being a candidate for it. He has no interest in that, and is happy with what he’s doing now at Fox Sports,” Feldman wrote on Twitter (X).
About the “reports” linking Urban Meyer to the Michigan State HC job… I just checked with him. There is zero truth to it with him being a candidate for it. He has no interest in that, and is happy with what he’s doing now at Fox Sports.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 4, 2023
Those in the college football world were quick to react to the coaching update on Meyer.
Putting reports in quotations for the extra shade, nice touch.
At least the absurd rumor exposed some people who pretended to care about character and culture. https://t.co/h6VKp9s9zg— Trevor McCue (@trevormccue) October 4, 2023
This should have been obvious to anybody who also remembered why a) Michigan State needs a coach right now and b) why Urban Meyer isn't currently coaching https://t.co/Y0GTBxazuF
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) October 4, 2023
Shocking. https://t.co/IfI6OrsjsT
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) October 4, 2023
Urban Meyer: not interested
Also Urban Meyer: have you met my friend Steve Addazio? He’s amazing! https://t.co/2m4ItM6Llj— Mike Flick (@Flickerbock) October 4, 2023
Considering this is Urban Meyer we are talking about, I take this to mean he will be the head coach at Michigan State within 2 weeks. https://t.co/y9uF8LIbrU
— Damon Carter (@dcarter5231) October 4, 2023
Urban Meyer to MSU always seemed like a pipe dream to me. I don’t see MSU making a controversial hire after the Mel Tucker stuff especially with an interim president in place. Then for Urban’s side, not sure it makes much sense either. MSU is a good job but it’s not a super easy… https://t.co/iYmhbanEWy
— Andrew Cumbow (@ACumbow) October 4, 2023
I never considered Urban Meyer to be a candidate at Michigan State for a multitude of reasons. But if he’s saying there’s zero truth to this, my mind might be changing. I know his track record with telling the truth. https://t.co/2TerhuNCNu
— Scott Bell (@sbell021) October 4, 2023
Michigan State hiring Urban was obviously never going to happen. Back to your regularly scheduled programming. https://t.co/klrvU3A4kV
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) October 4, 2023
So he’s absolutely interested https://t.co/2wcEaUIfrf
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) October 4, 2023
While Feldman’s reporting is obviously very credible, you never know what you’re gonna get with Meyer, who isn’t exactly a known truthteller. However, it appears that Michigan State isn’t going to go down that rabbit hole at this current junction.
