The Urban Myth adds a new chapter

What things will look like at this afternoon's press conference

BY David Villavicencio 

The rumor has become reality. 

After weeks of speculation, Urban Meyer has accepted an offer to be the next football coach at The Ohio State University. 

Most people will not think twice when they hear that news but I am not most people. 

I remember Meyer quitting on his Gator teams TWICE! Both times he cited health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family as his reasoning behind the decisions to “retire”. But his return to coaching just one year after “retiring” proves how much of a lying, coward Meyer really is. 

In 2009, Meyer’s retirement lasted literally a day but he really did quit following an embarrassing 2010 season. The Gators lost four games in their first season without Tim Tebow and Meyer’s program appeared to be in shambles. 

Now it seems like the suspicions were true. Meyer did not want to be around for Florida’s collapse and that is exactly what has happened. His players just finished a 6-6 regular season in their first year under Will Muschamp yet Meyer will not take any of the blame for their failure. 

Meyer in his days as a Buckeyes assistant

Urban saw the signs that Florida would fail in 2009. That’s why he “retired”. But the proud coach also has the typical ego of a successful coach. He thought his greatness as a coach would push Florida past the inevitable decline that was coming. But after the Gators lost four games in 2010, he knew he had to get out and he did. 

Now Meyer is jumping at the chance to build a new dynasty. Ohio State has sanctions looming but they must not be too bad because Meyer would not take the helm at a doomed program. We’ve seen that he simply will not have his name or legacy associated with failure. Serious sanctions would all but assure that any coach at Ohio State would be destined to fail. 

Ohio State also is historically one of the best programs in the overrated Big 10. The Buckeyes had won six consecutive conference titles before their disastrous 2011 season. They’ve won 34 Big 10 titles and will always be considered the class of the conference along with Michigan. 

Miller is the QB Meyer needs

The Buckeyes also have Braxton Miller. The freshman quarterback just led the Ohio State in rushing and passing yards. He scored 18 total touchdowns and is expected to only improve with experience. He is also built to play quarterback in a system like Meyer’s. Miller is definitely a factor in Meyer’s decision to head to Ohio State as he has his quarterback in place for at least the next two years. 

Meyer brings a lot to Ohio State. He is the big name coach with two national championships under his belt. He is a former Buckeyes assistant, an Ohio native and a person with ties to the Florida speed that every college in the country covets. He is also a shady character that may have already committed a recruiting violation. 

The Buckeyes mysteriously received the commitment of Ricquan Southward yesterday. A talented and speedy receiver from Lakeland High in Florida, Southward was committed to play at Miami next season. But then things got interesting. 

Southward abruptly decided to decommit from Miami and commit to the Buckeyes. 

"I just feel like Ohio State has more of my playing style. I feel like I will be a much better wide receiver up there instead of at Miami." 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and he can choose to play football where ever he likes. The Buckeyes were likely going to relieve Luke Fickell of his duties at the end of the year and plenty of changes were likely to come so knowing how he would fit into the next coach's system is impossible to know but maybe Southward just really liked it in Columbus. That's fine but this is where things get interesting. 

"My main recruiting coach is Coach (Stanley) Drayton. He will be my coach up at Ohio State. Although we aren't very close right now, I believe I will look to him as a father-figure by the time I am done up there." 

Pardon me for being skeptical but Southward cites Drayton as a reason why he is interested in going to Ohio State yet there is no certainty that he will even be on the next staff. New coaches tend to bring in their own coaching staff. Only Drayton worked for Meyer at Florida and may have leaked word to the Lakeland receiver about who the next coach would be.

Meyer might have even been recruiting Southward himself. After all, Lakeland High was one of his pipeline schools while he was coaching at Florida and he has an excellent relationship with their head coach, Bill Castle. For all we know, Meyer could have sold Southward on becoming "the next Percy Harvin" like he did to so many recruits while at Florida.

Looks like his daughter was wrong

While the potential recruiting violation cannot be proven yet, I know Meyer has proven once again that he is a shady, untrustworthy, cowardly person.

The man who wanted to take care of his health concerns and "put my focus on my family and life away from the field” is casting his family aside and heading for Columbus where he will once again chase the glory of winning a national title. At least until things don't go his way.  

Then I am sure Urban's head will start to hurt, his blood pressure will rise and his family will become important again. All so he can make a clean break until the next hot opportunity presents itself.