Why Urban Meyer Said No to a College Football GM Role: The Untold Story

Sounds intriguing, but also under the radar. So, why didn’t we hear more about this? Well, according to Meyer, it was mainly the job description he wanted no part of.

Ouch. Suffice it to say, we won’t see Meyer in that capacity anytime soon. We’d all also like to know what school approached the three-time national championship-winning coach, but he didn’t divulge that information. Too bad, but if Meyer doesn’t want that type of job, I mean, who else would? It’s a brave new world in college football, and Meyer — and many others — likely want nothing to do with the headaches that come from all the things that go into paying players, and we don’t blame them one bit.These days, Meyer is working as an analyst with Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff,” but he also appears on his podcast, the “Triple Option,” to discuss all things college football with some of his Fox College Football hosts. This past week, Meyer dove into a discussion about the future of college football with all the changes we’ve seen, and he let loose some little-known information. According to Meyer, he was approached by a college football team to be their General Manager, handling some of the business surrounding the new pay models and such that the sport is now working through.

“I don’t know if I even told Rob (Stone) and Mark (Ingram) this, but I had a school come see me this year and ask if I wanted to be the GM,” Meyer said. “And a couple other phone calls. And you start to think, ‘OK, they actually came to see me,’ so I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll meet and I’ll sit down with you guys.’”Urban Meyer might have stepped away from the sidelines over six years ago, but his shadow still looms large whenever a college football vacancy pops up. Yeah, his NFL chapter was, let’s say, less than stellar, probably closing that door for good at the pro level. Yet, let’s be real—when it comes to college coaching, Meyer’s name is etched among the elite. Nowadays, he trades playbook secrets for analyst insights on Fox Sports’ “Big Noon Kickoff” and spills the latest college football tidbits on his “Triple Option” podcast. Recently, Meyer dropped a little bombshell—he was approached to become a General Manager for a college football team, stepping into the complex world of athlete pay models and agent dealings. But here’s the kicker: the role wasn’t quite what he had in mind. Curious about why Meyer passed on this next-gen gig and what that means for the ever-evolving college football landscape? LEARN MORE.

“I said, ‘OK, what is the job description?’ They said, ‘Well, basically you meet with all the agents of the 17-, 18-year-olds,’” Meyer said. “And I thought, ‘I’d rather step on a rusty nail and pull it out myself.’

Despite former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer being out of college football now for over six years, it seems like his name still comes up when there are vacancies in the college game. His stint in the NFL was so bad that he’ll likely never get a chance to prove himself at the highest level again, but he’s still one of the best college football head coaches in the history of the game.