Former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer retired in 2018 due to health reasons, but the outside distractions prior to the season that led to his three-game suspension has caused some to speculate that the team wanted to part ways.
Now, former Ohio State president Michael V. Drake, who retired from the role in 2020, is stepping forward to clear some of the air surrounding how things ended with Meyer.
Meyer's three-game suspension to begin the 2018 season was a result of his reported knowledge of spousal abuse by receivers coach Zach Smith prior to his firing. Meyer returned and led the Buckeyes to a 12-1 record and a Rose Bowl berth, barely missing out on the College Football Playoff.
Drake told The Columbus Dispatch that it was "painful" to see how things went down, but admitted he wasn't close to firing Meyer over prior knowledge of the Smith situation.
"It was personally painful," Drake said. "It was extraordinarily uncomfortable for me with people who I liked and admired and worked so well with to have an issue like this in the program. I wish the issue had been handled in the past. That certainly would have been my preference. But when these things come to you, you have to handle them."
Three years later in 2021, Meyer was named the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but things went south in a hurry. He was fired before the end of his first season, as multiple controversies culminated in him kicking and cursing at kicker Josh Lambo, whose accusation led to Meyer's firing. The Jags were 2-11 at the time of Meyer's departure.
Since then, Meyer has made TV appearances as an analyst on Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff."
Despite how his time in Columbus ended, Meyer is undoubtedly a legend in Ohio State lore. He boasts a 82-9 career record with the Buckeyes, which included a win in the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship in 2014.
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