Urban Meyer shuts down return to coaching: 'That book's closed'

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Urban Meyer sure sounds like a man who is done prowling the sidelines. 

Meyer, who currently works as an analyst for Fox Sports, is a college football coaching legend, winning three national championships in his career as head coach of the Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes. 

Dec 12, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee. Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer on the sidelines against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. (Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports)

While his college resume cannot be questioned, Meyer’s last coaching stop ended in a disaster. 

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Meyer lasted just 13 games as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021, fired after a record of 2-11 and multiple off-the-field controversies. 

And while Meyer has previously stated he has ‘no desire’ to return to coaching, speculation over his return to the college game persists. 

Meyer shut the speculation down on Thursday. 

Fox Sports announcer Urban Meyer talks on air during half-time of the Purdue Boilermakers playing against the Michigan Wolverines on December 3, 2022, during the Big 10 Football Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.  (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"That book’s closed," Meyer said at Ohio State’s coaching clinic, according to The Columbus Dispatch. "It’s going to be TV and grandfather."

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Meyer returned to the world of media for last year's college football season, joining the Fox Big Noon Kickoff team. 

"Our numbers are good, our team is good, and we love doing it," Meyer said.

Meyer discussed his short tenure in Jacksonville in January while on the "All Things Covered" podcast, saying he had no intention of coaching again after retiring in 2018. 

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Urban Meyer looks on during the first round game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Maryland Terrapins at Legacy Arena at the BJCC on March 16, 2023, in Birmingham, Alabama.  (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

"I was done. I retired. I had some health issues at Ohio State," Meyer said when asked what appealed to him about taking the job in Jacksonville. "Fifty-five [years old] was always my target. My family deserved that. We worked so hard for 38 years." 

"And I had it all planned out," Meyer continued. "I found the right guy in Ryan Day, who’s fantastic. And I retired, went to Fox, was an assistant AD for two years, and then I got approached by a few teams. And this team really appealed to me. Trevor Lawrence, who might be a Hall of Famer some day — he's that good — had a great season. Obviously, it didn’t go well. I had no plans of doing that at all. It just happened."