GENE SMITH SAYS URBAN MEYER IS “BRINGING UNBELIEVABLE VALUE” TO OHIO STATE IN NEW ROLE AS ASSISTANT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Gene Smith didn’t know that 2018 would be Urban Meyer’s final year as Ohio State’s head football coach, but he had expected that Meyer would ultimately join him in Ohio State’s athletic administration once his coaching tenure was done.
When Meyer signed a contract extension with Ohio State last March, it appeared as though he would continue to lead the football program for at least five more years. That contract foretold that Meyer was starting to think about his post-coaching future, though, as it included an addendum stipulating that Meyer would be offered an administrative role with the university at the conclusion of that contract term.
“If Coach remains as head coach of the Team through January 31, 2023 (or such earlier termination date as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties), Ohio State will give Coach an opportunity to be employed at the University in an administrative role with duties related to public relations, fund raising, assisting sports administrators with professional development programing for assistant coaches, lecturing in the Masters of Coaching curriculum, or such or other different duties as mutually agreed upon with the Director of Athletics,” the addendum read.
That termination date came earlier than expected for Smith, who thought Meyer would continue to coach the football team for at least two or three more years. When Meyer decided to retire in December, however, that contract addendum provided the framework for Meyer to move into his new role at Ohio State as assistant athletic director of athletics initiatives and relations.
“That was our intent for him, if he wanted to stay, he’d have an opportunity to stay,” Smith told
Eleven Warriors this week. “At the end of the day, yeah, we kind of knew he would stay if he retired from here.”
Less than two months into his new role, Meyer is still getting his feet wet. But Smith says Meyer has been eager to learn the ropes of being an administrator, and he believes Meyer is happier and healthier than he was this past football season, when he battled headaches caused by an enlarged arachnoid cyst in his brain that ultimately led to his decision to stop coaching.
“He’s relaxed, he’s more comfortable, he’s learning a lot,” Smith said. “His eyes are wide open to this side of the house, administrative side. He’s really, really embraced all of our other sports.”
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