Ohio State wants Urban Meyer close to the football program... just not too close.
In an interview with Doug Lesmerises of The Plain Dealer, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith shared the initial details of Meyer's new role at the university.
Meyer will fill the position of assistant athletic director starting on January 2, the day after the Buckeyes' Rose Bowl showdown against Washington. His office won't be in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center—Ohio State's primary football facility—but rather across the street at the Fawcett Center.
That move has meaning. Smith wants Meyer lending his services to the entire athletic department, not just the football program. And while the team he coached the last seven years will be a primary focus, Smith doesn't want Meyer hovering over Ryan Day's football program.
If he sees that happening, Smith won't hesitate to reel Meyer back in.
“I’m not that worried about it, but it’s something we have to pay attention to,” Smith told Lesmerises. “I’m not that worried because of our relationship. I’m very direct with him. If I see him step over, I’ll say, ‘Hey, buddy, let’s talk about that.’ We have that relationship where I can say, ‘Brother, you’ve got to be careful here. What are you doing?’"
In addition to his new administrative role, it was announced on Thursday that Meyer would co-teach a course on leadership and character at the Fisher School of Business.
The full duties of Meyer's assistant athletic director role haven't been nailed down yet, but it's growing clear that he'll be staying busy in Columbus in 2019.
