Urban Meyer, Ryan Day and Gene Smith’s Press Conference

On Tuesday morning, Ohio State announced that head football coach Urban Meyer would retire from coaching the Buckeyes and that offensive coordinator Ryan Day would succeed him as the 25th head coach in program history.

Meyer, Day and Athletic Director Gene Smith all met with the media Tuesday to make the announcement official and take questions concerning the future of the program.

What follows are the main takeaways from each appearance, starting with Smith.

Gene Smith:

“This is a great time in our history to recognize a coach who has done so much for our student athletes and the community,” Smith said in his opening remarks.
Said players were notified this morning of Meyer’s departure and Day’s hire.
Praised Meyer and his family for elevating not only the play of Ohio State, but the Big Ten conference as well.
“I support Urban in his desire to step aside as our head coach,” he said.
Smith said he looks forward to working with Meyer in his new capacity at Ohio State. Shelley Meyer will continue to work in the school of nursing.
On Day: “He understands out higher purpose” of educating student athletes. “He shares the values that we hold so dear.”
Said the program was fortunate to have Ryan Day already on staff. Said they identified his potential and his “audition” in the first three games was impressive.
“For the last month, we began to talk about a potential transition,” he said. “Our program does not need disruption.”
Patting Ryan Day on the back: “Let’s be clear, he’s gotta win ball games.”

Urban Meyer

Opened by wishing his grandson Troy a happy second birthday.
Congratulated Ryan Day and his family on being named the next head coach.
Said it has been a dream of his to coach and compete in the Rose Bowl.
“This is home. This is where I grew up. This is not healthy, but I came to work with the fear of letting people like Archie Griffin down,” Meyer said.
“I hope to stay involved,” Meyer said of what is next. Mentioned his relationship with Gene Smith as being very strong.
Said the Penn State game in 2017 was the start of discussions about retiring.
“To be able to know that we did right, that makes this that much easier,” Meyer said of the timing of stepping down with the program still having success.
“I didn’t want to mislead recruits and we knew” we had the right successor in Ryan Day, Meyer said.
Said he called Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin into his office last night for an hour just to talk.
“I want to help in any way I can,” Meyer said about what is next at Ohio State. “I believe I will not coach again.”
On Day” “He is very unique.”
Said he tried to delegate more and give off more responsibility over the years and added it didn’t work. Said he couldn’t continue at that level.
“There was conversation before this year,” Meyer said about 2018 being his last season. “I wanted to do Ohio State right and Gene Smith right.”
“I hope to somehow have an impact on our student-athletes and this university.”

Ryan Day

“I will forever be indebted to Urban and Shelley Meyer,” Day said.
Thanked his family for his support, especially his wife Nina.
“You have my word that I’m going to give everything I have to continue the tradition of excellence” at Ohio State.
“It didn’t take long for me to figure to figure out the expectations of this program,” Day said.
“I fully understand the challenges that lay ahead of me,” he said. “I am prepared and ready for the task.”
Said his first three games as head coach will help prepare him to take over as the full time head coach.
Said he will evaluate the future coaching staff after the Rose Bowl. Added current staff is out recruiting.
“There is no better place in America that takes better care of student-athletes than Ohio State,” he said.
“We share a lot of the same things,” Day said of his relationship with Meyer. “There is going to be a lot that is carried over. As we go along, there will be some changes in the way we do things.”
Day said he wasn’t offered the job until that last 48 hours. “When it all happened, it happened really, really fast.”
“I remember being on my grandfathers couch and watching The Game. It was always a dream of mine,” Day said of his desire to coach at Ohio State.
On Meyer: “He will always be a resource.”

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