Urban Meyer Stepping Down at Ohio State

A strange 2018 season is coming to a close for Urban Meyer and Ohio State.

So is Meyer's tenure as the Buckeyes' head coach.

Meyer has announced he will step down as the head coach, effective after the Rose Bowl game New Years Day.

Ryan Day, Ohio State's offensive coordinator, will replace Meyer as head coach.

A press conference is scheduled for 1 pm today to make the formal announcement.

Meyer was suspended for the first three games of the 2018 season after an investigation concluded he did not act properly in responding to domestic abuse allegations against former assistant coach Zach Smith and for not representing the school properly when he lied to the media at Big Ten Media Days when asked about Smith back in July.

Day served as the acting head coach during that time and the Buckeyes went 3-0.

Meyer has been battling the effects of an arachnoid cyst on his brain which causes severe headaches, especially while under stress.  Meyer had repeatedly said he would coach in 2019, and athletic director Gene Smith had denied reports by Football Scoop that Meyer would step down at the end of the season and Day would replace him.

The timing of the announcement, prior to the early signing period, is being done to show continuity within the program to recruits.