Will Urban Meyer end up at Ohio State or somewhere else?

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Writers from around the Tribune Co. discuss the topic. Check back throughout the day for more responses and feel free to join the discussion by leaving a comment.

Rachel George, Orlando Sentinel

Those who know Urban Meyer well insist that he will coach again. Ohio State has yet to announce anything, but it seems at this point that there’s too much smoke for there not to be fire.

That the Buckeyes’ job came open less than a year after Meyer left Florida is certainly not what he expected, but it will likely be an opportunity he can’t pass up. As it is, his current employer (ESPN) has reported that Meyer has spoken with Ohio State officials and there’s ‘mutual interest.’ Meyer has left himself wiggle room.

He has said he’s not planning on coaching next season ‘at this time.’ There’s no offer yet, he has said. That could change.

ESPN has relegated him to its Bristol studio this week, so there’s reason to believe something’s in the works. Meyer’s broadcast team will still be calling a game on Saturday. That matchup? Ohio State at Michigan.

[Updated at 1:29 p.m.

Desmond Conner, Hartford Courant

The hope here is that Urban Meyer simply gets back on the field again and it can be any field -- the Field of Dreams, for all I care — basically as long as he’s gone from ESPN. The idol-worship there was intense while he was coaching at Florida, but now? We digress.

For the record, he’ll probably end up at Ohio State. He’s an Ohio native, a Cincinnati alum who coached the receivers and tight ends at Ohio State in the mid-’80s. Seems like a good fit. Ohio State is a program that needs a top-flight coach and Meyer is all of that, winning 84% of his games through 2009.

Surprisingly, Meyer doesn’t bring much too the table as an analyst, so he should go back to doing something he’s good at: Coaching.

Someone else can go to the booth … Joe Paterno?

Mike Hiserman, Los Angeles Times

I still can’t figure out why Urban Meyer left Florida.

To spend more time with his family? Interesting concept. Never heard that one before.

So does that mean if he chooses to return to college football that he wanted less time with his family?

Please, somebody ask him that when he is introduced as Ohio State’s next football coach.

To me, Meyer said it all on Saturday when he was asked about reports Ohio State had been in contact with him. “I know it’s that time of year,” he said. “I’ve not been offered any job, and I’ve certainly not accepted any job.”

That was a great denial of a question that wasn’t asked.

There is every indication that Meyer will be returning to Columbus, where he launched his coaching career in 1986 as a graduate assistant.

He’s only 47 years old, so it’s hard to fathom he won’t soon be coaching somewhere. Ohio State seems to be the best job available.

Out in Westwood, UCLA fans would love to see Meyer wearing baby blue, but there’s no way that will happen. Penn State? He’d be far better off enjoying that time with his family.]

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