USC hiring Mike Bohn as Athletic Director is with Urban Meyer in mind
As they move to hire a new athletic director, USC is no longer keeping their courtship of Urban Meyer hidden.
There’s been no getting away from Urban Meyer to USC speculation going back months, even as the Trojans have won their last two games to move to 5-3 on the season. After Lynn Swann stepped away, it’s been clear a new athletic director would decide the fate of head coach Clay Helton.
Bruce Feldman of The Athletic was first to report USC was nearing a deal to make Cincinnati athletic director Mike Bohn its new AD. Justin Williams of The Athletic-Cincinnati further reported Bohn could be announced as USC’s new athletic director as soon as Monday.
Meyer is a Cincinnati alum, so he and Bohn are thought to have a relationship. Bohn also hired Luke Fickell off Meyer’s Ohio State staff to be Cincinnati’s head football coach in December of 2016.
It’s not hard for the speculation to ramp up to a new level with the apparent looming hire of Bohn as athletic director, but Stadium’s Brett McMurphy has reported Meyer is “undoubtedly” USC’s No. 1 choice and the school will do “whatever it takes” to get him as their next coach.
Urban Meyer is “undoubtedly" USC’s No. 1 choice & USC will do "whatever it takes to get him” as its next coach, sources told @Stadium. “We think the guy that can do it is Urban,” source said. "He did it at Utah, Florida & Ohio State, but the question is if he’s really interested"
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 1, 2019
The biggest question is if Meyer will reciprocate USC’s interest, and it’s a complicated question. He retired as Ohio State coach after last season citing health concerns, just as he had when he was the coach at Florida. He has spent this season working as an analyst for FOX Sports, but over the last few weeks, some level of rumors (out of left field or otherwise) have tied him to potential job openings at Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame and the Dallas Cowboys.
light. Related Story. 5 coaches who could replace Clay Helton at USC
As much as anyone in his position with his on-field resume could be believed, Meyer has said he thinks he’s done coaching. But it’s hard to completely close the door when someone wants you, and USC seems ready to make a full-on push to get Meyer when the season’s over. The only way that seems sure to change is if Helton wins out this season, including a bowl game, and gets to 10 wins.