COLUMBUS, OH. — Urban Meyer is stepping down as the head coach at Ohio State at the conclusion of the season, the school announced Tuesday morning.
Meyer will retire after coaching the team in the Rose Bowl against Washington on Jan. 1, according to the school, and offensive coordinator Ryan Day will be elevated to head coach the following day.
Day, Meyer and athletic director Gene Smith are scheduled to further discuss the change in a news conference at 2 p.m. ET.
The news marks the end of a tumultuous season for Meyer in Columbus — a year in which he was suspended following an investigation into his handling of domestic violence allegations against his former wide receivers coach, dealt with ongoing health problems and ultimately led the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title.
Meyer, 54, currently has a career record of 82-9 in seven seasons at Ohio State, including a national title in 2014. He previously spent six seasons — and won two national championships — at Florida.
Meyer's future at Ohio State had been in question for much of the past four months after allegations of domestic abuse involving his wide receivers coach, Zach Smith, surfaced prior to the season. Meyer fired Smith on July 23 but subsequently dodged questions about the longtime assistant at Big Ten media days. The school proceeded to open an investigation into what Meyer knew about the history of domestic abuse allegations against Smith and how he dealt with them.
As a result of that investigation, Meyer was suspended for the first three games of the season but retained his job, to the dismay of critics who said he did not do enough when first confronted with the allegations.
Day, 39, served as Ohio State's interim coach during Meyer's absence and led the Buckeyes to a 3-0 record.
But when Meyer returned, questions about his health and future in Columbus persisted. He appeared pained on the sidelines at times and later revealed that he's been dealing with a cyst on his brain.
