Michigan Football: What Urban Meyer retirement means for Wolverines

Urban Meyer announced his retirement Tuesday morning as Ohio State head coach, but what does it mean for Michigan football?

I figured that the day Urban Meyer retired would be a happy one for myself as a Michigan football fan. I’d be lying if it I didn’t say I have hoped this day would come — even dreamed of it.

However, when the day finally came — when Meyer finally decided to walk away, at least for now, it didn’t feel the way I thought it would. In fact, in some ways, I am not ready for Meyer to go, just like head coach Jim Harbaugh probably isn’t either.

Don’t get me wrong. I think Meyer leaving will be a good thing for the Michigan football program in the long run. Ryan Day may be great. He certainly has a great offensive mind, but he’s not Meyer, who outside of Nick Saban, is the best coach in college football.

Now, Michigan football has the best coach in the Big Ten or at the very least, the most high-profile one. It will help in recruiting and it could even help on the field as early as next season.

To minimize the impact of Meyer is foolish. He won three Big Ten championships in seven seasons, had an undefeated season, won a national title and beat Michigan all seven times and never played in a bowl game that wasn’t the Sugar, Orange, Cotton or Fiesta. He never had a down year and that’s maybe why I hate so much that he’s leaving. Michigan never knocked him off his perch.

I don’t care about all those accolades and I certainly don’t want to see him stick around to win more, however, I would have loved to see Harbaugh beat him before he left. The fact that Meyer retires with a 7-0 record against Michigan as Ohio State head coach is sickening.

This year felt like it could finally be the year Michigan got it done. Yet, 2019 could have provided an even better chance. If Shea Patterson comes back, the offense will be loaded and the defense, while it will need to replace some key pieces, has plenty of talent waiting in the wings.

Ohio State might also have to replace Dwayne Haskins next season, which would have made a win at the Big House even less likely. For once, Michigan might have had the advantage at quarterback and that along with home-field advantage might have been enough to end the losing streak.

That’s what I was hoping for, yet, it will never come to pass.

You could feel Meyer’s time was coming to an end. Last week, the reports came out that it would come after 2019, but with everything going on and the fact that Michigan might be better than Ohio State next season, could have weighed in on the decision.

Meyer doesn’t fear any competition. However, if he was going out next season anyway, why not go out on top this year? With a Big-Ten title, a Rose-Bowl win and a final, dominant win over Michigan to seal his 7-0 record, it’s hard to see how he could leave on a higher note.

And maybe that’s why even though I have waited for this moment for years, it feels incredibly unsatisfying. I can only imagine how Jim Harbaugh feels, knowing, he will never get another chance to beat Urban Meyer in The Game.