Maybe this is inappropriate, but I feel the sheer amount of speculation over potential HC hires deserves its own topic. I'm not trying to say that Meyer is out yet, but it seems feasible that OSU will be looking for a new HC at the end of the year.
There's already some lists of options circulating, including this one: https://www.chatsports.com/ohio-state-buckeyes/a/urban-meyer-replacements-10-candidates-be-ohio-states-next-football-coach-if-hes-fired-39355
The article brings up some interesting options, including quite a few that I had already considered. The possible hires seem to fall into a few different categories, each with their own advantages and disadvantages:
Current OSU assistants - Greg Schiano, Ryan Day, Kevin Wilson. OSU is lucky to have a wealth of coaching talent even at the assistant level. These are coaches who are familiar with the school, familiar with the players, and familiar with the recruiting landscape. Promoting from within could promote a smooth transition, and it might be hard to find an better coach elsewhere.
Former OSU assistants - Tom Herman, Mike Vrabel. These are coaches who have already moved on from OSU to their own head coaching positions. They seem to be in more demand, seeing as Herman is at Texas and Vrabel is in the NFL. While they have high potential, there are a couple of disadvantages. Both coaches have a lot to prove at their current jobs, and it will be tough to lure them away from top tier teams. It simply may not be worth it to try to hire either of these coaches.
Big Ten East rivals - Mark Dantonio, James Franklin. Forgive me for not listing Dantonio in his own category, but I felt he fit better here. Dantonio is one of the better coaches in the B1G, if not the country, but the scandals surrounding MSU make him an unlikely pick if Urban is fired for a similar issue. He also seems perfectly happy to stay in MSU. However, he does have a history with Ohio State and he is certainly a name to consider.
James Franklin is an interesting pick to consider. While many on 11W consider Franklin to be a bit of a hack, it's hard to deny that his Penn State teams have performed well and are arguably Ohio State's biggest rival for the division crown at this point in time. He is also recruiting at a high level, which could make up for the potential recruiting impact of losing Urban. Finally, weakening Penn State by hiring away Franklin would be the best way to ensure OSU stays competitive in the division.
National coaching talent - Matt Campbell, Chip Kelly, Bob Stoops. Coaches with varying degrees of ties to Ohio, but all hot/famous names in the coaching world. The main challenge with these coaches is convincing them to leave Iowa State/UCLA/retirement. That being said, OSU might just have enough of a reputation to pull them to Columbus.
Bonus pick - Jim Tressel. It won't happen, but as far as I understand, his show-cause penalty has expired and he has a slim, slim chance of being an option again. The state of Ohio pretty much unanimously loves Jim Tressel, which makes him a fun pick. However, his style would be a step back from Urban Meyer's playcalling, and it seems we want to take a step forward with our offensive scheme.
Anyway, I'm done rambling. Feel free to discuss the merits of the options I've listed or add some new names to the table. Or, explain to me how this thread is pointless because Meyer probably isn't going to be fired.
