Urban Meyer to be Next Ohio State Coach: Report

ESPN commentator Urban Meyer is expected to be named Ohio State's football coach next week, according to a report.

The Columbus Dispatch, citing two sources close to the program, reported on Wednesday that Meyer will be announced as the school's coach next week, despite a public denial by Meyer earlier in the day.

The former Florida coach released a statement on Wednesday that he has not been offered the job or accepted the job, even though multiple organizations have reported that he has agreed in principle to the deal.

I have not been offered the job, Meyer said in a statement. I have not taken the job. I will not comment any further. I'm going to do Thanksgiving with my family.

That statement refutes an earlier report by an Orlando television station that Meyer had agreed in principle to a seven-year, $40 million contract to become Ohio State's next football coach. According to the report, Meyer would bring along multiple Florida assistants to Ohio State and would keep interim coach Luke Fickell on his staff.

Meyer, 47, has worked as an ESPN commentator this past season after resigning from Florida last year due to health concerns. It was health concerns along with a desire to be around his family more led Meyer to make the tough decision to step away from the school that he guided to two national championships within the last decade.

But Meyer said in a recent interview that his health has improved after a year away from the grueling nature of college football.

I'm in a good place right now mentally and physically, Meyer told the Sun. So if something happens with Ohio State, I'll have a decision to make. But there has been no interview. There has been no offer to make a decision about.

Meyer, an Ohio native, coached at Ohio State as an assistant for two years and is said to have revered his time at the Big 10 football powerhouse. One concern in accepting the job, according to The New York Times, is the potential infractions that Ohio State could receive from the NCAA.

Multiple Ohio State players were caught exchanging autographs and memorabilia for free tattoos at a local tattoo parlor; leading to the resignation of coach Jim Tressel. Ohio State could receive bowl bans and a loss of scholarships for the subsequent cover-up of the wrongdoings, which some have speculated could lead to Meyer turning down the position.