Ohio State Head Coaching Odds: Is Urban Meyer Out?
- Who will be the head coach of Ohio State in 2019?
- Championship-winning head coach Urban Meyer is the early favorite
- Will Bill Belichick leave the Patriots to coach in college?
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has been placed on administrative leave, as the university investigates reports that he knew about wide receivers’ coach Zach Smith’s history of domestic violence. He hasn’t been fired (yet), but I don’t feel bad talking about his odds to be terminated from his post.
Ohio State Head Coach Odds, Start of 2019
| Coach | Odds to be Ohio State Head Coach |
|---|---|
| Urban Meyer | +250 |
| Matt Campbell | +450 |
| Ryan Day (Interim HC) | +500 |
| Mike Gundy | +700 |
| Jeff Brohm | +800 |
| Lane Kiffin | +1000 |
| Pepper Johnson | +1200 |
| Brian Kelly | +1400 |
| Bob Stoops | +1400 |
| Dino Babers | +1400 |
| Alex Grinch | +1600 |
| Tom Herman | +2000 |
| Mike Vrabel | +2000 |
| Jim Harbaugh | +3300 |
| Bill Belichick | +3300 |
| Jim Tressel | +5000 |
What a wild list! Let’s dig in a little.
Some of These Names are Jokes
- You’re not actually serious about betting Bill Belichick at +3300, but the money counts the same
Sportsbooks have recently hit upon a fun realization: if they list odds on something crazy, and you bet on it just for laughs, they still get to keep the money when you lose. Hilarious!
Jim Harbaugh is not going to leave an extremely lucrative position at his alma mater to take a job at their most hated rival. Bill Belichick has never been a college coach. Ohio State fired Jim Tressel. Tom Herman’s next job is the President of the Republic of Texas. There are odds on Houston Nutt, which is very funny to people in Mississippi. Your experience may differ, but I’ve found that paying money to make jokes has never really delivered.
Some of These Names are Interesting
- Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but Bob Stoops makes sense
Ohio State found their last coach by un-retiring a national-title winning coach, and (on the field at least) it worked out pretty well. That makes Bob Stoops a great candidate: the Oklahoma legend retired abruptly last summer, and left his team in good enough shape for Lincoln Riley to lead them to the Rose Bowl, a play away from the National Championship game, and for Baker Mayfield to get a Heisman. It would be truly bizarre to see him back on the sideline, but a welcome shock, for sure.
Lane Kiffin has been angling for a big-time head coaching job since he took a paycut and the FAU job. Lane Kiffin’s entire purpose on earth is to take and leave massive coaching jobs in dramatic fashion. Leaving FAU just weeks before the season to steer one of the biggest programs in the country is extremely on brand for Kiffin.
Lane Kiffin’s entire purpose on earth is to take and leave massive coaching jobs in dramatic fashion.
Dino Babers is the name you throw into these futures sheets. The Syracuse head coach did a good enough job to earn a look from Florida last year, and is more or less biding his time until the right opportunity opens up. Tennessee wasn’t it!
Please Leave Matt Campbell Alone
- I wouldn’t bet against Matt Campbell’s word, not at these odds
As soon as this whole affair kicked off, rumours started circling about Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. Campbell has led the Cyclones to some truly incredible feats, including wins over Oklahoma and TCU last year. Campbell’s a great candidate for any coaching job (making Iowa State do good things was previously thought to be impossible) and the college football knitting circle had him leading the race for the Ohio State job.
I’m not saying that Matt Campbell doesn’t want the Ohio State job, but he recently made a statement to more or less that effect.
I think a lot of you guys know what I stand for. I’ve always said this: You’re either somebody in this profession who’s trying to either be somebody or try to do something. And I think over the last two-and-a-half years, I’ve proven that my whole, sole mission is to be here and to do something.
This is, on the whole, pretty on-par coachspeak when the media is speculating about your job prospects, but it means that betting on Matt Campbell (now listed at +450) to take the OSU job means betting against Matt Campbell’s word. I’m not saying I would never do that, but not at +450.
Alex studied political science in university but spent most of that time watching college football. He covered sports betting for SBD from 2017-2019. Avid tennis player, golf nut, and motorsports nerd.
