Urban Meyer will be back on FOX this fall as part of the network’s Saturday pregame show Big Noon Kickoff. He stepped away at the end of the 2020 season to become the new coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, but returned after being let go before the end of his first season on that job.
Meyer was Dan Dakich’s guest on Tuesday’s episode of Don’t @ Me. Dakich told Meyer that he was sorely missed last season but wondered what brought him back to FOX.
“I love my team,” the three-time national champion coach answered. “I love Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, and Rob Stone. The management of FOX treats you great.”
Dakich praised Meyer as the centerpiece of the best segment on any pregame show for any sport. Meyer said that is because Big Noon Kickoff puts the focus squarely on football.
The offseason was tumultuous to say the least as the Big Ten’s media rights negotiations caused monumental shifts in college athletics. That combined with issues of athlete autonomy caused for a lot of handwringing amongst some fans.
Meyer told Dakich that despite any concerns they may have, as soon as the games kickoff on Saturday, fans will see that college football is actually in very good shape headed into 2022.
“Yeah, there’s NIL. There’s the transfer portal, but wait a minute. It’s never been more popular! The players have never been better, and it’s never been better coached.”
This will be the last year that Big Ten football games will be seen on ESPN. Meyer is sure that will not be great for the conference in the long run, but he also knows that his network will be a strong ally for the conference.
“I know one thing, FOX is all in on this Big Ten now. All in! They’re committed to this.”
