Meyer takes Bowling Green job
By TIM CASEY
Assistant Sports Editor
After 13 years, Urban Meyer is returning home. On Monday afternoon, Bowling Green named Meyer, the Irish's wide receivers coach, as its 15th head coach in school history. The Ashtabula, Ohio native will coach in the Fiesta Bowl before assuming his new duties. "Growing up in the state of Ohio, you know that Bowling Green has a great reputation as a university," Meyer said. "It is my goal to add to the great tradition of its football program and do so with the best interests of the student athlete in mind."
Bowling Green (2-9 overall, including 2-6 in conference games) finished second to last in the Mid American Conference (MAC) East division this season. Head coach Gary Blackney resigned on Sept. 26 after a 0-4 start. Blackney served 10 seasons at the helm but the Falcons' have not finished with a winning record in seven years.
Meyer came to Notre Dame in 1996 after coaching the receivers at Colorado State for six seasons. Since he arrived, the Irish set a single-season record for most receiving yards (2,858) in 1999. In Meyer's first year, the offense totaled the third-highest offensive yards in school history.
"He's an outstanding coach," Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie said. "He's a difference maker. He has a tremendous future."
The 36-year old plans on implementing a diversified offense with several spread formations. Bowling Green returns its top running back (Josh Gibson, who ran for 514 yards this year), leading receiver (David Bautista, who had 69 catches for 915 yards) and starting quarterback (Andy Sahm, who completed 50.4 percent of his passes for 1,490 yards) in 2001.
"We want to force the opponent to defend the entire field," Meyer said. "We will run a multiple offense that will take great pride in being fundamentally sound and aggressive."
Meyer graduated from the University of Cincinnati (where he played defensive back) in 1986 with a degree in psychology. In 1982, the Atlanta Braves selected Meyer in the 13th round and he spent the next two years in the minor leagues. He coached tight ends and receivers as a graduate assistant for two years at Ohio State before heading to Illinois State. There, he was in charge of outside linebackers, quarterbacks and receivers and then went to Colorado State.
Athletic director Paul Krebs began his search shortly after Blackney resigned and hoped to have a coach named by the first week of December.
"It was an attempt to find the best fit, the best coach, and in Urban Meyer we've done that," Krebs said. "I think he is one of the best young coaches in America. That is something we found as we talked to the numerous head coaches, the numerous conference commissioners and the numerous former players and as we did our homework.
"Urban's name consistently came up in conversations. He was the guy we focused on from the beginning. He was our number one candidate."
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, December 5, 2000
