Anyone who follows college football is familiar with Urban Meyer’s highly successful career as head coach of the Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes. Meyer, though, has been quite complimentary of Michigan hiring former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham to lead the Wolverines’ football program.
When asked if he’d consider being some type of adviser to Michigan, though, Meyer wasn’t ready to totally jump into any kind of role.
What Did Urban Meyer Say About Michigan?
Meyer, who spends his Saturdays these days as a college football analyst for Fox Sports, appeared on Monday on Fox Sports’ “Wake Up Barstool” show with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. Portnoy, a major supporter of the University of Michigan, engaged in some good-natured banter with Meyer.
“Special assistant to the coach? I like the sound of that,” Portnoy said. “We’ll welcome you over. Listen, we will take it. You told me you got along with Bo (legendary late Michigan head football coach Schembechler), you respect the program. This is just something that happens. Your friend, your guy, is now our guy. We’ll welcome you with open arms.”
“Urban Meyer, special assistant to the coach? I like the sound of that” –@stoolpresidente
“I’ll never say the M word. I’m never wearing maze and blue. But I’m pulling for Kyle in every other game other than the one” –@CoachUrbanMeyer https://t.co/W3P9CiY3ko pic.twitter.com/c8SMSMEMQY
— Viva La Stool (@VivaLaStool) December 29, 2025
Meyer got a good chuckle out of that, but made clear that he’s not going to be wearing Michigan colors anytime soon.
“I’ll never say the M word,” Meyer said. “I’m never wearing maze and blue. But I’m pulling for Kyle in every other game other than the one.” Which one? Of course, Meyer was referring to the yearly showdown between the Buckeyes and Wolverines.
Whittingham accepted the job as Michigan’s new football coach over the weekend. He comes in after having spent 21 seasons as head football coach at the University of Utah. Ironically, Whittingham’s first game as a head football coach at Utah involved him serving as a co-head coach alongside Meyer in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl.
But Meyer and Portnoy both realize that Whittingham has a lot of work to do. He’s joining a program that has been plagued by off-the-field issues, which reached a crescendo when former head coach Sherrone Moore was fired for allegedly having a relationship with a female member of the football coaching staff.
Meyer, in 17 years as a head football coach, compiled a 187-32 record, including a 12-3 mark in bowl games. He won two BCS Championships at Florida and one College Football Playoff Championship with the Buckeyes.