(RNN) - After weeks of speculation and denial, former Florida Gators head football coach Urban Meyer will take the reins of Ohio State's football program, according to ESPN.
The sports network reported that Meyer would become the Buckeyes' head football coach in a report on ESPN.com, citing multiple unnamed sources.
In recent days, speculation built to the point that Meyer issued a statement to ESPN before Thanksgiving saying, "I have not been offered any job nor is there a deal in place. I plan on spending Thanksgiving with my family and will not comment on this any further."
The rumors weren't quelled for long. On Friday, ESPN publicist Mike Humes tweeted, "Urban Meyer won't be appearing on ESPN this weekend. He requested off his studio assignment and we obliged," adding fuel to the speculative fire.
Meyer, a native Ohioan and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati who earned a master's degree from Ohio State, was one of the fastest-rising young coaches in college football when he came to the University of Florida in 2005 after a successful stint at Utah. He delivered on expectations. In six seasons as the head coach, Meyer led the Gators to two SEC championships on the way to two national championships.
The first national championship came at the end of the 2006 season, culminating with a 41-14 rout over Ohio State in the BCS National Championship game.
Two seasons later his Gators again won the 2008 BCS national championship, beating the No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners 24-14.
His tenure at Florida ended under unusual circumstances when he claimed he was having health problems.
Meyer was admitted to the hospital with chest pains after the 2009 SEC Championship game, a thumping loss to Alabama. Shocking the college football world, he resigned three weeks later, citing health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family. But shortly thereafter, he changed his resignation to a leave of absence to tend to his health. He spent one more season on the sidelines in Gainesville before resigning for good.
He coached the Gators to a final win at the 2011 Outback Bowl, defeating Penn State 37-24.
Meyer didn't stray far from the game. He was hired in Feb. 2011 as a college football analyst by ESPN.
Meyer began his coaching career at Ohio State in 1986, coaching tight ends. After hopscotching to assistant positions at Illinois State, Colorado State and Notre Dame, he landed his first head coaching job at Bowling Green in 2001.
Meyer turned the program around from a 2-9 record in 2000 to an 8-3 record in his first year as coach. The team posted a 9-3 record in 2002, his second season.
In 2003, Meyer got the head coaching job at the University of Utah. Under his leadership, the Utes went undefeated in 2004 and become the first team from a non-automatic qualifying BCS conference to make the trip to a BCS bowl.
According to his ESPN biography, Meyer has a 104-23 career record and an .819 winning percentage.
Meyer replaces legendary Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who resigned in May amid an NCAA investigation into the football program.
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