Urban Meyer urged to take lie detector test after denying links to historic college program

Urban Meyer denied reports linking him to a major coaching job, but Zach Gelb challenged the coach to take a lie detector test to prove he never had interest in the position.

Former Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer denies reports linking his interest in the Penn State Nittany Lions head coaching job to James Franklin's firing. | David Banks-Imagn Images

The coaching carousel conversation around Urban Meyer refuses to settle. The three-time national champion and former Ohio State head coach once again found himself in the center of speculation after radio host Zach Gelb claimed Meyer had expressed interest in Penn State’s head coaching vacancy following James Franklin’s dismissal.

Gelb, whose show airs on Audacy and SiriusXM, reported that Meyer had direct conversations with Penn State administrators. He said multiple sources told him those discussions fell apart over Meyer’s approach to name, image, and likeness policies. The former Buckeyes coach has not led a program since NIL rules took effect in 2021.

When Meyer publicly denied the report on The Triple Option podcast alongside Rob Stone and Mark Ingram, he called the story “made up” and laughed off the suggestion that he met with Penn State about the job. That denial, however, only fueled Gelb’s next response.

Zach Gelb Doubles Down on Urban Meyer Report

During his follow-up segment, Gelb said he respected Meyer’s coaching legacy but insisted that his report was accurate. He emphasized that Meyer’s denial misrepresented his original comments, clarifying that he never mentioned Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick.

“He had interest in the Penn State job and Penn State rejected him because of NIL,” Gelb said. “That’s what I was told and I will stand by that.” He accused Meyer of misunderstanding the report and challenged the coach to verify his denial on air.

Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer hasn't led a college football program since 2018. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“How about you come into studio, we’ll hook you up to a lie detector test, and I’ll ask you a simple question: were you ever interested in the Penn State job?” Gelb said. “If it’s erroneous, if the report is ridiculous, you should be able to say I wasn’t interested, and the lie detector test person should be able to say that’s right.”

Gelb went on to recall a brief encounter with Meyer during Army-Navy Radio Row last year, jokingly saying he was “disappointed” that Meyer didn’t remember meeting him. Despite Meyer’s denial, Gelb repeated that two separate sources confirmed the story and that he remains confident in his reporting.

Penn State continues its search for Franklin’s successor as speculation persists about other high-profile candidates.