Urban Meyer names assistant coach that is ready for a major college football job

Legendary Ohio State coach Urban Meyer singles out one offensive coordinator in college football who he believes is ready to take on a head coaching job

Former Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer salutes the fans chanting his name | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As part of some little shindig at what appeared to be a sports bar, a reporter caught a couple moments with legendary head college football coach Urban Meyer to quiz him about the hulabaloo around the country when it comes to coaching changes.

Given his ridiculously great 18-year college head coaching career that included nine seasons of 12+ wins or more with two national championship cherries on top, it's a no-brainer to throw Meyer's name in the stew of consideration for many of these programs. You got to think that Florida has really had their fingers crossed for a potential Urban return.

Alas, he confirmed that fantasy is not to be, but he did suggest a different Ohio State coach who should be in line for a head coaching opportunity. The reporter asked if Brian Hartlin, the current offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Ohio State, is ready to take on his own program, to which Urban Meyer responded in the affirmative.

"I do," he quipped. "I'm a big Brian Hartline fan, always have been, and just needs the experience. I'm glad he stayed here. He had a chance to leave and he learned from us and learned from Coach Day, so I think he's ready."

Seemingly, Meyer is suggesting that Hartline needs that head coaching experience, somewhere, before he can potentially take on the Ohio State job, perhaps, further down the line. It remains to be seen if Hartline can land a job this offseason, as LSU and Florida may be looking for more proven candidates while many of the Group of Five and lower-power-conference jobs — that tend to take more chances on rising coordinators vs. proven head coaches — aren't all open just yet.

He's certainly a name to watch, though. Ohio State has done a terrific job of retaining him and elevating him up the staff, so a Columbus goodbye might be tough on the old heart for Hartline. He could even say no to a job from, say, the MAC or Sun Belt or something. You'd think he'd have to go, especially as a first time coach, if a power conference club came knocking, though.

However, as we know in football, any future job prospects are largely dependent on what happens the next time your team takes the field, so it's all focus on the Nittany Lions (maybe for more reasons than one) this week.