Meyer cites health issues

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer abruptly announced his retirement Tuesday, citing health concerns and a difficult year that included a three-game suspension over his handling of domestic violence allegations against a now-fired assistant coach. He will step down after the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Meyer is leaving at the top of his profession after three national championships in a career spanning three decades, the last seven years at Ohio State, where he has an 82-9 record. The 54-year-old Meyer has an arachnoid cyst in his brain that causes severe headaches, and he had shown obvious effects of being in pain on the sideline this season.

At a packed news conference, Meyer explained that the headaches became severe last season during Ohio State's game at Penn State and have become a persistent problem this season. But he didn't blame only his health for stepping away. Meyer said he believed he could no longer coach the way he has from the early days at Bowling Green to Utah, Florida and, finally, with the Buckeyes.

“The style of coaching I've done for 33 years is very intense, very demanding. I tried to delegate more and CEO more and the product started to feel ...,” he said, not finishing his thought. “I didn't feel I was doing right by our players and by Gene (Smith, the athletic director).”

Meyer said leaving would have been more difficult if the program wasn't healthy. The Buckeyes are 12-1 after winning the Big Ten championship and Meyer said he felt good about his replacement: Assistant coach Ryan Day will take over as the 25th coach of the storied program where Meyer won a national title in 2014 after two at Florida (2006, 2008).

“You want to hand it off to someone who could make it stronger," ”Meyer said.