Urban Meyer Says His Coaching Career Is Over After Rose Bowl Win: 'I Do Believe I'm Done'

"I do believe I'm done," the 54-year-old coach said after the game

Ohio State University head coach Urban Meyer confirmed that his victory over the Washington Huskies at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday night would be the last game of his career.

The 54-year-old, who has led OSU to an 83-9 record during his seven years at the helm, has dealt with health issues all season long due to severe headaches caused by a cyst on the left side of his brain.

“I know this is relatively young, but I started young — 17 years as a head coach, 33 years doing this,” Urban, told reporters after the game in Pasadena, according to ESPN. “[I’m] just very fortunate, and I do believe I’m done.”

Urban’s wife, Shelley Meyer, said his retirement was something she had been looking forward to for a long time but appeared to not be convinced that her husband is closing the door on coaching.

“I would be ecstatic if he didn’t [coach again],” Shelley told reporters. “I’m done. I want him to be done. He’s too intense.”

She continued: “It’s an end to something that we’ve been doing for a long, long, long time… I’m sad, but I’m really happy for him because this is what needed to happen right now.”

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Urban is not leaving the university, however, as he will now take on the role of assistant athletic director at Ohio State and will co-teach a course titled Leadership and Character in Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business, according to ESPN.

OSU offensive coordinator Ryan Day took over the team as head coach on Wednesday morning, according to ESPN.

Urban was originally diagnosed with the cyst in the late 1980s, USA Today reported, and he recently underwent surgery to remove fluid from it.

But problems stemming from the growth have gotten worse over the last few years, and Urban was advised by doctors to monitor his yelling during games in the hopes of minimizing any discomfort. Still, during a game in October, an “aggressive” a headache led to Urban dropping to his knees on the sidelines while the Buckeyes faced off against Indiana.

Since deciding to retire, Shelley said she had noticed a positive change in her husband’s attitude.

“He’s been fun again,” she explained. “He’s back to the Urban I knew when he wasn’t so stressed out and anxious and having headaches.”

While Urban dealt with problems away from the field this season, there were many controversial matters plaguing his program as well. He was suspended for three games in August after a two-week investigation into his termination of assistant coach Zach Smith, whose ex-wife, Courtney, accused him of domestic abuse.

Smith told 105.7 The Zone that he “never committed domestic abuse against her” but admitted they had a “toxic” relationship.

Urban fired Smith in July after the allegations became public, according to ESPN, but the investigation by the school found that Urban — who was initially placed on paid administrative leave — made “misstatements” when discussing his reason for firing Smith at a July press conference.

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The university also found that Urban, as Smith’s manager, did not proactively respond to his employee’s alleged criminal history.

According to a statement released at the time, he never “condoned or covered up the alleged domestic abuse by Zach Smith, [but he] failed to take sufficient management action relating to Zach Smith’s misconduct and retained an Assistant Coach who was not performing as an appropriate role model” for OSU student-athletes.

“I’m fully aware that I’m ultimately responsible for this situation that has harmed the university as a whole and the Department of Athletics and our football program,” Urban said in response to the suspension.