Back in November 2011, the college football world was on absolute high alert, trying to figure out where Urban Meyer would coach next. After stepping away from Florida following two national championships, Meyer was weighing several options. But in the middle of it all, Meyer found himself dealing with a deeply personal situation that had nothing to do with football. What happened next left a lasting impression on him and became a story he still tells years later when discussing one prominent athletic director.

“Greg Byrne is great. I have so much respect for him,” Urban Meyer said on The Triple Option podcast. This is the year I took off, I think it was 2011, and he calls me up and said, ‘Hey, I want to come meet with you about the head coaching job at Arizona.’ And I said, ‘You know, Greg, I’m not going to do that.’ And he said, ‘Listen, I have a school plane. Can I come see you and take a swing? My boosters want this to happen.’ And I said no again. He goes, ‘I’m going to do it anyway, so let’s pick a time.’

At the time, Byrne was the first-year athletic director for the Arizona Wildcats. The program stumbled to a 1-5 start under Mike Stoops, leading to a coaching change midway through the season. With one of college football’s most recognizable coaches spending the year away from the sidelines, Byrne set his sights high. Meyer had stepped down at Florida after compiling a 65-15 record and winning two national championships, making him one of the most coveted names in the sport.

The interest wasn’t entirely one-sided either. Contemporary reports from November 2011 indicated that Meyer was intrigued by Arizona’s opening and spent several days considering the opportunity before ultimately declining it. At a time when Ohio State and Penn State were widely viewed as potential landing spots, Arizona had at least managed to get a seat at the table.

The athletic director flew down to Florida anyway, where Meyer was scheduled to play in a charity golf event at the famous Doral Resort in Miami. Just as the meeting was supposed to happen, Meyer walked off the golf course to a heartbreaking call from his sisters.

They told him their 86-year-old father’s cancer had taken a turn for the worse and that he needed to get home to Cincinnati immediately. A panicked Meyer immediately called Byrne to cancel their dinner.

” I was like, ‘Oh God.’ So I looked on my calendar. I’m supposed to meet with Greg Byrne. I called Greg and I said, ‘I can’t meet with you. I got to get home.’ And he said, ‘I’m sorry. Where does your father live?’ And I said, ‘Cincinnati, Ohio.’ He said, ‘Jump on the plane. I’ll take you home and we’ll do our interview on the plane.’ That’s how good a man the guy is.

So I get on the plane. We do it. It was a real interview. He sold Arizona and did his job. I love Arizona. Arizona is a great place. I’ve been there one time, but I wasn’t going to do that. We spent two hours on the plane together. He gave me a big hug, and I went to spend time with my father. That’s a good, stand-up man. A great man. Stand-up guy.”

That emotional two-hour flight to Ohio turned into an unexpected job talk in the air. Byrne still made his pitch for Arizona football. But he also fully respected how serious the situation was for the 61-year-old.

Meyer admitted the gesture instantly increased Arizona’s chances from roughly 2% to 20%, and he gave the opportunity genuine consideration. However, the timing also coincided with growing speculation surrounding Ohio State, a program Meyer had deep ties to as an Ohio native. Within weeks, he informed Byrne that he would not pursue the Arizona job. On Nov. 28, 2011, Ohio State officially hired Meyer as its next head coach.

Looking back, Meyer suggested Byrne’s approach left such an impression that Arizona came far closer than many people realized. Yet Arizona was also competing against a unique set of circumstances. Ohio State wasn’t just another opening. For Meyer, it was a program that had long been connected to and one that many viewed as his dream job.

However, to repay the incredible kindness Byrne showed him during a family tragedy, Meyer didn’t leave Arizona empty-handed.

Urban Meyer returns a favor

He acted as an unofficial consultant, highly recommending that Byrne hire Rich Rodriguez. Now, this was a wild suggestion at the time because “Rich Rod” had just been fired from Michigan, and his reputation was totally in the dumps.

But Meyer swore by him. He somehow convinced Byrne that Rodriguez was easily one of the top five offensive masterminds in the entire country. Meyer knew it firsthand because he had literally stolen parts of Rodriguez’s famous spread offense to win BCS championships at Florida in 2008.

Trusting Meyer’s recommendation, Byrne went to Michigan, interviewed Rodriguez, and hired him right away. He even broke the internet at the time by announcing the hire directly on X with a family photo before the big sports networks could even report it. Meyer’s advice turned out to be pure gold early on.

They went on to have a good run, winning the Pac-12 South division a few years later.