The UFL finally released news about the new locations, giving fans a clearer idea of what the league will look like over the next two years.
In 2027, Colorado and Rhode Island will host the two teams replacing the Birmingham Stallions and Houston Gamblers. For the 2028 season, the league will add Utah and Oklahoma as the next two locations, expanding the UFL to 10 teams.
This is the first time Utah has had a professional outdoor football team since the 2019 Alliance of American Football with the Stallions. The two big questions are whether the Stallions make their return to the Salt Lake City area and who the head coach will be. The answer is clear: Urban Meyer should be at the top of the list.
Why Urban Meyer Should Be the Head Coach of the Utah UFL team?
Yes, Meyer's run with the Jacksonville Jaguars that one season was about as disastrous as it gets. A lot happened there that everyone knows about, but a run in the UFL would be different.
The league is a good middle ground for those players who were really good college players but need more development before the NFL. Meyer has always been good at developing talent. In his college coaching career, he has produced 23 first-round picks, according to FOX Sports.
Meyer has an obvious connection to Utah, as he was the head coach for the Utes in 2003 and 2004. He went 22-2 as head coach, including a 12-0 run in 2004, before leaving for the Florida Gators job.
UFL co-owner Mike Repole has preached the idea of having local ties to all his teams. Meyer may not live in Utah, but the state knows him and what he did for the Utes to make them a successful program. He would be a huge draw in that market.
Besides the connection to the state, he works for FOX Sports, the network that broadcasts games. That would be a big reason for FOX to air UFL games on its network if one of its employees works for the league.
The UFL would be smart to have Meyer in the league, similar to how the Dallas/Arlington Renegades had Bob Stoops as their head coach. A national-champion head coach would bring attention to the league and help pack the stadium. Stoops helped the XFL/UFL have respect for its name because of his resume.
Meyer can do the exact same thing while helping a new market. This, of course, depends on whether he wants to coach again. If he has the itch but doesn't want it to be a full-time job, this could make a lot of sense.
Is this a long shot? Of course it is, but it doesn't hurt to shoot for the stars and bring in a coach who can really help this league. It would be huge for the UFL to have a big name like Meyer as a head coach. This is just one of the many options for the league.