Gopher Offensive Line Coach Meyer Resigns

Minnesota offensive line coach Phil Meyer has resigned his position to pursue other professional interests. The announcement was made Monday morning by Gophers head coach Tim Brewster. Meyer spent seven seasons (2000-07) as the head coach at Wisconsin-Oshkosh before joining the Gophers.

Phil Meyer coached a young offensive line that featured four redshirt freshman among their top eight. The line had struggled the last four games of the season, opening holes for the running game and protecting quarterback Adam Weber. Minnesota has commitments from offensive linemen Brooks Michel of Carmel (IN) High, Ed Olson from Mahtomedi and Josh Campion of Fergus Falls. The Gophers are also hoping to land Taylor Lewan of Scottsdale (AZ) Chaparral, who visited Minnesota this past weekend. The Gophers are recruiting taller offensive linemen under Tim Brewster, while previous head coach Glen Mason preferred smaller, quicker lineman for their running game.

“I’d like to thank Coach Meyer for his hard work and contribution to this program,” Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster said. “Phil has been a long-time friend and I wish him and his family all the best in the future.”

Brewster said he plans to move as quickly as possible in hiring a replacement. A national search is already under way.

Meyer helped restore pride in UW-Oshkosh’s NCAA Division III football program during his tenure as head coach. The Titans won 17 games over the past three seasons for their third-highest, three-year total in the 112-year history of the program. UW-Oshkosh registered a non-losing record in each of the past three seasons for a feat last accomplished at the conclusion of the 1970 campaign. Meyer won 31 games at UW-Oshkosh, including a 16-4 record in non-conference games. Prior to his appointment in April of 2000, it took the Titans 10 seasons (1990-99) to surpass 30 victories. In 2005, Meyer guided the Titans to a 7-3 record, including a third-place 4-3 mark in the WIAC. UW-Oshkosh’s seven wins were its highest since 1976, while its WIAC victory total was its best since 1991. UW-Oshkosh began the year with a 6-1 record for its best start to a season since 1935.

Prior to becoming head coach at UW-Oshkosh, Meyer was at Iowa State from 1995-99, where he tutored quarterbacks from 1998-99 and tight ends and special teams between 1995-97. In 1998, Meyer coached Todd Bandhauer, the first quarterback in Iowa State history to notch a pair of 2,000-yard passing seasons.