He retired last year only to return for one more year and then retire once again. This time, Urban Meyer won’t be returning to coaching, at least for the foreseeable future. The former Utah and Florida coach joins ESPN to become a game and studio analyst. Meyer will contribute to College GameDay as well as SportsCenter and College Football Live. Meyer’s first assignment for ESPN will be on National Signing Day on Wednesday.

We have the official release from ESPN.

Urban Meyer Joins ESPN as Studio & Game Analyst

Will Debut on ESPNU National Signing Day Special Feb. 2

Former University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer, who won two BCS National Championships in six years, will join ESPN as a college football game and studio analyst. He will make his debut Wednesday, Feb. 2 as a studio analyst during ESPNU’s 10-hour ESPNU National Signing Day Special.

As part of the agreement, Meyer will work a weekly regular-season game (specific assignment to be determined) and select post-season bowl games. He will also provide studio analysis throughout the year on ESPN’s daily College Football Live program; NFL Draft, spring games; and bowl games, including during the network’s on-site BCS coverage.

In addition, Meyer will contribute to ESPN’s popular Saturday morning College GameDay Built by The Home Depot series (from his game site), make weekly appearances on ESPN Radio, and provide analysis on SportsCenter and additional ESPN outlets.

Meyer, who won more than 100 college football games in a 10-year span, recently served as a guest studio analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the BCS National Championship Game. He appeared on SportsCenter, College GameDay, College Football Live, and during the pregame, halftime and postgame segments.

“Football has played an extremely important role in my life for the past 25 years and ESPN has given me an incredible opportunity to join its world-class team and share my passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the game with fans across the country,” said Meyer.

Norby Williamson, ESPN executive vice president, production, added, “Coach Meyer brings a fresh voice and a contemporary knowledge of the game. As he showed during BCS coverage, his ability to communicate the strategic aspects of the game and his incredible track record for success will serve college football fans everywhere.”

For his first assignment, Meyer will appear from ESPNU’s studios in Charlotte, N.C., for the network’s National Signing Day programming from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET. It will include in-depth analysis, top prospects announcing their college decision live and live interviews with as many as 20 coaches. SportsCenter and ESPNEWS will provide live look-ins and updates on high-ranking commits throughout the day.

Meyer – with 25 years of coaching experience, 10 as a head coach — resigned from Florida at the conclusion of the 2010 season. In his six years with Florida, he guided the Gators to a pair of BCS National Championships, two Southeastern Conference Championships, three Southeastern Conference Eastern Division crowns and a January bowl game each season, including three BCS Bowls. Meyer is the first coach to win two BCS National Championships, is one of only two coaches in SEC history to win outright national titles and one of five coaches to win a pair of National Championships in his first four years at a school.

He became the first coach in Football Bowl Subdivision history to post consecutive 13-win seasons (2008 and 2009) and is the only coach to record three 13-win seasons in a four-year span. Prior to joining Florida, Meyer spent two years with the University of Utah (2003-04), leading the Utes to a 12-0 record and the first BCS appearance by a team from a non-automatic qualifying conference in his second year.

He began his head coaching career at Bowling Green from 2001-02. In his first year, Bowling Green went from a 2-9 record to post their first winning season since 1994 with an 8-3 finish. A year later, he guided the program to a 9-3 record. Meyer’s 17-6 record at Bowling Green included a 5-0 mark against BCS teams and two wins over ranked opponents.

Previous to becoming a head coach, Meyer was an assistant at Notre Dame (1996-2000), Colorado State (1990-95), Illinois State (1988-89) and Ohio State (1986-97). A 13th-round pick in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in 1982, he played two years in the Atlanta Braves’ organization. He played as a defensive back at the University of Cincinnati before earning his degree in psychology in 1986. He went on to earn a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1988.

That will do it.