Ryan Stamper is returning home to meet with his former boss.
Urban Meyer brought the Jacksonville native with him to Ohio in 2012, and now he has hired Stamper on his new Jaguars team. He will join the NFL’s head coach for the first time as director of player assessment, in a move first reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and confirmed by Eleven Warriors.
Stamper has spent the past nine years working on player development for the football program and has been the assistant athletics director for player development for the past three years.
Working off the field, Stamper played a key role in keeping Ohio State footballers on track – assisting them with academics and other non-football issues – while he used to serve as a resource for them in a variety of situations. He worked hard to distance the program from being known as a “football factory”, coordinating the Real Life Wednesdays program created during Meyer’s tenure that features a job fair, speakers and help with curriculum creation. He also helped players get internships and establish connections with companies that could hire them when their football careers were over.
Ion I think people realize how big the impact of the Stamp is! This hurts
– Teradja Mitchell (@teeraaw__) January 15, 2021
Although Stamper felt comfortable enough with Ryan Day to remain on the team when he became the head coach in December 2018, it was always possible that he would find his way back to Meyer if he re-entered the coaching profession.
Stamper played linebacker for Meyer Florida Gators in the late 2000s, winning two national championships and serving twice as a team captain. He won the Forrest K. “Fergie” Ferguson award – which goes to the senior who “demonstrates leadership, character and courage” – his last year with the Gators. After a year as a police officer in Florida, Stamper joined Meyer’s Ohio state team to help develop the player.
Now, after nine years in Columbus, he will return to his hometown, Jacksonville, join Meyer and make his foray into the NFL.
Stamper is expected to be the only Ohio State official to join Meyer in Jacksonville. During Meyer’s introductory press conference on Friday, Meyer said “there may be one” when asked if he was hiring any Ohio state employees, but said he promised Ryan Day and Gene Smith that he would not turn over employees of the Buckeyes.
“I talked to Gene and Coach Day, and you know my affection for these two guys and for the big university we represent, and I’m not going to do that,” said Meyer.