Life as a Coach in Limbo: What’s Next for Doug Meacham

STILLWATER — For the first time in his near-40 year coaching career, Doug Meacham got to put on the headset as a head coach and got to do so at his alma mater, no less.

Meacham will take that headset off on Saturday, as Oklahoma State’s season and Meacham’s time as the Cowboys interim head coach comes to an end.

Meacham, like the rest of his staff, doesn’t know what the future holds for him. But despite the on-field struggles, Meacham said he’ll look back on his time leading the team he once played for fondly.

“It means a lot,” Meacham said. “I mean, obviously I don’t like the record, numerics of it, but just the opportunity for Chad Weiberg to have the faith in me to be able to get us to the finish line means a lot. They saw something in me that they felt like I could be the front man for this football team. I’m kinda tired of saying ‘through these tough times’ because who cares? No one cares. It’s been an honor to do it. …

“When you go through life, at the end of the thing, you look back and there’s moments. This will be one of them for me. So, it was awesome.”

Meacham has been on staffs that have been fired in the past — some instances have left him searching for a new gig while he’s been retained in others. As nice as it’d be to have his next step figured out, that experience has shown Meacham that there is still some time that needs to pass before that becomes clearer.

“I don’t think anybody’s totally counting themselves out of not being here, but they can’t keep us all,” Meacham said. “What’s difficult for everyone is at this time of year, no one’s really wanting to talk about hiring and firing a job. They are trying to figure out how to get to the bowl game and get a double paycheck. So as in a hurry as you are to try to expedite and get something, they’re not. It’s just kind of a tough, tricky time for coaches. You kind of got to wait until the season’s over and the championship games. Sometimes you get lucky because a guy actually knows you and reaches out to you prior to.

“But to be sitting down making phone calls right now, you’re wasting your time. It’s a little bit nerve-wracking to not have anything, and then you just have to kind of wait.”

Meacham has gone a year without work. He said he spent that time jumping around a couple of programs as an observer. He said he spent a month a Washington State with Mike Leach that he called “basically a comedy show” and that he “didn’t really learn anything.” He then spent time at USC, Arizona and with Seth Littrell when Littrell was at North Texas.

As for what’s next for Meacham after Saturday, he said he sees some surfing and golf in his future until the future starts to become a little clearer.

“I’m a horrible surfer — don’t get it twisted,” Meacham said. “I’m not any good. I just like doing it. It’s a great workout. I love to play golf, mountain bike, jog and train, I stay pretty active. I get bored real easily, and I don’t sit still very well. I was hell for elementary school teachers. They didn’t like me because I couldn’t sit still. So, I’ll stay busy. I’m not gonna have a problem finding something to do, I promise you that.”