Urban Meyer is stepping down. Florida’s fifth-year head coach is calling it a career… for now.
Two national titles and a Heisman winner during his run. Two SEC titles and a 56-10 record, too. It was a hell of a ride for the Gators, but it’s over. UF faithful will deny it, but they’ll see in time. Lightning doesn’t strike twice.
College football is cyclical. Everyone is forced to take a step back. Just ask Southern Cal, fresh off a mighty Emerald Bowl victory. No one saw a five-loss seasons and a 55-21 loss to Stanford when 2009 kicked off.
The Trojans expected to reload and were dealt a tough blow… and that’s with Pete Carroll still calling the shots. Where does Florida go without Meyer?
As a Miami fan, you hate Florida and by default, “hate” their coach – and their Heisman-winning quarterback. It goes with the territory. No one is more loathed than ‘the Gator’.
As gimmicky as you found Meyer’s offense, it was working. The Gators were dinking and dunking their way to Ws.
A bowl win over Cincinnati will give UF their third 13-1 season under Meyer. Not quite a dynasty (a third title in four years would’ve been the difference-maker), but a hell of a run… and it’s finally done.
Florida AD Jeremy Foley will hand over a blank check to a big-time guy. The Gators have the budget and football reigns supreme in that one-horse town. The infrastructure will always be there regarding competing with the nation’s best. Athletic budget. Facilities. Top flight coaching staff. Still, no matter how much money you throw at someone, it doesn’t guarantee the perfect storm the Gators just experienced.
Ron Zook got a big check and left the cupboard full entering 2006, banking five strong recruiting classes. Meyer slid in and his new system with Florida’s speed and talent; an ideal fit. The SEC couldn’t handle the spread offense when it fell into place under all-everything quarter-fullbackTim Tebow. A Heisman was preceded by a 22-game win streak, with a national title sandwiched halfway through the streak.
Seemingly on a roll, this year’s dream season ended with a resounding ‘thud’. Not exactly how UF fans drew it up.
Any grief Miami took for anticipating a follow-up title a year after a championship, arrogant Florida folk took that to a new level after last year’s win over No. 2 Oklahoma. Gators were already talking ‘Pasadena’ as they filed out of Pro Player Stadium last January. A second Heisman was in the bag. Another SEC title en route to back-to-back championships. There was no doubt. This was a “dynasty” and “three titles in four years” was a term Gators abroad were uttering.
Riding a fifteen-month high, the bottom fell out after thumping Florida State in Bobby Bowden’s final regular season game. For all the Gators already sizing up those rings, here’s one for you; “three of four Saturdays in December”. That’s how quickly your world unraveled.
Alabama shredded Florida on the 5th, ruining a perfect season and ending championship dreams. On the 12th, a Tide running back took home Timmy T’s Heisman. Moments later, 2.3 million sports fans watched “The U” and remembered that the Canes are still the “Canes”.
A little reprieve on the 19th, it’s now Saturday the 26th and the golden goose has called it a career. As huge as the SEC title loss and Pasadena dreams going up in smoke, both pale in comparison to Meyer stepping down.
The truth behind the resignation will never really be known. Health issues are being cited, but latter reports refute the severity of the condition. Truth is, nobody has a clue. Stress can lead to heart issues with anybody. A lifestyle change is a personal decision, but you can’t gauge the “what if” had you stuck around and pushed it. You simply press on and roll the dice, or you walk away and pray you made the right choice.
Meyer is a workaholic. That’s a no brainer. But so do all top coaches in the game. Stress? Welcome to big time college football and multi-million dollar paydays. It’s part of the job description.
That’s not to say I don’t feel for the man. I’ve had my share of anxiety. It can be brutal. Still, the cynic in me and Gator-hating opposing fan is left wondering, why now? If this has been the case for at least two years, the timing is suspect. A dozen starters headed to the NFL, most notably, Tebow. A defensive coordinator and wide receivers coach having moved on. This is a program ready to endure a hearty rebuilding project even had Meyer stuck around. Without him, the task just got that much more difficult, no matter who gets on board.
All those clamoring for big game Bob Stoops, lest not forget he owns one ring for all his head coaching success. Next year that lone championship is a decade old. For a program that rips Miami for “living in the past” regarding that 2001 title, Stoops’ last ring is a year older than that.
Gainesville isn’t a very forgiving town regarding their football. I spent two-plus years in the 352 and lived through the Gators first title in 1996. An arrogance crept over in a matter of months. 52-20 remained painted on car and house windows for years, an homage to the Sugar Bowl beating of No. 1 Florida State. With a championship ring, UF now felt entitled. Florida fans that once had no rebuttal to Miami fans, it was all about the “present” and the Canes four rings no longer mattered to Gator Nation.
Steve Spurrier never got Florida back to the promised land after that first run. Enter Zook and some top-flight recruiting, but sub-par coaching results. The Gators hovered around five losses a year his entire tenure, prompting the change.
Meyer hit the ground running and his two titles in three years set a bar for Gator fans that won’t ever be matched. It took top talent, the perfect coach and the right personnel to pull off the feat.
Florida saw firsthand on December 5th that it takes more than a Meyer/Tebow tag team to go wire-to-wire. The Crimson Tide beat the Gators soundly, 32-13. No contest. Any mojo UF had the previous twenty-two games was long gone, punctuated by every Tebow teardrop that hit the Georgia Dome’s turf that night.
Between a post-Alabama hospital run for dehydration and Christmas Day, seems Meyer did a lot of reevaluating. One assessment of the situation and it’s blatantly obvious – now is the time to get out. Do it Jim Brown-style; leave on top and preserve one’s legacy.
Where do you go after a Tim Tebow? How do you improve on two titles in three years? A threepeat? Moving forward, there’s no way in hell Meyer can live up to the legend he created.
The stress has been there for years, but with the cupboard full, you press on. Go balls out. Run yourself into the dirt. Whatever it takes. You’ll sleep when you’re dead. In the moment you’re holding a Royal Flush. No way you’re getting up from the table right now, no matter how rundown you are.
New Orleans instead of Pasadena. That’s why the time is now. Some motivation to beat Cincinnati and a ride off into the sunset, side-by-side with Tebow, instead of merely watching him go and wondering what’s next.
Take a year off. There’s money in the bank. The bills are paid. Spend time with family. Regroup. Leave your post at with some fan sympathy instead of with remorse that’d come your way if/when you took another job. Get out before you’re forced to answer questions after a three-loss season and lesser-tiered bowl game. Just ask Carroll or even a the legendary Bowden, run out of Tallahassee this fall after another six-loss season. No one cares about yesterday’s news. It’ll quickly turn into, “what’s been done lately?”
A year or so from now, college football will still need Urban Meyer and there will always an overzealous NFL owner looking to sell tickets and make a splash with a big name. After some down time, Meyer’s name will be on every wish list. Jack Del Rio could be out in Jacksonville. Eric Mangini, shown the door in Cleveland.
Maybe Brian Kelly doesn’t get it done at Notre Dame. Maybe the Jim Tressel era ends at Ohio State.
We want that which retreats from us and we as a sports-loving nation tend to rely on revisionist history. You always want to go ‘back’. Hell, Miami fans still scream for the return of Jimmy Johnson, even though the coach has long since retired.
Ironically enough, Johnson left the game ten years ago citing burnout – this after taking two years off between Dallas and Miami.
His four-year run with the Dolphins was less than stellar (36-28), ending with a 62-7 playoff loss at Jacksonville. Still, Canes fans remember the good ol’ days and revere JJ as a savior, able to fix any mess dropped in his lap.
Meyer walking away now – it’s actually a brilliant play from a public relations standpoint. That’s not to say the coach isn’t stress-ridden and rundown. It simply means the timing is absolutely perfect regarding the step back Florida will take with all the recent and upcoming departures.
Get out while the getting’s good. Better to burnout than fade away.
Remain involved with the university. Keep your thumb on the pulse. Should Florida hire somebody who stays the course, come back for the NFL payday in a year or so. Should the new Gators coach struggle, ride in on the white horse and attempt to save the day. Call it ‘The Pat Riley Method’.
By shelving football and putting his health and family first, Meyer is preserving his Florida legacy. The media love affair with Meyer continues today, praising him for being a man of character. Swept under the rug, the twenty-seven arrests on his watch since 2005 and 251 traffic citations for Florida football players over this past year.
Regarding history, the legend eventually replaces the truth. The arrests and thuggish behavior now becomes a footnote. Winning is the ultimate cure-all and winning has been Meyer’s thing since donning the orange and blue.
Shower this coach with accolades, Florida faithful and feel good story-hungry media. That’s the story the day after Christmas. Celebrate five years of Urban. Give him the spotlight instead of the title-game bound Alabama bunch that whooped him. This was about as calculated as Spurrier resigning the day after Miami wrecked Nebraska for the ’01 title.
Today is Meyerday, but the truth is the truth – the decline is on, Florida. That doesn’t mean five-loss seasons will become the Zook-like norm, but one-loss seasons and national championships will be fewer and further between.
Funny how those of you claiming Meyer was the be all, end all now feel he’s replaceable. You’re the same fragile bunch who believes John Brantley will just step in and run a better offense than Tebow because he has a stronger arm. You don’t get it both ways. When your head coach and Heisman-worthy quarterback ride off into the sunset, you take a step back. That’s just how it works.
Florida reached the pinnacle and is on the comedown, whereas Miami is on the mend – whether you acknowledge it or not. Randy Shannon has reeled in two solid classes and the program saw significant improvement year three.
Twenty-four verbal commitments on board for 2010 and a safe bet a Florida defect or two heads south with Meyer heading out. Shannon’s stranglehold on the TriCity area began in 2008 and continues. No new Gator coach is rolling into South Florida, getting a kid that Miami wants. If Meyer struggled the past two years, anybody will struggle.
Gator Nation, I hope you enjoyed the ride, as I oft advised. As a Miami fan who lived through the 80s and early 90s dominance, suffered through the mid-90s probation era, soaked up the first half of the 00s and reeled as Larry Coker showed this program rock bottom. I’ve seen the good, bad and everything in between.
Florida will find their way back into the hunt, but not right away… and not with Miami reeling as they did most of Meyer’s tenure. The next Florida coach better be ready to go toe-to-toe with a Canes program that’s about to raise some hell.
Don't worry, we won't crumble. we'll reload, and UM will still be has-beens. Carry on
Not that I would wish anything bad on Urban Meyer, even though I always thought that he was kind of a low life. This really is surprising. What's so amazing is that the Gators rose so fast and fell so hard. So much for a dynasty. Now it really is true, It's All About The "U"!!!
The train is about to crash and watch the bandwagon fans disappear.
For those that our left, make sure you make it out to LSS in the Fall of 2013. The University of Miami will be holding a funeral for the university of florida football program.
All are welcome.
An anonymous Gator lover posting on a Canes blog…wow what a surprise. Anonymous as much as you would love to believe that talent alone wins championships you should think again. (See UM and Larry Coker era) This will hurt your program and it will probably start very quickly. (with recruiting) The cupboard will still be stocked but the decline has started. See you at Land Shark in a few years…if your program doesn't bitch out.
To this first "Anonymous", Do you even understand the game of football? Your coach is stepping down. It's not about reloading, if you really understand what that means, which obviously you don't. Morons really should not be having any kind of opinion about anything. Is it possible to be so blind? You can come on here and talk out you ass just as you are doing, but even if UF beats Cincinnati, which I seriously doubt they will, when next year rolls around and the Gators struggle, you will see that the Gators are truly done. That is if they play any ranked teams the next time around.
anonymous gaytor fan, please go back in the hole you came from. just so we're clear, tebow left the heisman show with nothing in hand, while UM held the country's attention for the next 2 hours, so much for "has-beens"…we might not have had the little, itty bitty, sliver of a dynasty you've enjoyed for the past couple years, but we've had 1983 to 2003! count that off, it's 20 years(i know that's a large number for gaytors to comprehend). so resume the role of mediocrity and watch us rise again! it's all about the U
"Dynasty"
I don't think that word means what you think it does.
3 great years out of 5 do not make a dynasty…
The fall of gayturd nation!!! I bet Urban Cryer is waiting to see where Teabag goes in the draft so he can go to that team!!! Go Canes, We are the U!!!
amazing stuff thanx 🙂
Any crumbling will be short-lived. Florida rakes in too much cash.
http://tinyurl.com/yf6fktk
Surprise, surprise. No more Tim Tebow and no more Charlie Strong = no more Urban Meyer. Who would have guessed he would run for cover before the inevitable fall of the Gators? What a ho-ish move. Where were his health concerns when he was kicking meaningless field goals to cover the spread or calling meaningless timeouts to send a message? Chest pains? Whatever. Elizabeth, he's comin' to join you,honey!
It was a surprise, honestly I don't even think that the Florida fans saw it coming. I would suspect that there is more to this though, kinda like the Tiger Woods thing. But hey, what happens happens and I won't have a problem with it.
His heart problems = his heart broke cuz teabag didn't get heisman and is leaving UF. He cant bare to be at UF without his precious Teabag. LOL
Clayton
Land O Lakes Cane
Don't worry, we won't crumble. we'll reload, and UM will still be has-beens. Carry on.
… another Gator troll. I love how you clowns run over here to see what Miami fans are saying about your beloved team.
Yeah, the Canes are "has beens". Please. A program on the rise who has had success in the 80s, 90s and 00s. Such hacks. Four BCS games this decade… two titles games… one title… a 34-game win streak… yet y'all act like all of UM's accolades are from two decades ago.
Typical Florida response, "we'll reload – nothing to see here."
Really?
A dozen starters… GONE. Charlie Strong… GONE. Dan Mullen… GONE last year. Tebow… GONE. Urban Myth… GONE.
Does Florida have money? Sure. Will Jeremy Foley find a capable head coach? Sure. But there will be a big step back for a program that was on top the past two seasons.
You don't just "replace" your head coach and quarterback – who were running a gimmicky offense and winning ball games. There will be a drop off.
Florida had money when they hired Ron Zook and were losing four games a year. Urban Meyers don't grow on trees… nor do Tim Tebows.
Funny how Gator Nation did nothing by hype Meyer as the best coach in the game and Tebow as the best college player ever… yet now that both are gone, you act as if they're easily replaceable. Put your egos aside and just swallow the pill – Florida is going to take a step back. Deal with it, ladies.
Funny that even with Urban and Teabag, Florida STILL couldn't pull down an undefeated season. Never better than a one-loss program. Love it.
See you on the way down.
To the first Gator moron,
Reload? Are you some sort of @sshole? When have you losers ever reloaded at anything? You've been good for about 3 years. You were nothing before then. So, what the hell are you talking about, you idiot? You're going back to normal, which is mediocrity. Deal with it.
can someone please remind espn of the 27 ARRESTS! and the 251 traffic citations over the past year! the guy is running with his tail between his legs…..he can't cover up his indiscretions without tebow as a distraction, hence hightailing it out of his head coaching position! the idiot left UF in shambles, too bad they won't realize it till the ncaa bears down on them
Honestly, I couldn't be less surprised by this news. I called it months ago when Meyer kept Tebow in against the likes of Charleston Southern and Troy. When you're up by 4 TDs against a AA team and don't allow your backup to get in some solid plays, it's because you don't care what shape you leave this team in next year. I think Meyer knew from day one he was bailing at the end of this season, unfortunately he couldn't really go out on top with a third title. Give it a little time, he'll "regain his health" and be on the way to Washington or Cleveland when they give their respective coaches the boot.
Honestly, I couldn't be less surprised by this news. I called it months ago when Meyer kept Tebow in against the likes of Charleston Southern and Troy. When you're up by 4 TDs against a AA team and don't allow your backup to get in some solid plays, it's because you don't care what shape you leave this team in next year. I think Meyer knew from day one he was bailing at the end of this season, unfortunately he couldn't really go out on top with a third title. Give it a little time, he'll "regain his health" and be on the way to Washington or Cleveland when they give their respective coaches the boot.
SaraLinn… maybe you called for it, maybe you didn't. I never saw those words written here.
Safe bet that Meyer was leaving in the next few years as he'd never live up to the 'two titles in three years' legacy he created. Anything less would be a letdown to Florida fans. Those folk wouldn't take kindly to 2-3 loss seasons after this recent run.
Meyer's play is brilliant. Disappear for a year or so and either (1) take a NFL gig when the money a year from now when he's in demand or (2) return to Florida after someone else has to clean up the next two seasons.
Oh yeah and go out like a 'good guy' who is putting family first… making everyone forget about 27 arrests on his watch the last few years.
For his sake, I hope he gets better… but as a Miami fan talking about a Florida coach, I still call bullshit on this. Dude is 'stressed out' and is taking a step back at a VERY CONVENIENT time. If this was plaguing him for two years, then why stick around and risk it? Because he had Tebow and knew he'd make a run.
Without #15 behind center and all those starters lost, he knows he has a shell of the team he had 2008-2009, so get out while the getting is good.
I don't think that leaving his starting QB in against AA team had anything to do with "not caring about his team" as much as he was trying to help Tebow Christ Superstar win another Heisman. Padding those stats and what not.
Now I'm hearing that Urban Meyer is not actually quitting. I guess we'll have to see how this all unfolds. What is up with these UF coaches? First, Billy Donovan, and now Urban Meyer. These Bozo's don't know if they're coming or going.
AMEN BROTHER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear AllCanes,
I love your blog. It's insightful and a fun read. However, I do take issue with some of the comments to your posts.
Why are my fellow UM fans jumping all over Urban Meyer? Minus recruiting, how does anything Florida does effect the Canes?
The photo manip of Tebow in shorty-shorts was hilarious; I showed it to all of my co-workers. But seriously, some of you folks are too obsessed with things irrelevant to Canes football.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but UM did not play Florida this year and will not in the foreseeable future (save an improbable bowl game). Please stop obsessing over past transgressions which have no impact on present or future. Honestly, it's strange.
The name-calling is sophomoric. Cut it out. It's possible that some of the Gator fans wouldn't troll on UM fan sites if Canes fans showed a little more common sense and a lot more courtesy. Hey, at least they're not from West Virginia with delusional hillbillies abound.
Thank you for your blog and your wonderful pieces. Keep it up, and Happy New Year's.
Sincerely,
LB
i guess 2013 isn't a foreseeable future. maybe cause the world is ending in 2012?
and we name call the gaytors and jump all over them because they are trying to be something they're not….US!
Apparently, Urban Meyer has indeed changed his mind. He intends to just take some time away during the off season and be back to coach again next year. Kind of working part time I guess. Next year, he can perhaps give a report on, "How I spent my summer vacation."
LB… It's not just us. ESPN was astonished to find that blogs all across the country were doing the same thing. It did not matter if their team had anything to do with the state of Florida, or the SEC, or whatever. Everybody seemed to have the same attitude toward Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer, and the gator nation in general.
Basically, they are hated by one and all.
the best part about all this is watchin 'gator nation' crumble. biggest bunch of band-wagoners i've ever seen.
Normally enjoy the blog.Not sure anything calculated in what Meyer did. If anything he probably in retrospect wishes the indecision didn't play out on national t.v.Love the Canes and progress were making.Don't see how anyone can feel anything but empathy for any coach dealing with health issues and feeling burnout. Our ability to win the ACC and recruit well should stand on our own merits,not another rivals situation.
Three gator stories in a month. Is this still a Canes blog?
Three gator stories in a month. Is this still a Canes blog?
… give me a break. Covering big time college football news in regards to Miami's all time biggest rival is absolutely relevant. Especially between the Canes' last game in late November and their bowl game next week. Not much going on right now and Meyer's resignation/leave of absence as well as Florida's loss to Alabama were both newsworthy regarding Miami fans level of interest.
allcanes, u can cover whatever u want. its ur blog and better than most anyway. I like the fact that there is intelligence behind the comments and….facts. keep-on!
This is just pure speculation, but how funny is it that Urban checks into the the hospital after the 'Bama loss with "dehydration". After all, the Gators played at night in an indoor stadium. I'm sure that there was a bunch of hydrating beverages available such as water and, of course,Gatorade at the snap of a finger. In fact, I'm sure Urban could have had a waterboy or waterperson whichever term you prefer squirt hydrating fluids into his mouth should he have the need. Yet, Urban became "dehydrated". I'm sure there was water available on the one hour charter from Atlanta on the way home. However,Urban became dehydrated.
I don't know for sure, but it sounds like old Urban was on a bender after the game. Now after struggles with substance abuse, he's reeling and has waffled on stepping down from Florida after substance abuse has caused him issues at home. If that's the case, I pray for him and his family. As I know first hand how difficult struggles with substance abuse can be.
I hate Florida, but I don't want to see them fall under these circumstances. I want Urban and all his glory to face the music with a sound mental and physical state when we kick Gator butt in 2013.
Just remember Gators according to Kansas nothing last forever except the earth and sky or . . . .with respect to college football, the Canes continual and ultimate dominance over both college football itself and the state of Florida.
So did Urb pull a Favre or did they convince him that leaving now would wreck the recruiting class?
You guys know the Gators have had great recruiting classes every year right? You seem to think Miami's good recruiting is going to work out much better than than ours.
Nick… You used the word 'than', two times.
Where is Mat when we need him! This cannot be tolerated!
You are right about that, though. UF is supposed to have the #1 recruiting class this year and has been right up there in recent years. That being the case, what happened with Alabama? Gator nation calls that loss, "falling short". I call it, getting your asses kicked!!
In the upcoming season, you again have a pretty easy schedule. What a surprise, that is. The exceptions being Alabama and maybe Tennessee. With the great recruiting, what will the excuse be when you "fall short", again?
Urban Meyer's not coaching? I dont know.