Urban Meyer is stepping down as Florida Head Football Coach

[dstubb]

Living here in "Gator County", we get a LOT of Urban Meyer news. This really interesting commentary was in today's News Press. "Meyer puts self, football over family"

http://www.news-press.com/article/20091 ... YOL9ews%3D" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And an article about Shelley
http://www.news-press.com/article/20091 ... 010/sports" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for the articles. While I like and respect Coach Meyer, he is a public relations disaster. He seems to make public announcements spur of the moment, which is why his departures from BG and Utah left such a bad taste in people's mouths. Now Florida's players must be distracted in a big way one week before their bowl game, and recruits are wondering if Meyer will be there in a year or two.

I respect his decision to step down for his family's sake - but he obviously didn't think this through very well and lots of people could be hurt in the process, whether it be his family, his players, or his own health.

[truth]

I've said it before in a previous, unrelated thread.

What this guy needs, is a Skyline Chili in Gainesville.

I worked at the one in BG when he was the coach, and every Sunday after the coach's show aired, he would come in and have some skyline. I always wanted to say something about how well the team was doing, but I let it go.

I could tell it was his refuge. A time away from all the football noise.

Skyline is therapeutic, here's our proof.

[Flipper]

Urban Meyer is the man...the greatest college football coach in my lifetime. From a distance, it's easy to say that he should have done this or that, but believe me...it's hard to stay rational when you're confronted with health issues that have a history of taking out members of your family.

Skyline Chili is vomit on a plate....

That is all...thank you.

[Redwingtom]

Skyline Chili is vomit on a plate....

Ummmmmm, vomit on a plate.

[transfer2BGSU]

Urban Meyer is the man...the greatest college football coach in my lifetime.

That's the funniest post I've ever read on an Internet board

[hammb]

Urban Meyer is the man...the greatest college football coach in my lifetime.

That's the funniest post I've ever read on an Internet board

Flipper's older than I am, but his statement is definitely true for me.

Never seen a coach as great as Meyer. We were fortunate to have one of the best in the business on our sideline for 2 years.

[Flipper]

Look at what the man has accomplished...his first gig as a HC was here at a low mid major. He turns a two win team into a team good enough to be unbeaten and nationally ranked 8 weeks into the season his second year on the job. He goes onto Utah where he takes a mediocre squad and goes 10-2 and 12-0...the 12-0 team is the first non BCS team to make it to a BCS bowl ( a game they win) and his offense is innovative enough that it makes a hack QB like Alex Smith look good enough to be the top pick in the NFL draft. He then moves onto to Fl where all he's done is win two national championships in five years. He's taken the spread from being a gimmick offense that podunk programs with no talent run to being an integral part of major college football...hell, he's even had some NFL teams bring him in to help them integrate elements of his offense into theirs

Now...guys like Doyt, Hayes, Bo, Robinson, Bowden, Bryant and Paterno may have more total wins...but none of those guys accomplished what Meyer did within his first decade as a head coach. All Urban lacks against those guys is longevity. If he can figure out how to take it down a notch and live into his 70's, he will erase all doubt and make you feel silly for posting all those laughing heads....

[Falconfreak90]

Look at what the man has accomplished...his first gig as a HC was here at a low mid major. He turns a two win team into a team good enough to be unbeaten and nationally ranked 8 weeks into the season his second year on the job. He goes onto Utah where he takes a mediocre squad and goes 10-2 and 12-0...the 12-0 team is the first non BCS team to make it to a BCS bowl ( a game they win) and his offense is innovative enough that it makes a hack QB like Alex Smith look good enough to be the top pick in the NFL draft. He then moves onto to Fl where all he's done is win two national championships in five years. He's taken the spread from being a gimmick offense that podunk programs with no talent run to being an integral part of major college football...hell, he's even had some NFL teams bring him in to help them integrate elements of his offense into theirs

Now...guys like Doyt, Hayes, Bo, Robinson, Bowden, Bryant and Paterno may have more total wins...but none of those guys accomplished what Meyer did within his first decade as a head coach. All Urban lacks against those guys is longevity. If he can figure out how to take it down a notch and live into his 70's, he will erase all doubt and make you feel silly for posting all those laughing heads....

Tough to argue against Meyer's success. He's accomplished more in 9 years than 99.5% of HCs do in a lifetime.

[It's the Journey...]

Does this surprise ANYONE?!?!?!?! What a bowl season attention whore.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4852624" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida coach Urban Meyer is working out, eating better and has gained 20 pounds since the end of the season -- all good news for the Gators.

As for that leave of absence?

Well, it might not even happen. Or at least not like anyone thought it would.

Meyer, speaking publicly for the first time since Florida beat Cincinnati 51-24 in the Sugar Bowl, said Saturday night that his workload has been about the same as it has been during other recruiting seasons. The biggest difference is he is traveling less.

He also plans to coach the Gators during spring practice.

Meyer announced his resignation last month, citing health concerns three weeks after he was rushed to a hospital with chest pains. He changed his mind the following day and instead said he planned to take an indefinite leave following the bowl game.

"I keep hearing about this time out," Meyer said. "People I'm closest to are going to demand I take some time off, but I tried that already. I tried a day and a half, and it didn't work."

Meyer returned to the office, hired four assistant coaches and has assembled what is shaping up to be the nation's No. 1 recruiting class.

Nonetheless, he has a series of heart and stress tests scheduled for next month. But he again declined to divulge details about his health.

"I'm not going to get into that publicly, but so far the tests are coming back pretty positive," he said.

Meyer said athletic director Jeremy Foley and his wife, Shelley, want him to take some time off after signing day next month. He indicated he might step away between signing day and spring practice -- something he hasn't done the last five years in Gainesville -- but added that he hasn't made any definite plans.

"I've been instructed I have to. I'm just not sure what I'm going to do," he said. "I just don't know how long."

Meyer made it clear, though, his daily routine needs to be overhauled.

"I have to change some things," he said. "That's obvious."

His routine already has been modified, starting with workouts and including better eating habits.

"I feel real good," he said. "I've been working out a lot. I'm over 200 pounds, so I guess that's how they gauge it a little bit because I was not good there for a while. Doing a lot better."

Asked why he lost so much weight during the season, he replied, "It's called ignorance or something like that."

Meyer watched the first half of Florida's game against South Carolina alongside two big-time recruits, safety Matt Elam and defensive end Ronald Powell.

"I'm excited about our staff," Meyer said. "I'm really excited about our team and recruiting's obviously going well."