Urban Meyer is stepping down as Florida Head Football Coach

[ROakes]

Urban Meyer has stepped down for the Florida coaching job because of health reasons more details to follow!

[SB-50]

Meyer's Official Statement:

"I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program," Meyer said in statement. "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family.

"After consulting with my family, Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and my doctors, I believe it is in my best interest to step aside and focus on my health and family.

"I'm proud to be a part of the Gainesville community and the Gator Nation and I plan to remain in Gainesville and involved with the University of Florida.

"I'm very appreciative for the opportunity I've had to be a part of a tremendous institution - from Dr. Machen to Jeremy Foley and the entire administrative staff at UF. I'm also very thankful for the chance to work with some of the best assistants in college football and coach some of the best college football players and watch them grow both on and off the field as people. I will cherish the relationships with them the most."

[FalconTurf]

Best wishes to him and his family.

[Rightupinthere]

Wow. Best wishes out to Urban and the Meyer family. I truly hope it's nothing serious, but I fear it may be - although I'll not make assumptions.

[musicman2343]

Quote from espn.com

"The problem is not life threatening, a Florida source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The same source said Meyer will remain in Gainesville in a non-coaching role to be defined later.

A university source said Meyer had two incidents within one week that required medical attention because of chest pains, including the night after the Florida lost to Alabama in SEC title game. It was reported Meyer suffered from dehydration but the source said other symptoms included chest pain that night. When he returned home to Gainesville, the source said he had a second incident within five days. The source said various tests have not revealed a need for surgery but other medical red flags, including high blood pressure, were mounting."

It sounds almost like a mild-heart problem. Chest pains can be caused from many different things though including stress. I've chest pains from stress. Whatever it is, I hope it truly isn't serious.

[MarkL]

I've heard a rumor he had a heart attack during the season. For whatever reason he is stepping down, I wish him the best. In many ways, we are still riding the wave that Urban Meyer started with Bowling Green football. It's a shame to see him retire so young.

[Class of 61]

I've heard a rumor he had a heart attack during the season. For whatever reason he is stepping down, I wish him the best. In many ways, we are still riding the wave that Urban Meyer started with Bowling Green football. It's a shame to see him retire so young.

As someone who survived a heart attack 10 yrs. ago, I'd find this rather hard to believe... When I had mine, admittedly I was more than a "few" years older than Urban is, the docs shut my lacrosse coaching down for over 5 WEEKS, and even then, threatened to pull the plug on me if I started getting carried away. If you've coached at ANY level, especially as a head coach, you realize the time, energy, and overall organization that it takes to succeed, not to mention the actual coaching and teaching itself.

[MarkL]

A few years ago, Randy Walker, Northwestern's coach, died from a heart attack at age 52. There was a lot of talk about how stressful football coaching is and how coaches should take more time off. However, nothing really was done out of it. Since then, Nick Saban signed a contract with a salary high enough to count as an economic stimulus package for multiple states and Charlie Weis signed a contract extension that put enormous expectations on his shoulders. People, it's just football.

Two coaches I know of have it right. One is a high school football coach in Iowa who was shot and killed this past spring. I don't remember his name or the school's name, but it was a powerhouse football program led by a guy who was an icon in the region, almost like the Joe Paterno of high school football. His motto was always "Faith, Family, Football". His players must have those three in order, otherwise they didn't touch the field. The second coach is Bob Stoops. Every Wednesday, even if the next opponent is Texas or Oklahoma State, practice is over at 6:00 sharp. At that time, players are to spend time with their families. If they don't have families nearby, they are to spend time with friends or significant others and make phone calls to their families.

Kudos to Urban Meyer for putting his family before his career. While it must be nice to be able to step down from work at age 45 and be set financially for life, it shows extreme class of him to recognize that his job was interfering with his health, therefore his family's welfare.

[Rollo83]

Urban has always seemed to make the right decisions...whether it was in his career path or in the context of a college football program. I trust he is making another good decision here for himself and his family. Get better Coach.

[dstubb]

Not so fast my friends -

Meyer is rethinking his retirement decision http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4774134" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Falconfreak90]

My aunt lives in Gainesville and Urban attends the same church. My uncle, who passed a few years ago, worked for the U of F for many years. She's heard there may be a family history in Urban's family of some kind of medical condition regarding the heart.

At any rate, I was shocked when I heard. If he walked away now, he would have accomplished more in just 9 years as a HC than most guys do in a lifetime. The guy is 95-18 as a HC. I pray it isn't serious and wish Urban and his family well.

CHOMP CHOMP

[Falconfreak90]

My aunt lives in Gainesville and Urban attends the same church. My uncle, who passed a few years ago, worked for the U of F for many years. She's heard there may be a family history in Urban's family of some kind of medical condition regarding the heart.

From that ESPN article dstubb posted:

"Last month, Sports Illustrated chronicled Meyer's coaching career and reported that he suffered from persistent headaches caused by a cyst that becomes inflamed by stress, rage and excitement.

Meyer told the magazine that since the diagnosis in the early 2000s he has tried to stay composed during games".

At any rate, I was shocked when I heard. If he walked away now, he would have accomplished more in just 9 years as a HC than most guys do in a lifetime. The guy is 95-18 as a HC. I pray it isn't serious and wish Urban and his family well.

CHOMP CHOMP

Sorry for the double post...didn't get much sleep last night.

[Bleeding Orange]

That press conference was tough to watch. Knowing a little about Urban's usual stoicism, it was fairly clear that sitting there and talking about his own fallibility was very, very difficult for him. I have a lot of respect for him for make the tough decision to step aside for a while - not sure how many people with his personality type would be willing to do that. I'm also glad that he is only taking a leave of absence - he is without a doubt among the best at what he does, and it would be a damned shame to see him hang it up at this point in his career.

Best of luck Coach M, and get better soon.

[FindlayFalcon]

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;

[SaxyIrishTenor]

Two coaches I know of have it right. One is a high school football coach in Iowa who was shot and killed this past spring. I don't remember his name or the school's name, but it was a powerhouse football program led by a guy who was an icon in the region, almost like the Joe Paterno of high school football. His motto was always "Faith, Family, Football". His players must have those three in order, otherwise they didn't touch the field.

Ed Thomas, Parkersburg, Iowa