In a move that apparently was in the works for some time, Florida announced that head coach Urban Meyer is stepping down.
“I have been a Division I football coach for the last 25 years and, during that time, my primary focus has been helping my teams win titles,” Meyer said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it, and I am a fierce competitor to my core. At this time in my life, however, I appreciate the sacrifices my 24/7 profession has demanded of me, and I know it is time to put my focus on my family and life away from the field. The decision to step down was a difficult one.
“But after spending more than two decades motivating and celebrating the young men I’ve been so proud to coach, I relish the opportunity to cheer for my three terrific kids as they compete in their own respective sports. I know how fortunate I am to be in a position to make this choice and to have a family that is as loving and supportive as my amazing wife and children have always been.”
So what else can you say but ... Wow.
That, and this one actually seems final. For no other reason than even if Meyer has second thoughts this time, Jeremy Foley may not have the patience to let him un-resign this time.
So who replaces Meyer? Well, allow me to quote David Pollack on Twitter just now:
"If (Dan) Mullen isn't the guy to replace Urban then my Name is not David Pollack."
Actually, part of me wonders if Mullen to Florida is so obvious that it won't happen. But until Mullen comes out and says he's staying at Mississippi State, all eyes will be on him.
By the way, lemme get this straight: Of the two teams in the Outback Bowl, it's the 46-year-old coach of Florida who is retiring, not the 83-year-old coach of Penn State? OK, just checking.
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My friend Brian, an Auburn graduate who has lived in Gainesville for several years, called me this afternoon to report on the state of mind of Gator-land.
"For a coach with his record, there's a remarkable lack of sorrow for this," Brian said.
People weren't crying in the streets or thanking Meyer for his work, according to my friend. Instead the conversations tended to focus on who would replace him. From an outsider's perspective, Brian thinks Gator fans have become a bit spoiled.
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Georgia athletics director Greg McGarity, who worked at Florida until August, released a short statement:
"I wish Urban, Shelley, and their children only the very best wherever his career path may lead."
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So Georgia fans, what say you? Will you miss Meyer? Will this be a good thing for Georgia?
I think we should pool our cash with UT and SC to pay MS State to keep Mullen as their coach. He would do some serious damage with the talent pool at UF.
ReplyDeleteMaybe that will make it easier to beat Mississippi State if Mullen leaves.
ReplyDeleteWhat a run he had... will go down as one of the most successful coaches of all time... He made BGSU respectable, Utah into a now PAc 10 team and Florida a powerhouse
ReplyDeleteNot sure this is such a good thing. While he owned us, it looked like that ship was sinking down there a bit. I saw one recruit give a rather dreary report of the morale down there. New coach gives them new energy, optimism, gets rid of Adazio, etc. So, going forward, we may miss him more than we thought.
ReplyDeleteYou think Miss State will take about $180-200k to get Mullen? That should put enough money in their bank account to buy the next Cam newton!
ReplyDeleteDid we have any recruits on the fence with UF this year? You have to believe there has already been a coach in mind/plan to allow this in the middle of the most hands on portion of the recruiting year.
ReplyDeleteCharlie Strong back from UL if Mullen doesn't want it?
One thing is for sure, no UGA coaches are being courted.
The only way I can see this being good is if Ron Zook comes back.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely a good thing. I HATE THE GATORS, but that guy was a fantastic coach.
ReplyDeleteWon't matter. Florida could hire Chan Gailey and Richt still couldn't win in Jacksonville. Sad but true.
ReplyDeleteMeh... I don't think Urban will be considered one of the all-time greats. He won a lot of games with Tebow at quarterback. It's the coaches that win big for years with different players that really count. He won at BGSU and Utah, but the competition level really wasn;t there. I think he needed to make another championship run without Tebow at Fla. to be with the greats.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Seth I loved Pollack as a player but as an analyst he is always wrong. Dan Mullen will not be the Florida head coach just because David Pollack said he would.
ReplyDeleteBetter description is a lucky coach. A good coach wouldnt be playing gimmick offense with 3 QBs and shoving a triple option spread offense at a good Pro Style QB like Brantley.
ReplyDeleteMeyer had 8 wins and 16 losses without Timmy Tebow. I'm more concerned with what Mullen could do. Just look at what he's done at Mississippi State.
ReplyDeleteI don't want anyone to retire but this is good for ga. Just like other schools players leaving early. Meyer is possibly the best coach in the nation and he coaches in our division. Also good for recruiting. He's one of the greatest coaches ever in my opinion and whoever they get there new coach will not be as good as meyer.
ReplyDeleteIm happy to have a coach like richt and don't take him for granted like some fans do. We have the best coach in our division no doubt about it now. Way better than spurrier.
Mixed Emotions. He's a great motivator, very good coach, but man was he a douche. With him and Spurrier, I always wanted to have the opportunity to humiliate them on the field. We got that chance with Spurrier at SC now.. but with Urban now gone... at least I have 2007.
ReplyDeleteKirby Smart?
ReplyDeleteLEACH.
ReplyDeleteWait 24 hours....
ReplyDeleteThis is bad for Georgia. Mullen's going to do scary things with Florida's talent. He was genius behind operation all along.
ReplyDeletegood line about Meyer Paterno .. do u follow Darren Rovell on twitter?
ReplyDeletegood line about Meyer Paterno .. do u follow Darren Rovell on twitter?
ReplyDeleteMeyer must have had more chest pains/gas attacks thinking about playing another season without Tebow. Saban will be gone soon and Petrino too. These big ego coaches don't stay a lifetime in places like Gainesville, Tuscaloosa or Fayetteville. For the poster above who said no UGA coaches are being courted it's because Richt said he's not interested in the Miami or Colorado job. The media asked because there was interest.Don't let the facts get in the way of the truth.
ReplyDeleteDoes a butt miss a hemorrhoid?
ReplyDeleteWord out of Gainesville is Meyer is likely to go to the big D and I don't mean Dallas.
ReplyDeleteI see this as being a positive for Georgia in the short run and a negative on the long. As previously mentioned- Meyer was 8-16 without Tebow and it looks more and more like Mullen was the real star of the show. I'll be worried if UF brings either Mullen or Leach to the swamp.
ReplyDeleteUrban is an ass. I was looking forward to the Dawgs turning the tables on the Gators while he was still there, so I'm actually a little unhappy he's leaving. I'm sure it's also bad news for all those criminals he won't be able to reinstate to his team. . .
ReplyDeleteUrban wasn't 8-16 without Tebow. He was 9-3 in 2005 and 7-5 this year. That made him 16-8 without Tebow, unless we are just reversing the numbers now, in which case he was 0-2 against Georgia without Tebow! Yay!
ReplyDelete16-8 is still 66 percent.... far below what Richt has accomplished...
ReplyDeleteI don't care because it don't matter who the coach is as far as we are concerned. Someone prove me wrong.
ReplyDelete"16-8 is still 66 percent.... far below what Richt has accomplished..."
ReplyDeleteThat's right. Richt at 2-8 against Florida is still 20 percent.
Dan Mullens come on down and take the keys to a Sports Car after making a cattle truck look like a Cadillac.
ReplyDeleteHilarious tweet about the Florida coaching search Seth. You are just so funny and clever. I don't even know why you're a sports writer when you could be a comedian. Jesus christ. Stop it.
ReplyDelete3:48... I meant you don't see our assistants being poached. I know Richt was asked by Colorado et al.
ReplyDeleteMy facts are right.
Garner and Sereals have been approached in past seasons and stayed so I don't know what you're talking about. Also Martinez is on Oklahoma staff that just won the Big 12.
ReplyDeleteAnon. @ 6:21- are you auditioning to be a critic? Please do US a favor and just stop.
ReplyDelete@ 6:35
ReplyDeleteMartinez was fired. Garner I'll give you.
Meyer has 10 former coaches that are now head coaches or have been across the country.
Point is that our staff isn't a breeding ground of talent. That's been an argument all year. That's not to say we're a bad staff, just not a wanted staff.
Yea, the Oregon and Stanford coaching staffs haven't been poached either. Those guys must suck as bad as we do.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, sneaky Urban Meyer huh? Not really.
ReplyDeleteDenver Broncos need a new head coach, which was announced this past weekend.
Denver Broncos have Tim Tebow, who really doesn't fit them unless they can get a coach that would work well with Tim Tebow.
Read about it here: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-tebowmcdaniels120610
I bet money that Urban Meyer goes to Denver, and Mullen goes to Florida.
Todd, both of those schools have assistant coaches that were up for the Frank Broyle award for the nation's top assistant coach...
ReplyDeleteI'm sure we've had a finalist over the last ten years, but to your point, I'm sure those guys are being courted as we speak.
Way to sign in as a blogger too, but leave your profile private. Might as well be anonymous.
Richt has a losing record against Zook, so I'm not very hopeful for Georgia's future in Jacksonsville regardless of who Foley hires.
ReplyDeleteSpurrier back to Florida. You heard it here first.
ReplyDelete