Urban Meyer to resign after the Sugar Bowl

themont85

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4772952

Urban Meyer is stepping down as coach of the Florida football team, athletics director Jeremy Foley announced Saturday afternoon in a release.

I think this deserves its own thread. Massive news in college football.

Hopefully he'll recover and return to the game in his own time. Maybe the NFL for him in a couple of years, although that is premature in the extreme right now.

Hynzie

Wow. This is huge!

Hopefully he makes a full recovery.

Florida must be reeling now, losing Tebow, Spikes and Meyer at the same time. I wonder who they will get in to replace him?

Peyton Manning

Hynzie wrote: »

Wow. This is huge!

Hopefully he makes a full recovery.

Florida must be reeling now, losing Tebow, Spikes and Meyer at the same time. I wonder who they will get in to replace him?

I'd add Dunlap to that list. So many huge losses.

Sea Devils

If reports are true its's because of a benign cyst on his brain that swells up when under stress

LuckyLloyd

Huge news no doubt. Where Florida go from here I have no clue. They are probably going to struggle significantly (relative to their high standards) for the next 3 - 5 years.

Meyer is a genius, hopefully he can return to the game in time.

Hynzie

Archimedes wrote: »

I'd add Dunlap to that list. So many huge losses.

Yeah your spot on. Joe Haden will probably go as well. Thats the leader of your Offense, the leader of your Defense, and the leader of your team gone in one go. Plus two major play makers off the defense which was what got them as far as they got this season. Really tough situation.

tallaghtoutlaws

Huge Loss. Lets hope he recovers quickly and gets back into the game.Truly one of the greatest college football minds in the game.

As for Florida it will affect them but not majorily. They have a good number of high quality committs and they will be fine. As lucky said it most likely wont be to the high standard they are used to now as they will have to adapt a new system and get used to a new HC. But Florida will have the quality to do something. Its just finding the right man to do the job.

Gisty

apparently recruits are pulling out now.

frostie500

Gisty wrote: »

apparently recruits are pulling out now.

What recruits are they?

Its a big loss for Florida for sure but this is easily the most appealing job to come up over the last 5 years so you'd be suprised to see a major drop off overall from the Gators. With all the leaders mentioned above leaving, in all liklihood next year wasnt going to lead to another run at a national title so the new head coach can win 9 or 10 games and get to a half decent bowl and it will be a good season with all things considered and then rebound over the next two years with another national title contending team.

But how must Charlie Strong their former defensive coordinator be feeling having just left for Louisville a few weeks ago. By the fact that he left so recently-as one of the nations top future head coaches after the job he did with the Gators-it looks to me like Meyer must have only come to his decision the last week or so. With that being the case Strong must be kicking himself!

tallaghtoutlaws

Urban Meyer is reconsidering and will now likely take a leave of absence instead of resigning as Florida's football coach, a source tells Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com. Multiple media sources say offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will be interim head coach.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4774134

eagle eye

frostie500 wrote: »

What recruits are they?

Its a big loss for Florida for sure but this is easily the most appealing job to come up over the last 5 years so you'd be suprised to see a major drop off overall from the Gators. With all the leaders mentioned above leaving, in all liklihood next year wasnt going to lead to another run at a national title so the new head coach can win 9 or 10 games and get to a half decent bowl and it will be a good season with all things considered and then rebound over the next two years with another national title contending team.

But how must Charlie Strong their former defensive coordinator be feeling having just left for Louisville a few weeks ago. By the fact that he left so recently-as one of the nations top future head coaches after the job he did with the Gators-it looks to me like Meyer must have only come to his decision the last week or so. With that being the case Strong must be kicking himself!

The job is a poisoned chalice for whoever takes it next. There are so many huge players leaving that team and the success they have had over the last couple of years means that he next coach is sure to have a short lifespan unless he does something miraculous.
Plenty of top recruits will change their minds too.

tallaghtoutlaws

eagle eye wrote: »

The job is a poisoned chalice for whoever takes it next. There are so many huge players leaving that team and the success they have had over the last couple of years means that he next coach is sure to have a short lifespan unless he does something miraculous.
Plenty of top recruits will change their minds too.

He isn't resigning. He is taking a sebatical. Read my post above yours.

Hynzie

This reminds me of the Bill Donovan thing. He is the Gators two time nation champion winning basketball coach and a couple of years back he left to take a job in the NBA with the Orlando Magic. He changed his mind a week later and returned to Gainesville.

davyjose

tallaghtoutlaws wrote: »

He isn't resigning. He is taking a sebatical. Read my post above yours.

In fairness, that's even worse. Imagine you got the interim position. No Tebow, no Defense, starting from scratch. The team might finish Top 15 or so....

but they'll always get the recruits, so by the time Meyer walks back in ....

The Genius who ressurected the gators from that loser, Tallaghtoutlaws.

Proof that Meyer is a genius, simply because he missed the natural lull in CFB. One might even suggest Meyer was being sneaky???

Waiver: I'm not saying he definitely WAS being sneaky, but I'm just pointing out how there was F*** all chance of him taking a sabbatical last year, or the year before. Coincidence?

elvis jones

Wow this made my jaw drop when i read it. Its going to be hard to recover from him, Tebow etc leaving. Its been hard enough this season with no decent recievers !

themont85

As pointed out above he has changed it to a 'leave of absence' leaving it open that he could just take a few months off (in the off season with still stuff to do) and coming back for next season. I think that revision by him is just a effort to stem any potential recruits throwing wobblies with him out of there. If he's back in 2010 there are a few things;

1) he's a flip flopper like Brett Frave, only this is worse. He has brought his health into the equation and it will always be questioned by the media now, this is a 'long term' issue which isn't immediate but now that he has stated there is something wrong he has brought the bad publicity to the table.

2) although they have strong recruits from what I've read, the consensus is that without the backbone of Tebow et al they won't be the force they are now next year. This should improve the next year but there will be pressure on him regardless.

3) What do future recruits think of this? A interm head coach for a few months? if he comes back in 2010 or whenever then the health issue remains. Will he last for the next 4-5 years more years when a current high school player is deciding where to go? If he comes back then walks in 2-3 they've joined a unstable programme.

Once the decision was announced I think it should have been final. Changing it to an interm situation makes it more unstable long term in my opinion, when ironically it is an attempt to create stability. By stating its a lingering problem and that he doesn't know when it could flare up but he needs time off for it he puts of recruits.

I think he/the Gators made a mistake, they announced it then backtracked after a change of mind/fear of recruiting disasters. Uncertainty is a bad thing in my opinion.

I don't like the top guy at the table creating uncertainty around him be it retirement or health issues. If it is a lingering health issue and you want to stay on you should either deny deny deny or come out and say what it is and announce your plans clearly. Or leave the game and come back in a couple of years and announce your grand. If its retirment then wait until after the last game a lá Bill Walsh.