Déjà vu all over again for Florida. It was less than 1 year ago when the college football world was shocked to hear that Urban Meyer was stepping down at Florida for health concerns. Meyer shocked the world again when he took it all back 24 hours later. Now today, the world is once again shocked to hear that Urban Meyer is walking away.
Unlike last year, medical reasons seem to have no part in the decision. Family is apparently the basis for this decision. However, it does seem a little funny that Meyer decided to leave after his worst season in Gainesville, with no real hope of a dramatic turn-around next season.
Yes Meyer won two national titles at Florida, but the first of those titles he won with mostly Ron Zook’s players, and the second of those titles he won with Tim Tebow. I’m not saying that Meyer isn’t a good coach, but sometimes great coaches are the products of great players, and we will never know how good Meyer is because he never won anything without Tebow.
Meyer’s two national titles returned Florida to the top of the college football world, but his exit leaves many questions in Gainesville. After a 7-5 season, there is another great recruiting class coming in, but will his exit make any of their commits think twice? Even with Meyer, Florida wasn’t in a position to return to national prominence next year, so with John Brantley at QB what can we expect from Florida in 2011?
Those questions will be asked, but the biggest question is the most obvious: Who will take over one of college football’s premier programs. Florida is one of the five best jobs in the country, and there is almost no coach in America who wouldn’t consider the position if it were offered. Dan Mullen will be the first name out of everyone’s mouth because of his success at Mississippi State, but Mullen hasn’t really proven himself on the national stage. Getting Mississippi State to a bowl game doesn’t make you the next great college coach. Charlie Strong is in the same position at Louisville. Having only 1 year of head coaching experience would make him a questionable hire even though he has strong ties to the program.
After you get past those two names, the fun really starts. Bob Stoops coached at Florida under Steve Spurrier. Could Florida AD Jeremy Foley convince Stoops to leave Oklahoma for the bright lights of the SEC? Butch Davis won a national championship in the state of Florida when he coached Miami, could Davis return to the state as the Gators next headman? Jon Gruden wants to coach again, would he consider a move to the college world? Bobby Petrino has to be getting a little antsy at Arkansas. With Mallet heading to the NFL, would it be time for the master of abandonment to head for the greener pastures of Gainesville? Could the Ole’ Ball Coach rekindle some of his ole’ magic and return to the Swamp? I hear Bobby Bowden has some free time, maybe he could lead the Gators against the ‘Noles in 2011. (Just kidding about that last one)
There will be no shortage of rumors and people who think they know what is going to happen in Gainesville now. The truth will play itself out over the next few weeks, but don’t expect the search to last too long. If a new coach isn’t in place before Christmas, it could really hurt the Gators in recruiting.
Meyer will coach his last game at Florida, in Florida, when the Gators take on Penn State in the Outback Bowl. That game will now feature two coaches who couldn’t be any more different. Joe Paterno has been at Penn State for 44 years. Paterno has won two national titles in that time, and is the winningest coach in FBS history. Through good times and bad, he has stuck with Penn State and Penn State has stuck with him. He has been offered the head coaching job at Michigan and the Pittsburg Steelers at different time in his career and chose to stay in Happy Valley. Paterno is coming back for a 45th season at Penn State in 2011, where is salary will be somewhere around $550,000 (modest by today’s standards).
Meyer made $18.5 in his 6 years at Florida. He will now take a year off and probably surface at ESPN or CBS as a commentator. He will get the itch to coach again in a few years, and he will have his pick of a job when that time comes, but Meyer has proven that he is committed only as long as it works for him, so buyer beware.
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