04/19/24
December 26, 2009
Urban Meyer Quits as Florida Coach: Urban Meyer is stepping down as coach of the University of Florida football team for unspecified health reasons, the school announced Saturday evening. "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family," Meyer said in a statement. A Sports Illustrated story earlier this month revealed that Meyer has an arachnoid cyst in his brain, a condition that's not life-threatening but flares up under stress. He was hospitalized after the SEC championship game.
That sure came out of nowhere. I also wish him and his family the best. Wonder who Florida will go after to replace him?
posted by TheQatarian at 07:52 PM on December 26, 2009
Didn't see that coming. I hope Meyer can recover from whatever's ailing him.
It's pretty strange that Meyer won't outlast Bowden. The dean of coaches in Florida is about to be Jim Leavitt at USF.
posted by rcade at 08:03 PM on December 26, 2009
Wow, big time shake up in Florida football.
I wish him well.
posted by dviking at 09:26 PM on December 26, 2009
That's too bad. Hell of a coach and hell of a program.
posted by dyams at 09:42 PM on December 26, 2009
I didn't realize he's just 44. He could've coached the Gators another 20-30 years. The early scuttlebutt on a replacement is Bob Stoops, who has an off-season beach home near me in Crescent Beach, Florida, that's around 60-90 minutes from Gainesville. (Two other coaches live around there too: Steve Spurrier and Lindy Infante.)
posted by rcade at 09:54 PM on December 26, 2009
rcade: re: Stoops. heh.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:57 PM on December 26, 2009
Would Stoops be willing to leave Oklahoma?
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:31 PM on December 26, 2009
Nice to know that he is willing to give up football for his health and family. I wish him well and wonder how this will affect the Gators for their bowl game and next season.
posted by skippy at 11:00 PM on December 26, 2009
Here's more details on Meyer's health. Apparently he's had a series of scares, including chest pains and a loss of consciousness after the SEC championship game, and with three kids at home aged 18 or younger he doesn't want to orphan them in his 40s.
This is the biggest health-related early retirement I can recall in sports since Kirby Puckett. As much as I was looking forward to his future at Florida, I respect his decision to put his family ahead of his career success. That's got to be a tough one to make.
posted by rcade at 09:01 AM on December 27, 2009
When reading that he resigned, the cynic in me thought "but the Notre Dame job is filled? I wonder which one he's targeting?"
Guess not everyone's a Saban though (which is ironic since it was his last opponent), because when reading the followup articles you realize the truth about this.
At least he's doing this for the *right* reasons (re: health and kids). Good luck to him and let's hope he can bring some of his football knowledge to the world in a less stressful way (maybe part-time analyst sometime in the future?)
posted by bdaddy at 11:13 AM on December 27, 2009
CBS sports just reported during NFL hafltime show that he has changed his mind.
posted by scully at 02:44 PM on December 27, 2009
Now ESPN is reporting he could return after a year absence.
posted by scully at 03:06 PM on December 27, 2009
There's a potentially ugly side to the Jim Leavitt success story. Alleged player abuse. If it ever gets fully investigated and the results look bad, he may not a lock for the long haul at USF.
Randy Shannon, go out and get that Sunshine State talent while you can.
posted by beaverboard at 04:54 PM on December 27, 2009
Meyer changes mind, takes leave of absence
posted by justgary at 05:19 PM on December 27, 2009
Sounds like somebody has been reading the "Brett Favre Retirement Guide". He apparently didn't get to the chapter about stretching it out for an entire off-season, though.
posted by TheQatarian at 11:30 AM on December 28, 2009
Meyer should do what he thinks is best for himself. But if he's back on the sidelines in 2010, what does this flip-flop do to his credibility? One day he's making the ultimate sacrifice for his family and he quotes his daughter saying, "I've got my daddy back." The next day, his daughter's shit outta luck. How many top recruits are going to turn down Florida over the next few years because of this instability?
It feels to me that Meyer suffered a relapse a day after declaring victory in a battle with addiction.
posted by rcade at 11:44 AM on December 28, 2009
rcade,
The addiction comment is interesting to me . . . it seems to me that college football coaching requires such extreme hours at the office that maybe only addictive personalities can succeed.
posted by brainofdtrain at 01:59 PM on December 28, 2009
What a shame that he has changed his mind and putting the team ahead of his health and family.How can anything be more important than your family?
posted by Doehead at 02:27 PM on December 28, 2009
It's more like he's taken leave of his senses.
The next day, his daughter's shit outta luck.
The proverbial hitting the nail on the head rcade. I don't know how old she is, but she has to know she just got benched again in favor of the job. Maybe he will get the message when she sends him a wedding announcement instead of an invitation.
posted by irunfromclones at 10:08 PM on December 28, 2009
Meyer is a loving slave to the grind. George Allen's coaching godson. He'll leave coaching only when he's being carried out in a pine box.
posted by Newbie Walker at 03:24 AM on December 29, 2009
I'm may not be a fan of Meyer as Florida's coach but I wish both him and his family the best.