So I am sitting at a table with Jeanne and two other people yesterday playing Duplicate Bridge when my cellphone rings I pick it up and see it's one of my daughters who we have our season tickets with, so I answer by saying I'm in the middle of a Bridge game and can't talk. She says did you hear Urban Meyer is resigning? Being hard of hearing, I said What? She said did you hear Urban Meyer is resigning? There's a six o'clock news conference on ESPN. I was silent, finally said no and asked why? She of course didn't know. I had to hang up and go back to the Bridge game. Of course I couldn't wait to get done and go home and get on GatorCountry to get the inside scoop. I finally get home and find out there is no real inside scoop other than he wants to spend more time with his family. And that is what appears to be the case. After the health scare last year and the adjustments Meyer made he has concluded to hang it up and spend more time with his family. Both his daughters are playing volleyball at the college level. One at Georgia Tech and one at Florida Gulf, and he wants to see them play. Meyer's statement at the Press Conference was short and he answered questions for a few minutes. Needless to say we didn't do well at Bridge finishing the last session for this year 5th out of 7.
Bill, You have been conspicuous by your absence. This had to be a shock to Gator fans. It will be interesting to see how this all sorts out in the next couple of weeks. Any favorites in your opinion?
Don, sorry I didn't check in yesterday. My post here kind of explains it, but I just didn't really have much to add and didn't want to get in a position of arguing with anyone who wanted to be skeptical about what was happening. And I sure don't have any more insight than what I posted above about Meyer. As far as a new coach, our AD Foley said the process should be done by Christmas. I think he said two and a half weeks. Candidates? I have heard these names mentioned among others Dan Mullen Charlie Strong Chris Peterson Chip Kelly Kyle Willingham Gary Patterson
It will certainly be an interesting search, I'm sure Foley has learned from other searches including his own to resist the lure of getting into the Stoops and Gruden deal since both those guys seem to love being the objects of affection and then turning you down. That list you have is a very good list, and will start some dominoes falling if you get anybody on that list. Big Question is though....did you win at Bridge!! Actually I didn't know anybody played bridge any more. It's sort of a dying game. When I was young it was a big couples thing for Friday night, but not anymore. You ask younger generation about Bridge and they say what?
No Terry, we finished 5th out of 7, but I don't blame the phone call. We had a bad start and actually finished better than we started. But for sure I was ready to get out of there and get to the internet. Where I found not much insight at all. We've been down the Stoops road a couple of times and I doubt seriously we do again. If it was me the only way he would get a sniff was if he called asking for the job and guaranteed he would sign a contract. Gruden, I think he bolts for the NFL at the earliest opportunity. The four that I think it will center on are Mullen, Strong, Peterson and Patterson. I don't include Chip Kelly just because I don't see that as realistic.
A writer at Sporting News Today thinks Petrino should be considered. He commments that the negative, of course, is his reputation as a nomad, but he opines that there would be no job anywhere that would pull him away from Florida. I'm not sure I agree with his reasoning, but it is food for conversation.
I saw a poll on Gatorsports where Jim Harbaugh garnered more votes from Gator fans than any of the others. He's a tough coach who demands toughness from his players which is a prerequisite in the SEC. He is Sabanesque in that respect. He also may go NFL someday......or someday soon. Dan Mullen is a safe play and I was impressed with the D he threw at UF back in October even though he is an offensive coach. I just don't know if he can sustain it in the long haul or if he can coach the big game. Harbaugh's victory over USC when USC was good and Stanford was bad sticks in my memory bank.
From ESPN... Full list Possible candidates at Florida * Dan Mullen, Mississippi State: Many say Gators offense hasn't been the same since he left. * Kyle Whittingham, Utah: Has continued Urban Meyer's success in Salt Lake City. * Charlie Strong, Louisville: First-year head coach may not have enough experience. * Chris Petersen, Boise State: Lots of similarities between Meyer of 2004 and Petersen of today. * Bob Stoops, Oklahoma: There was talk last year that this former Gators DC might be ready to move on. * Gary Patterson, TCU: Name always comes up for BCS-conference openings. * Jon Gruden, Monday Night Football: Said no to Miami; is Florida preferable to an NFL gig? * Randy Edsall, Connecticut: Perennial big-school candidate spent four years with Jacksonville Jaguars. * Jim Harbaugh, Stanford: Maybe the hottest head coach in the country. * Bobby Petrino, Arkansas: Reportedly the second choice when Meyer was hired. * Kevin Sumlin, Houston: Jeremy Foley supposedly is impressed by this former Bob Stoops OC. * Larry Fedora, Southern Miss: Three seasons as Gators OC under Ron Zook. * Will Muschamp, Texas DC: Horns' head-coaching-in-waiting has SEC background at Georgia, LSU. * Brian Schottenheimer, New York Jets OC: Coaching up-and-comer was Danny Wuerffel's backup for 1996 title run. * Gene Chizik, Auburn: Could Florida native and Gators alum leave potential Cam Newton mess behind? * Chip Kelly, Oregon: Could he be in need of another challenge already? * Mike Shanahan, Washington Redskins: Long-ago Gators OC is a good friend of Jeremy Foley's.
Terry, I think we need to expand that list by a little bit, then Foley should interview all of them. Seriously, things could happen quick.
Rumors on InsideTexas are that Foley has made the call to OU about Stoops. Seriously. Other rumor is that Gruden is already locked up and that Urban actully told Foley a long time ago that this was it for him this year.
Gee thanks Tom, but we will have to pass. Terry, I am also hearing much the same from Gator sites. Stoops might be in play. I am not sure just how I feel about that.
I read that Oklahoma graduates less than 50% of its student-athletes. Under those circumstances, how could Stoops be a good fit at Florida? I never understood the verbal masturbation on ND boards last year over Stoops as a rumored ND choice. He would have been a terrible fit at ND for that reason, and I'm betting he knew it.
You make a valid point Sid. However what I think would happen with Stoops if he came to Florida or to Notre Dame is that the University would cause him to take a different approach. The support systems in place in Gainesville are not likely to go away when a new coach comes and I think Stoops would probably be happy about that. I could be wrong.