I wanted to get this out in front. Without making excuses ahead of time I just want it revisited now that I have always been an optimist about UF football but also a realist. Being a true realist means you are able to not only hold conservative almost humble views about your team's chances but you are also able to revel in and be forthcoming about their accomplishments and bright future when that is the case. While I think the UF program is much more than Urban Meyer I do remember the humbling losses we incurred under Zook as well. I expect it could go either way at this juncture but is much more likely to be a humbling experience. Hard to say if another coach can step in and get this new Fla team where it needs to be right out of the gate. Even Meyer was humbled mightily his first season at UF when the Gators ran afoul of Bama in Tuscaloosa so you never know what the near future will bring but I think humility will be a significant part of it for the Gator Nation. I will give credit to Zook though for his big underdog wins at Tenn his first year......his ability to continue to befuddle very good Georgia teams and a terrific win over LSU in Baton Rouge not to mention his final win at FSU which broke the home winning streak for the noles in that series. So....what will be will be.......it's going to be a bumpy, though sometimes exhilarating ride I'm sure.
I think the Gators will get a good coach and the program will move on. There are not many guys like Meyer out there, I hope the Gator Nation gets behind whoever we pick. If not then we could go through some bumpy times. I'm still in shock about this like I was shocked about Spurrier but I am an optimist and we will move on.
One thing I have always relished as a Cane fan is the fact that it's never been totally about the coach as to the success of the team. We have continually been a merry go round for coaches aspiring to make the next step up the coaching ranks. In spite of this we have won five national championships and played for a couple more. I see no reason why UF should be any different. You are the marquee university in a state that rivals all states in high school talent. Your coffers are loaded from alumni that live and breathe orange and blue and are willing to spend to be the best team in the nation. If not for the overwhelming arrogance of superiority that a large percentage of Gator fans show they could easily be a great school to follow. I wish all the best to Urban and his family for a speedy recovery and the chance at enjoying life and smelling the roses at a slower pace for a change. RC
You could say a lot of those same things about Texas, well except for the comment on the fans :wink: . Yet we wandered in the wilderness of average and mediocre till Mack Brown arrived in Austin.
Fla Times Union list of UF job candidates. Dan Mullen - Miss. St. (just finished his first year as a HC) Kyle Whittingham - Utah (replaced Meyer at Utah five years ago) Charlie Strong - Louisville (just took this job last week) The above three are Meyer proteges Mike Shanahan - most likely replaces Zorn on the Redskins Steve Spurrier - South Carolina (turned down the UF job five years ago or at least refused to interview) Bob Stoops - Oklahoma Kevin Sumlin - U of Houston (The Sporting News also touts him as a prime candidate) Chris Peterson - Boise St. Jon Gruden Tommy Tuberville (huge mistake to hire him)
I view the posting as an empty gesture. It's Dave playing both sides of the fence. He can always point back to this moment as his base of reality and humbleness while he will continue on to post a thousand notes with excuses that Florida has been cheated in every loss... if they weren't cheated, there was a clear reason why they lost (we had 1 kid out with a DUI)...or... why the next guy must be fired when you can use one of the 2 reasons above. Im cool with you Dave, I just see thru the act You're all aboard the SS Gator. I dig it. I am all aboard the SS Kelly, although I read quote after quote that makes me think (oh sweet Jesus, Im going to spend 5 years following the Bruins more closely again)... I did however read a good article today on my phone from ISR... I just hope your former coach gets healthy (assuming he's not pulling a Vermeil) and I sincerely hope it's not a Madden situation. I hope your next guy isn't a colossal d-bag so you guys can drop this whole 'Corey hates everything Florida' routine and the world can be right again... (I can go back to being correctly labeled a hater of USC, Cal, Arizona State, FSU and Boston College). I wish you guys well in your search. You're in a tough spot. The league is cut throat. The guys who can have success in that environment and remain decent are in very, very small quantity... I hope you find your guy.
Meyer now supposedly going to take a leave of absence and Addazzio will take over as the Interim coach till Meyer is ready to return. This is something like the season Duke Basketball Coach K took off to have back surgery, and maybe even the year that Az Basketball Coach Lute Olsen took off to take care of at the time "unknown" personal issues..which turned out to be a crazy new wife. For football we're back to Frank Leahy who when he left for WWII ND named an interim coach for him. Notre Dame (again) had an interim HC in Hugh Devore after Joe Khuharick was fired, just coached 1 year then Ara came. Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr started as an "interim" coach when Mo went postal in a restaurant in the off season. I'm sure there are other examples. Risky move, but one that allows the coach to recover from his health problems and return "refreshed" to the job. In the other cases it allows some continuity of the job when the old coach goes unexpectedly in the off season and it's not really a very good time to try and hire a HC.
I hope whatever it is that is the problem gets fixed and he has a long healthy career. I do wonder a few things though, that is while he is on "indefinite" leave of absence what can he do and what can't he do with regards to the program? There is still a lot of important recruiting going on and many of the top players across the nation will be taking their "offical" visits. Can Urban be involved at all in the recruiting process after the Sugar Bowl?
If ya keep smokin', it's gonna kill ya. So do you want to risk that, or do you enjoy what your doing? That's my point.
Meyer <r>Wait a minute, wait one damn minute here.....what the hell is goin on with Meyer? <br/> <br/> <IMG src="http://dechionsplace.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/confusion.jpg"><s></e></IMG></r>
He is pulling a Lane Kiffin and no one seems to be calling him on it. He's generating media attention for Florida when they aren't even in the title game. Its one thing to face a 3, 4 or 5 loss team when you're coming in on year 1 during a rebuild... It is quite another thing to face that after you've been there for 4 or 5 years.. Maybe the anxiety of the pending let down is driving him to quit and then maybe come back on the white horse later when someone has done the dirty work? Why do we care? Because kickoff on the next college game is still an hour away but once that puck drops, IDGAF. I just can't see what the big deal is here.
Terry, as long as they don't hire a replacement coach for Meyer then I believe he can be involved in the recruiting process to whatever extent he wants. I believe there is a number of maximum coaches and we will probably stay at that level including Meyer. He did say at the press conference that his gut feel was that he would be coaching in 2010. I think that fits with what I have heard about a heart valve.
Bill, If Meyer believes he will be back next year, will he really be able to take any time off? I mean if he is going to be the HC next year then this year's recruiting is crucial, as is maintaining contacts with next year's recruits. Is he going to be able to not set up spring practice because how players develop in the spring determines who enters the summer with starters status. When you think about Meyer either has to be all in or he is kind of putting the program in jeopardy. What happens if he gets to next August and decides he can't do it? I think UF will suffer by being in limbo for the next 8 months or so.
There are actually very strict guidelines as to who can, and cannot, contact recruits in the recruiting process. If he removes himself from the staff, he'd essentially become an on-campus tourist attraction. That would hurt IMHO because he is such a fantastic off-campus recruiter.
Here is the best reason as far as the University of Florida is concerned for UM to reconsider his status: Commits reconsidering
kp, the Gators have 20 commits at this point and I think that we can finish this recruiting cycle with Meyer on the sideline. The people coming in for visits can see him if he makes himself available. Corey, if we do not hire a coach to replace Meyer can he not stay listed as an active coach but only visit when he chooses. Even if not, as I said I don't think we suffer much this recruiting season.
Bill, Its not so much the recruiting but if Meyer feels this is still his team, and he is still responsible for its performance, how is that reducing any stress? Is he going to be able to just hand over the reigns to someone else until spring?summer? and then just pick up again as the HC? And what happens if, for instance he comes back in the summer and after a game or two decides that he really can't take the stress and he has to quit then and Florida then has to go with an interim coach or try to find one in September. And in reality, recruiting this year may be okay but what about next years class. If you were a recruit wouldn't you ask yourself who will be the Florida coach next year?