There is no doubt in my mind that Urban Meyer is a coach who has revolutionized the spread/West Coast/option hybrid offense and is one of the best coaches and recruiters in college football. However, his recent actions and Billy Donovanesque change of hearts has me questioning him as a coach, a father and a man in general.
Now before I begin to lambaste the man I want to open up on my feelings towards him and my roller coaster of high and low points since his days at Utah. Lets rewind the clock to the 2004 football season shall we? At this time Urban Meyer was starting his second year of coaching the little Utah Utes. The year before he had led them to a 10-2 record and won the National Coach of the Year from The Sporting News. Can we see the ride going up? That season caused an impressive blip in the college football world and people started to take notice. I for one loved watching this hybrid offense, that only a mad man scientist could come up with, just destroy all of their competition in the Mountain West. In 2004 he and the Great White Hype Alex Smith led the Utes to a 12-0 record and a bid to the Fiesta Bowl. This was THE high point. They became the first team from a Non-BCS conference to do such a thing and we all knew it would lead to a raise and/or a higher profile job. Unfortunately he chose the Florida Gators. At that moment my face went straight in to my hands, I shook my head in disgust and just let out a massive sigh due to the utter defeat I was feeling. I don't like the Gators. Never have and never will and there is nothing you can do to change my mind. This began the downward spiral with me and big Urb.
Ever since then I just feel utter defeat and depressed every time he is on TV. Not only did he go to Florida he also recruited Tim "I Too Can Walk on Water" Tebow. If you know me my feelings towards Tim Tebow are pretty evident and if you do not know me well I'll save it for another post. To make it easy I do not like him. Together they won the 2006 & 2008 National Championship and Tebow won the Heisman in 2007.
Fast forward to the day after Christmas this year. I am at my parents house and decide to just browse the internet and notice that Meyer is "resigning" due to health concerns. My initial thought was that as much as I dislike the guy I feel he made the smart and wise decision to put his health first and to be there for his family in the long run. He made the point that coaching always comes 3rd in his life behind his own personal well being and his family. We found out that the guy was suffering from a non-life threatening heart muscle defect, and persistent headaches caused by an arachnoid cyst. These are some major health issues that need to be taken care of and he was doing this. Bravo Urban! This became another high point in my view towards him.
The very next day I saw on Sportscenter that he had changed his stance to just "taking a leave of absence" and he should be back in the fall coaching the Gators. Wait...what? How in about 24 hours can you change your mind so drastically? How can you possibly do that to your family? Your daughter was so ecstatic at your announcement of your resignation that she was going to "finally get her daddy back." You were all set to take care of yourself, your family and take a step back for some time to get everything straight. What possibly changed your mind? Do you really expect us to believe that one "emotional" practice led you to come back? Or could it possibly be that the announcement of your resignation caused numerous potential recruits to begin backing out of their commitment to Florida and that led the Florida officials to persuade you to change your stance so that those recruits would still come? If that is the case you are now lying to just about everyone. Your family, your recruits, your team, the University of Florida and most importantly to yourself.
This is just a game, Coach. UF will be fine without you no matter what the officials are saying to you. You need to take care of yourself and your family because your other "family", your team and the University, won't be as loyal to you if you start losing. Your real family will however. Think about that Coach.
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