[bozlady]

Just announced in the middle of the Pitt vs. NC game, Urban Meyer stepping down as Gator HC. No news yet as to why or where he's going.

[JK37]

I doubt he's going anywhere. Official reason given is "health reasons." Recent SI srticle delineated a histor of brain trauma due to stress. Apparently, it was so bad at moments that it became painful to stand or even smile. Article also said he still had headaches, but had mellowed down his temperament, making the headaches less severe.

[bozlady]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4772952

Urban Meyer is stepping down as coach of the Florida football team, athletics director Jeremy Foley announced Saturday afternoon in a release.

"I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program," Meyer said in statement. "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family.

[4everfsu]

I wish him good health and glad he is gone. I guess he cannot live with out Tearbow.

On a side note it is being reported, not sure how accurate, that Meyers has a brain tumor.

[Schfourteenteen]

Danny Rocco to be announced as Florida HC tomorrow.

[flamesfilmguy]

Danny Rocco to be announced as Florida HC tomorrow.

that was funny about a year ago.

[flamesfilmguy]

As a casual UGA fan i'm glad he's not the coach anymore but i swear if i hear jokes about him not being able to live without tebow i'm gonna go postal. seriously guys he's not RM. he was a class act as far as SEC coaches go.

[ToTheLeft]

As a casual UGA fan i'm glad he's not the coach anymore but i swear if i hear jokes about him not being able to live without tebow i'm gonna go postal. seriously guys he's not RM. he was a class act as far as SEC coaches go.

Everyone was/is a Gator hater. It's no surprise that people keep hating once he leaves. Meyer is one of the best coaches in this era, if not the best, and I hope he gets his health sorted out so that he can return to coaching, WITHOUT TEBOW, and prove why he was hired at UF in the first place, and why he's such a good coach. I wish him the best and hope for a speedy recovery.

[SuperJon]

He'll be working for ESPN by the time the combine rolls around. Give him a year or two to get his health right, and he'll be back on the sidelines somewhere. If not, he'll stay at ESPN making a ton of money and only working one or two days a week. Not bad for a dude who's 45 years old.

Also, as for the hater comment, it's the same with every school that has success. There are a ton of Red Sox "haters" now because after their success, a ton of people came out of the woodwork claiming to be "fans" and being annoying female sanitary products. The same thing happened with Florida. They were good and people started popping up everywhere annoying the crap out of everyone. In most cases, people are "haters" towards the fans, not the school.

[flamesfilmguy]

As a casual UGA fan i'm glad he's not the coach anymore but i swear if i hear jokes about him not being able to live without tebow i'm gonna go postal. seriously guys he's not RM. he was a class act as far as SEC coaches go.

Everyone was/is a Gator hater. It's no surprise that people keep hating once he leaves. Meyer is one of the best coaches in this era, if not the best, and I hope he gets his health sorted out so that he can return to coaching, WITHOUT TEBOW, and prove why he was hired at UF in the first place, and why he's such a good coach. I wish him the best and hope for a speedy recovery.

Same here. and this coming from a UGA fan saying he's my second favorite coach in the SEC says something. he's a class act. i didn't like him strictly for the fact that he wouldn't let anyone else in the SEC win. especially the dawgs. hope he gets well and returns to coaching.

Heres some food for thought. Say UF hires a new coach and urban gets better while still working at UF in some respect(which the ESPN article said he would do.) Does that become a job you'd want if he decided he wanted to come back to coaching?
My personal opinion is that he will not come back and coach. if his health problem is as serious as it sounds i'd love to see him as an AD or director of football operations and retire at florida.

[thepostman]

for the record i have always hated the gators....and the reason why there are more haters now is not only because of success but its what espn always does to successful teams and obsesses over them...so it becomes easier to hate...even for someone like me who has always hated them

[jack_sparrow81]

People that are saying that Urban is leaving Florida due to Tebow is absurd. Their backup, Brantley, would've started at 95% colleges across the country. The recruiting classes the past few years have been impressive as well. Plus anyone that watched Florida this year know their defense won the games for them---Charlie Strong will be the biggest hurt this year--- not to take away from the incredible coaching job that Urban has done.

MARK MY WORDS THE NEXT FLORIDA FOOTBALL COACH WILL BE EITHER GRUDEN OR SHANNAHAN.

[SuperJon]

MARK MY WORDS THE NEXT FLORIDA FOOTBALL COACH WILL BE EITHER GRUDEN OR SHANNAHAN.

Easy there, killer. I'd almost put money on it that it'd be neither one of them.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if they went after Strong. I know he just got to Louisville, but he didn't know the Florida job was going to open up.

[JK37]

Two words:

Bob

Stoops

[Hold My Own]

That's who my money is on.....Oak wants to get a fresh start...so does he...and that's a tough one to pass on if your Florida

[pbow]

I could really care less about Urban Meyer's resignation, but ESPN's coverage of this has been beyond ridiculous. If you've been watching Sportscenter you would think that the guy freaking died. I really dislike ESPN more and more everyday.

[jinxy]

Shannan already has an agreement (under the table) with the Redskins. Gruden I just dont see as a College Coach because I dont think his demeanor translates to the College game well. A lot of kids wouldn't want to play for a coach who will crawl them at any time. Many of the top rated recruits go to coaches and places that will coddle them. I think Stoops is the guy because of his experience and the fact that Oklahoma has kind of run it's course with him. They have plateaued and sometimes change is better. Also, this could be a good move for Meyer in the end as well. There was nowhere to go but down for him with the ridiculous level of success for the past four years. If he can re-gain his health he'll be back somewhere in the future.

[Sly Fox]

Everyone in the territory of Land Thieves is on pins & needles because this is the one job other than Ohio State that might lure "Big Game Bob" out of Norman.

[4everfsu]

Worst thing Urban can do is stay associated with UF. The next coach will always have people guessing what would Urban had done if he was still coach when losses mount for the new coach.

As far as Strong take over for Meyer I can think of only two words, Carl Torbush. Defensive coach under Brown at UNC who took over after Brown left for UT.

I cannot see too many coaches who want to take on the pressure cooker at UF with its recent success.
Also it will be interesting to see how many jrs at UF decide to go pro now.

I can also imagine the UF players and coaches minds will not be on the Sugar game this week with the circus(media) coming to town today.

[flamesbball84]

I could really care less about Urban Meyer's resignation, but ESPN's coverage of this has been beyond ridiculous. If you've been watching Sportscenter you would think that the guy freaking died. I really dislike ESPN more and more everyday.

They need to stick to the world on news REPORTING and books, like the college basketball encyclopedia is excellent.

[SuperJon]

Your dislike of Florida is so obvious that it makes the rest of your post completely pointless. Both times you've posted you've taken as many little shots at Florida as you could.

[uncafan]

I could really care less about Urban Meyer's resignation, but ESPN's coverage of this has been beyond ridiculous. If you've been watching Sportscenter you would think that the guy freaking died. I really dislike ESPN more and more everyday.

They need to stick to the world on news REPORTING and books, like the college basketball encyclopedia is excellent.

This is arguably the biggest story in College Football this year. Actually it IS the biggest story. Bigger than the national championship game, bigger than the BCS... The best college coach over the last decade, who is only 45 years old, is retiring from the school that has dominated college football for the last 5 years... That is a HUGE story.

Even before UF the guy was unstoppable -- and in 5 years he's one 2 national championships and been to what, 4 BCS Bowls? As good as Tressel's record is at Ohio State, and Carroll (outside of this year) at USC -- this guy's resume is so far superior...And its not like he did it just at UF.

Lets be honest--this would be something like LeBron announcing his retirement tomorrow. Or at the very least D-Wade.... He's one of the faces of college football and while I am generally sick of ESPN's over-coverage, this is certainly a huge story.

[jack_sparrow81]

Florida and Shanahan were talking before Zook was hired back in early 2000. Gruden right after Zook was hired publicy announced that he was was very interested in the job and would have took the job if offered. Then the Tampa Bay job opened up and he bolted for there, taking them to the Super Bowlthe following year. I think it would be a great fit, plus his brother who coached one of the most successful Arena teams (Orlando) would be a great coordinator.

[JK37]

ESPN's Chris Mortenson now reporting Meyer will take a one-year leave of absence & return in 2011.

http://m.espn.go.com/ncf/story?storyId=4774134&top

[thepostman]

its a huge story...but somehow i think espn will find a way to blow things way out of proportion...i wish the guy the best, but the guys isn't dying...he just needs to take time away..honestly i think he has just put way too much time and energy into being the best it has finally caught up to him...