Urban Meyer resigns

[Thad]

I suspect Jim McElwain as the new head coach.

He's never been a head coach, and couldn't get the job at Louisville or San Jose State. I doubt he would get the job at Florida. I'm putting my money on Wittingham from Utah or Charlie Strong.

[AJM]

wow.

hopefully he doesnt head to the NFL.

[Viper]

Also, anyone think Brian Kelly is trying to figure out how to get out of his ND contract so he can throw his name in the hat for UF?

At which point, no doubt, Meyer would miraculously get healthy again and be free to pursue what's supposedly his dream coaching job.

And yes, I am skeptical that this is really a 100% health-related move. If his health is really so poor that he's jeopardizing it by continuing to coach, he should have stepped down effective immediately - why wait until after the bowl game?

[FiddySicks]

Hopefully this resignation is due to NCAA violations. I know when I first started going to the college I'm at now Meyer got in some trouble by spending too much time talking to our star reciever, and for working it so that his girlfriend got a volleyball scholarship if he would agree to go to Florida (Which he did).

Here's hoping for a hugely painful fall for the Gators.

[jkrdevil]

Brian Kelly better have a good first and second year at Notre Dame. I have a feeling this will be like Parcells stepping down from the Giants for health reason where Meyer might take a a year or two off and then get back into coaching.

[Sport]

Great news. The Tebow/Meyer era is one game away from being over at Florida. Let's all hope Florida suffers a crash back to reality like so many storied programs are going through right now. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and thinking for the time being that he has legitimate health problems. My much more cynical father thinks (based on zero information) that he was having a Tiger Woods style affair with a co-ed and this is part of the cover up or that he's illegally recruiting the hell out of his players. I don't really care what the real story is as long as Florida starts to suck again.

Downside: If Cincinnati had any hope of winning the Sugar Bowl then it's probably gone now. The Gators are going to go out and "win one for the gipper", so to speak.

[CrookedThumb]

Wow...so am I like the only Gator fan on this board...or even just the only one who doesn't hate them?

Anyway, I've heard that Meyer has a heart valve defect, and he has said that he plans on staying in Gainesville and wants to be involved with UF in some way. If they decide to stay with someone who uses a gameplan similar to Meyer's, I think we should be in good shape. The QB in waiting, John Brantley, is very good. There has never been any worry about life after Tebow. Life after Urban, however, we shall see.

[Tentomushi5150]

I know that in this day and age we are quick to assume the worst, but there's a difference between your feelings about Meyer and his actions and the entire program.

The amount of ill will aimed at the young men who make up the Florida football program is staggering. If Urban Meyer made mistakes that's fine, he should be held accountable for his actions. However, so bluntly wishing the program to fail is unnecessary, there is no reason to wish failure upon student athletes who may be completely innocent in anything that may have happened.

[infrared41]

Also, anyone think Brian Kelly is trying to figure out how to get out of his ND contract so he can throw his name in the hat for UF? (assuming UF doesn't look in-house. I know next to nothing about college football, so I have no idea who's in line for the job.)

Tim Tebow could be looking for work, assuming his NFL career doesn't pan out...like most experts are predicting.

As much as I dislike Florida, I think they've been running a clean program. I'd love to be wrong about that, though....

As clean as any program at that level can be anyway. 100% clean football programs only happen at places like Duke (they need to save the money for the basketball team.)

[STL FANATIC]

I don't much care for Urban Meyer or Florida, but I won't assume there's more to this than health, and that being the case (or even not, really), I hope Meyer finds good health with whatever he ends up doing.

[Brave-Bird 08]

From a fan standpoint this is big news for me. The Tebow / Meyer era is over!! Georgia fans are rejoicing!

but, realistically, I doubt the Florida program will have a major fall off. Meyer plans on staying with the program at least, and as long as the staff and system is kept in tact they will still be able to recruit and win games.

There is that chance that they take a tumble with a new qb and a new head coach...if they drop 3 or 4 games next year the recruiting could shift.

It's sad to see him leave though. Meyer is a really great coach in my eyes. UGA fans complain hes a bad sport...but all he did was call timeouts, which isnt against the rules. We freaking rushed the field .... broke a lot of rules!! haha

Sucks we wont have a chance to beat him!

[Sport]

I know that in this day and age we are quick to assume the worst, but there's a difference between your feelings about Meyer and his actions and the entire program.

The amount of ill will aimed at the young men who make up the Florida football program is staggering. If Urban Meyer made mistakes that's fine, he should be held accountable for his actions. However, so bluntly wishing the program to fail is unnecessary, there is no reason to wish failure upon student athletes who may be completely innocent in anything that may have happened.

I wish failure on them because they chose to play for Florida. That was true during the Spurrier years, Zook years, and Urban Meyer years. I just don't like their football program (or basketball team).

[dfwabel]

He is not out the door just yet. This is the second report that I have heard this morning.

Meyer resignation uncertainty

It seems like Billy Donovan all over again. Make up your mind. I heard this from a reporter friend this morning, but did not read into it. While it is a southern roadside institution, when did Waffle House move its HQ to Gainesville.

[NEW.ERA]

I kinda suspected when the story first broke that it was BS. If Florida ends up winning the Sugar Bowl I could see him on the sidelines next season. Even if they don't win I could still see him being there.

[rams80]

From a fan standpoint this is big news for me. The Tebow / Meyer era is over!! Georgia fans are rejoicing!

That's great.

Didn't Ron Zook have a winning record against you guys?

[AndrewPF]

Did anyone else think it was kind of weird for the sideline reporter to ask Pete Carroll about Meyer's resignation minutes before his own game? There were probably a lot of things going through Pete's mind at that moment, and I doubt that Urban Meyer was high on that list.

[McCall]

Are any of us really surprised?

[Sodboy13]

Are any of us really surprised?

Ah, so he's pulling a "Coach K", then.

"Hey, Coach, how's next year's team looking?" "Well, we're losing a lot of big names, but the guys we've got stepping up are... uh... kinda below average, actually... um... OW! My back!"

Sit out a couple of seasons when you know your team's going to be substandard, so as to not blemish your all-important personal record. Apparently, Urban doesn't have much of a plan for life after Tebow.

[BaltimoreFan]

Wow...so am I like the only Gator fan on this board...or even just the only one who doesn't hate them?

Anyway, I've heard that Meyer has a heart valve defect, and he has said that he plans on staying in Gainesville and wants to be involved with UF in some way. If they decide to stay with someone who uses a gameplan similar to Meyer's, I think we should be in good shape. The QB in waiting, John Brantley, is very good. There has never been any worry about life after Tebow. Life after Urban, however, we shall see.

I'm actually a Gators fan too, for football anyway (my school doesn't have a team). I have to about Brantley. He looked very good, just a totally different style from Tebow. Brantley looked to be more of a gunslinger. The Gators will fall next season, but I still think they'll be a top team.

Also, I'm sure Meyer does alot of shadey stuff with recruiting. However it is no different than any college coach, even the bad programs. I've heard some stories about Maryland's football team that disgust me. The whole system is really corrupt. I'd like to see it changed so that college players have the option to either get paid (a small universial amount equal to all players at all schools) or take the college scholarship. That way the players who really want the education take it and it doesn't take away spots from kids that aren't athletes.

[Viper]

He is not out the door just yet. This is the second report that I have heard this morning.

Meyer resignation uncertainty

It seems like Billy Donovan all over again. Make up your mind. I heard this from a reporter friend this morning, but did not read into it. While it is a southern roadside institution, when did Waffle House move its HQ to Gainesville.

So now Meyer's going to be the Brett Favre of college football coaches. Swell.