[stextbox id=”custom”]Florida’s Urban Meyer has announced that he is stepping down as University of Florida football coach. How that affects Louisville and Charlie Strong remains to be seen. Meyer had to have been thinking about this for quite a while. Mr. Strong was probably in the know as well
Florida fans are already going nuts, every other Tweet from the Sunshine State mentioning Strong after expressing shock about Meyer. Anything can happen now if Strong is interested in that job. Contracts be damned when it comes to football and coaches. Strong’s contract terms.
Some heavy duty decisions to be made in the days ahead. Charlie Strong shed tears in accepting the Louisville coaching position. At any rate, it is already desperation time for Gator fans, many of whom seem to have already forgotten the beating Alabama handed the Florida defense.
(Tip for Florida AD Jeremy Foley: Bobby Petrino will leave Arkansas at the drop of a hat. That’s his agent calling you now.)
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End of crisis for now.
While I still contend UB’s resignation statement was not an act of selfishness, I wholeheartedly believe his about face is selfish. If he could not control the physical symptoms the last five years (and if they have gotten progressively worse), what does taking a leave of absence do? Sure, he’s away from the daily grind, and if the symptoms are stressed related naturally they will abate. But what happens when he returns to the grind? People thought FSU’s coach in waiting was diasterous. At least FSU knew who the coach would be and had a timeframe – no later than 2011 would JF take the helm. With this new UF arrangement, it’s a maybe he will come back, maybe he won’t. If he comes back as hc, maybe he can make it through the season without another ‘scare’ incident, or maybe he won’t (thank goodness Bernie Mach keeps an updated coaches wishlist). The unnecessary uncertainty UB is imparting on Gator Nation is selfish. (Hopefully, the team won’t become mediocre the way the basketball team has become after Donovan’s change of heart resignation.)
So, with this turn of events, I am hopeful that CS will indeed stay the course and contribute to your football program and community for many years to come and you each enjoy much success. I guess I’ll have to make room for U of L on Saturdays next fall.
Big dollar signs can alter many a character.
I am positive that Strong will stay at Louisville. It will be a joke if Florida even considers asking him! He wasnt good enough 5 years ago with his white wife…why now? Maybe the grass is greener on the otherside? I’m just sayin. Its sad to hear about Urban Meyer and it is never good to loose a great coach, but Florida will bounce back. I think every football coach will jump at the chance, but to play games with Strong would be classless and down right insulting towards many people involved.
The reality of the situation is this:
If Florida comes calling, how does Charlie Strong say “no thanks?”
I’m thinking this doesn’t come as a surprise to Charlie Strong. These decisions aren’t made overnight.
Charlie there has to be a better way. TJ said in the CJ this morning that he will not enforce the buyout clause on Strong that is weak. That one million could go toward reducing the cost of the Kragthorpe buyout.
Florida will owe us something, that’s for sure.
Losing Tim Tebow and Coach Urban Myers is hard to even contemplate now; they have given us so much enjoyment and pride over the last 4/5 years. They have both played a big role in making it so “Great to be a Florida Gator.”
We will miss them both but will all wish them both the best in the future. All gator fans will hope Tim has a good career in the NFL and a great life ahead and we hope that Urban Myers health improves and allows him to enjoy decades of good health and happiness to spend with his family and to look back with pride about what he did for us during his great coaching era at the greatest university of all.
And now, I can not help but wonder if the other great coach (and great quarterback) in UF’s history might come back for a 3rd tenure (2nd as a coach). Steve Spurrier also gave University of Florida great pride and results both as a Heisman Trophy Winner in 1966 and then as a great, winning coach.
We will miss you Tim and Urban. God bless both of you!
RPL, Class of 1966
Unfortunately, it takes days and weeks to create contracts and then make changes before getting signatures. Formal contracts aren’t signed for weeks after agreements are made. This is the way it’s done. If a wait ensued until the formal signing, recruiting would be disastrous.
lame Petrino reference.
Then we never had a contract! It was still be worked out. Jurich should never announced the hire until he had the finalized contract.
As reported in the Gainesville Sun:
“A source told ESPN.com that Meyer had been diagnosed with a heart valve muscle defect that is not life-threatening. The same source said Meyer will stay with the Gators in a non-coaching role that will be defined later.”
“Louisville’s director of media relations, Rocco Gasparro, indicated on Saturday that the recently hired Strong had yet to sign a formal contract with the University. Strong, who will be on the sidelines for Florida in the Sugar Bowl, has signed a term sheet. It is unclear whether the term sheet would be a sticking point should the Gators turn to Strong to replace Meyer….The Gators are expected to replace Meyer within the week, The Sun has learned.”
Apparently what Charlie Strong signed on December 9 was the equivalent of a rough draft, “subject to review and signature of final contract.”
For the folks who believe Meyer’s announcement was selfish, please consider this: UF needs to recruit a head coach. Bernie Mach and the current AD have got to scramble and find someone to replace UB. And I am sure in the back of their minds, they are hoping not to repeat the Zook era. So the sooner they can start looking for a comparable replacement the better. That to me is not an example of selfishness on UB’s part.
I believe that Strong will stick with Louisville (though I would not blame him if he accepted an offer from UF – I think it would not be good for him to do that. I think it is better he proves himself in someone else’s backyard. If the opportunity to return down the road as HC because he is their first choice and because they want him in G-ville rather than just because he’s the next best available person in a pinch, then I say go for it. But for now, let UF weep over all three of their losses – Meyer, Strong, and Tebow.)
Disclaimer: Technically I am a member of Gator Nation per the university’s definition, but I am not a Gator. I bleed garnet and gold.
Do we have a signed contract or not with Strong?
Strong won’t turn his back on the school that gave him the chance nobody else would.
And yes, I will keep telling myself that.
Myers has a brain tumor which nobody knew about. Prays to his family.
but again…wait til after the bowl game!!!!It is less than a week away…have some respect for other players than Tebow. The Sugar Bowl is a big deal to tehm, but now no one cares about them….only Meyer!
He didnt say his health was so fatal he “cant” coach he just decided that he needs to be with his family and its best for his health overall. He can finish the season and leave, Urban gave Florida the best 5 years ever and recruted los of great players. THANKS URBAN.!
now Tebow can coach Florida 🙂
If the health reasons are so serious why is he coaching the bowl game. If he can coach the bowl game, he could have waited to step down after that. His arrogance is unbelievable…..now no one cares about the players…..just him and his story.
Urban resigned suddenly due to health reasons. Strong would not have known about this.