Will Meyer be Florida’s head coach for the 2010 season?
As expected, Urban Meyer announced Sunday afternoon that he has changed his mind and will not resign as Florida’s head coach after Friday’s Sugar Bowl game with Cincinnati.
Meyer will take an “indefinite leave of absence” from his duties as head coach and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will serve as interim head coach. Meyer will not put a timetable on his return as head coach but he did indicate that believed he would be the head coach when the 2010 season rolls around.
Based on conversations I’ve had today with people close to the situation, Meyer told his family on Christmas night that he was going to resign as coach. The school put out a press release on Saturday that Meyer would be stepping down for the sake of his health. But things really changed in the next 24 hours.
The Gators practiced in Gainesville this morning before getting on the plane to go to New Orleans. Meyer met with athletics director Jeremy Foley after practice and discussed the possibility of him taking a leave of absence instead of resigning.
The fact is that Meyer’s wife, Shelley, Foley, and president Bernie Machen had put the idea of a leave of absence on the table a while back. Meyer told them he didn’t think he could do that and that just walking away was the best thing for everybody involved.
Meyer said he had a change of heart after Sunday morning’s practice. He decided to reconsider the leave of absence idea and to see if he could make it work.
Whether or not he can change his approach to coaching and come back remains to be seen. If he backs off his intense approach to the job, does he lose the edge that made him so successful? That is the challenge for Meyer in the weeks and months to come.
This is a good result for Meyer, but why would Florida do this? First of all, this buys Florida some time and holds this recruiting class together–at least for now. According to various reports, word has already been given to the players committed to Florida that Meyer will eventually come back as head coach. But it is a good six weeks between now and national signing day and you can bet that opposing coaches will hammer Florida about the uncertainty surrounding the program. There will be some defections.
There is another element of risk on Foley’s part. If Meyer does not come back for the 2010 season, this decision could set the Florida program back for a couple of years. But if Meyer comes back fit and rested, Foley has managed to retain one of the very best coaches in the game. If I’m Foley I believe it is a risk worth taking.
By the way. How would you like to be the University of Cincinnati football team? Wonder if they will get any coverage this week?
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445 comments Add your comment
Don't matter
December 27th, 2009
5:27 pm
Bet we hang 40 on the dogs next year in Jax
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:27 pm
A leave of absence, what a joke. The beginning of the end.
BG
December 27th, 2009
5:29 pm
Meyer and tebow are holding hands under the table.
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:29 pm
Hey recruits, I’m just taking a leave of absence. Sure thing coach, we believe you. Hahaha…
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:31 pm
At least Charlie Strong is still there to hold it together…oops…he’s gone to…
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
December 27th, 2009
5:32 pm
The Athens Herald Democrat Times is reporting Mark Richt is stuck in a Shrevegas tanning bed and cant get out. Lets all pray for the mediocre coach.
Don't matter
December 27th, 2009
5:33 pm
Hey recruits,
Be sure and listen to what a bunch of LOOZZER dawg fans think and not what your University of Florida coaches are telling you.
Hahahahahahaha
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:33 pm
I honestly wish Coach Meyer the best, he is one of the best ever, but it’s nice to see the Gator Nation brought back down to Earth. The SEC East is up for grabs next year.
oscer myer
December 27th, 2009
5:33 pm
tebows voice sure was high
Alabama Jack
December 27th, 2009
5:34 pm
dawgs are irrelevant. Is it Tuesday yet, so we can see some football.
oscer myer
December 27th, 2009
5:35 pm
who likes fried bologna?
Don't matter
December 27th, 2009
5:36 pm
Recruits:
Pretty sure I would listen to the staff and players that have won a National Championship 2 out of the last 3 years and 17 out of 20 over Georgia.
Don't matter
December 27th, 2009
5:37 pm
Recruits,
Urban Meyer is a fantastic coach and person. ANY dawg fan that says otherwise is not telling you the truth.
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:38 pm
It “Don’t matter” since all those coaches are gone. Hahahahahaha. What a great Christmas!!!
Ben & Jerry
December 27th, 2009
5:38 pm
Would you like that in a Urban Bourbon in a waffle cone?
Don't matter
December 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
Tryin’ to figure out…
“…so how does UF beat UGA on this one? I don’t understand”
BECAUSE YOU CANT FIX STUPID!
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
To bad Urban is not the coach anymore. Hahahaha…
Big L
December 27th, 2009
5:39 pm
Yep hold the recruits til you can get out.
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:40 pm
The streak begins this year. Dawgs should be able to take the next 9 ot of 10 in Jax.
Don't matter
December 27th, 2009
5:41 pm
DEFENSIVE COORDINATORS:
Do you want to coach the Florida Gators or the Georgia Bulldogs?
Do you want to drive a 2010 Lexus or a 1978 Chevy Pick Up?
Do you want to play in a BCS or a Shreveport/Papa Johns Bowl
Do you want to see fine tan women each year or fat hairy dogs?
Saint Richt
December 27th, 2009
5:42 pm
Urban Favre…………….
Atlantan
December 27th, 2009
5:44 pm
HE’S LYING. JUST TRYING TO SAVE THIS CLASS OF SIGNEES.
Hamad Meander
December 27th, 2009
5:45 pm
This is a very bad situation for Florida. With Urban stepping back from the program, but not stepping away, he will feel even more stress than ever before. How can he not? If he sees things not going the way he would do them, then he will feel guilt, frustration, and the need to micromanage everything Gator football again. Recruits will be confused, fans will be angry, and Gator Nation will be calling for him to come back full-time after the first game they lose without him.
militarydawginDC
December 27th, 2009
5:46 pm
Nerds, we may be going to shreveport, but we’ve never played on the blue turf..LOl..
we also own you, and we are so glad that it hurts you so much that you have
to come on this blog that is not even talking abotu the dawgs and brag about your
overrated 11-2 chumps……30-24 stew on that, and it’s only the beginning….
30-24 8 out of 9
December 27th, 2009
5:48 pm
Truth is, the next UF coach is going to have to do some serious rebuilding. UF is losing a lot of great talent. If Urban has been stressed this year, just wait until next year.
UT and UGA will be back. It’s going to be an interesting 2010.
Shreveport Shorty
December 27th, 2009
5:49 pm
We welcome the UGA fans to the great city of Shreveport—with the coldest Pabst Blue Ribbon in the state and some of the purtiest women this side of Georgia! Come on over Dawg fans—the Motel 6 is a first class place!!! Book now and get a 5% discount!!!!
Big L
December 27th, 2009
5:54 pm
Well then , Big L imposter, u must just enjoy chrime ridden streets, half empty chumpionship games and pain. Cause that’s all bein a Techtard has to offer.
GeorgiaMainLineDawg
December 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
Florida’s losing most of their talent, Brantley’s not that good and their coach next year, Adazzio is no where near Meyer–look for a big Dawg win in Jax in 2010!!! Georgia will win the SEC East–bet the house!
Big L
December 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
Sho been a strange coupla days.
mason
December 27th, 2009
5:58 pm
(( 30-24 ))
Glad it still hurts SO bad.
GO HAWKEYES!!
nwdnanny
December 27th, 2009
6:01 pm
I think this was nothing more than a publicity stunt. How many BIG name athletes have “retired”, been the center of attention, relished in the publicity, only to return after much thought and consideration…BS. Myers were “front and center” all afternoon Saturday during bowl games…mission accomplished. Now go crawl back under the rock you came from.
SC Rules!!!
December 27th, 2009
6:03 pm
Geez!!! Just when I thought that Urban Sprawl had an ounce of dignity; he goes and flushes it down the toilet! Tony, you are correct to suggest this will come back to bite the lizards!
What a putz!!!
He and the whole damned Lizard program have become the Brett Favres’ of college football. ALWAYS in need of seeing their name in print.
This will (and it should) come back to haunt them in the upcoming signing class, any athlete who is still on the fence about committing to either FLA or (insert school name) will surely take a long hard look at what the hell is going on in Gainesville and most will probably sign elsewhere. Same could happen with the “committments” already on the white board in Criers office.
Crier; just man up and admitt that you can’t deal with the fact you’ll have to answer for the drop off with this class leaving. Hope you had fun “pretending” to be a champion!
Don’t see Coach Carroll RUNNING and hiding!!! Fight On!!!!
Big L
December 27th, 2009
6:05 pm
Well, a humble CUM sure took the steam outta my Jackassery.
jellybeandawg
December 27th, 2009
6:06 pm
Don’t worry fellow Dawg fans. As long as we have Mark “FAKE JUICE” Richt and his fake tan we can expect annual beat downs from the gators in Jville, regardless of who their coach is.
SC Rules!!!
December 27th, 2009
6:08 pm
Oh, and before y’all jump off yerr sisters to tell me all about the “cheating” going on at Heritage Hall; remember it is just a rumor/insinuation until they (the ncaa) say otherwise.
Now, if SC did in fact break the rules, then by all means they need to pay the price. But until then, remember ALL the SEC teams who are or have been on probation recently before you go throwin’ stones!
Fight On!!
Acwrorth Dawg
December 27th, 2009
6:08 pm
Come on ya’ll. UofF and Urban Cryer were just getting tried of UofT taking all the press time in the SEC. They had to do something to get UofF back in the picture. It is all about the marketing.
SatchelBuzz
December 27th, 2009
6:15 pm
“I’m in shreveport and I can’t find a tanning salon,….help me,…help me”…you ugag losers are such easy targets. Georgia Tech is in the national spotlight despite the blip-on-the-radar-screen upset in November. Deal with it losers,….burn baby burn. CPJ never forgets.
THWG!!!
BBB
December 27th, 2009
6:15 pm
UGA dominates TECH in series…..60-39-5
jimmy
December 27th, 2009
6:16 pm
the fla coach was a class act
TampaGator
December 27th, 2009
6:17 pm
SC Rules…if you watch the news conference in NO, you would know why recruits will stay with the Gators and several more big time recruits will join the party. Meyer is about his players and his players are about Meyer. You can’t say the same thing about USC’s players and Carroll or they would have done more with the talent in the last couple of years. Yeah, USC rules the Emerald Bowl!!!
TampaGator
December 27th, 2009
6:19 pm
Georgia Main…update for you! Brantley is better than good…Florida is not losing most of their talent (only some), and Meyer thinks he will be back on the sidelines next year. As I keep saying, you Dawgs ought to stop dreaming!!!
Dawg Master
December 27th, 2009
6:19 pm
The Dawgs should clean up in recruiting this year with Meyer’s issues and leave of absence. Hopefully, Richt goes after all those florida recruits!!!!!
Nachos
December 27th, 2009
6:22 pm
“The streak begins this year. Dawgs should be able to take the next 9 ot of 10 in Jax.”
You must of been pretty drunk when you typed this. One too many PBR’s at the casino in Shreveport I assume ?????
TampaGator
December 27th, 2009
6:26 pm
Hey BG, maybe if Richt would hold hands with his players more…instead of being such a right wing Christian “above everyone” prima dona (who keeps a safe distance from his players and even yells at them with anger when they douse him with Gatoraide after beating your number one rival…..then he might have a chance to win a championship like Meyer and his players. But that could only happen in dreamland for Dawg fans.
TampaGator
December 27th, 2009
6:28 pm
Dawg Master…Richt already has and Meyer kicked his arse back to Athens. I don’t think Meyer is ready for three beat downs in one year!!!
superDawg
December 27th, 2009
6:30 pm
Get ready gayters your clock has hit its last tick.I hope urban gets better.This is a ploy to save what you can on recruting.
Acwrorth Dawg
December 27th, 2009
6:35 pm
Hey “Don’t Matter” and TampaGator,
If wining a national championship means having to have a coach with the traits of Cryer, you can have the NC. Cryer may care about his players as much as Richt does but it really one seems to care about himself and getting ahead no matter what it takes.
WTF??
December 27th, 2009
6:36 pm
TampaGator
STFU!
Take a step back and look at your entries. Idiot!
Who cares?
December 27th, 2009
6:37 pm
Nothing like a million or so more bucks laid on the table to make chronic chest pains seem less annoying.
Rx: Take 2 nitroglycerine by mouth instead of one for each episode of chronic chest pain. Deposit another $1,000,000 in bank if needed.
Sec homer
December 27th, 2009
6:39 pm
Delusional dawgs… Taking the next 8 of 9
fromUF.. Same kool aid dawgs drink every
year.. Bcs bowl, not… Shreveport here we are