The News Tracker

Is Urban Meyer going or is Urban Meyer staying? Urban Meyer on Dec. 26 announced that he is quitting as the University of Florida football coach, citing unspecified health reasons for leaving one of the top five college football coaching jobs in America. But sometime Dec. 27, Urban Meyer apparently had a change of heart about the decision because sources are reporting that Urban Meyer has reconsidered his decision and will instead take a leave of absence from his position as head coach of the Florida Gators, leaving offensive coordinator Steve Addazio in charge of the program until Urban Meyer decides to return. How long that will be is anyone’s guess at this point, but it probably won’t be a long leave of absence. One wonders how much pressure there was on Urban Meyer to rescind his decision of a day earlier to quit the high-pressured position as football coach at the University of Florida and spend more time with his family and concentrating on improving his health. Various reports have indicated Urban Meyer has had heart problems throughout the year and that he may have even had a minor heart attack during the season. After the Gators lost the SEC championship game to Alabama on Dec. 5, Urban Meyer checked himself into a hospital in Gainesville complaining of dehydration, dizziness and chest pains. Doctors spent nine hours treating Urban Meyer for unspecified ailments. Now it appears that those ailments pointed to heart problems for Urban Meyer. Urban Meyer becomes the second Florida Gator athletic coach to reconsider a decision to quit the school. Basketball coach Billy Donovan quit the Gator program several years ago to become the head coach of the Orlando Magic but then change his mind on that decision a couple of days later and remained at the Gator basketball helm. Continue reading “Urban Meyer has change of heart; will take leave of absence from Florida Gator football program” »

The University of Florida football coach Urban Meyer shocked the college football world with the announcement that he is quitting down as the team’s coach after next Friday’s Sugar Bowl game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, partly due to health reasons. According to news sources, Florida spokesperson Steve McClain, reported that Urban Meyer, 45, does not have a life-threatening disease but it is more related to lifestyle and his family. Urban Meyer became hospitalized after the SEC title game Dec. 5 for dehydration. “I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family,” Urban Meyer said in a prepared statement. Under Urban Meyer, the Gators have won two of the last three national championships. Overall, Urban Meyer compiled a 95-18 record and was 56-10 during his tenure at Florida, including 32-2 at Florida Field and 32-8 in the SEC. The stress of a trying to repeat as national champions undoubtedly played a role in causing Urban Meyer to step down as Gator coach, along with off-the-field issues, including the drunken-driving arrest of senior defensive end Carlos Dunlap. Continue reading “Urban Meyer stuns college football world by resigning as Florida Gators coach” »