Urban Frank Meyer III coached the Florida Gators from 2005 to 2010, where he led the Gators to two national championships and two SEC conference championships (2006 and 2008), as well as a 65-15 overall win record (81.25%), 36-12 conference record (75.00%), and 5-1 bowl record (83.33%). Coach Meyer arrived in Gainesville after leading one of the greatest turnarounds in a college program by transforming the Bowling Green Falcons from a 2-9 team to a 9-3 MAC contender and first bowl game and victory in over a decade. He gained success in college football by confusing defenses with his spread-option/ zone-read offense, out-recruiting his competitors, and running practice sessions with unrelenting perfection. After transforming the Bowling Green football team, he put the Utah Utes football team on the map by guiding the first non-automatically qualifying team to a BCS bowl with a perfect 12-0 season.
Coach Meyer continued his success at Florida after choosing a position here instead of at one of his dream jobs at Notre Dame. His tenure at Florida had it ups and downs. Although he brought the Gators two championships, he is also remembered for the 30 arrests that occurred while he was coach. On the field, he succeeded at his goal of winning back the Swamp by going undefeated at home in 2005 and improving upon Ron Zook's 7-5 record by going 9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC with an Outback Bowl victory. His one obstacle to going to an SEC championship match in his first year was Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks. In 2006, he coached the Gators to a national championship with a 13-1 overall, 8-1 conference record and a 41-14 victory over his future team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. It was the Gator's first BCS bowl since 2001's Orange Bowl and first national championship since the 1996 Bowl Alliance national championship.
Urban Meyer coached the Gators to a 9-3 record in 2007, and guided Tim Tebow to becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. His Gators did not make it to the BCS Championship in 2007, but he made it there as an analyst in the booth in a preview of his follow-up job. In 2008 he did guide the Gators to a 13-1 record and a BCS championship, his second in three years, with a 24-14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. In 2009, he coached the Gators through a season in which they were ranked #1 all the way until the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama. After the game, he was taken to the hospital for esophageal spasms. There wil always be plenty of debate as to what caused his ailment, but this author will merely say that Coach Meyer's 18-hour days and extreme personality took its toll. Urban Meyer briefly retired from the head coaching position, only to rejoin the team with the promise to do better at balancing work and health after his leave of absence. In 2010 he became the fastest coach to win 100 games, guided the team to a 7-5 record, and ended his Gator coaching career with a 37-24 win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl.
With his two national championships, he will be eligible for the Gator Ring of Honor in 2015. Currently, he is head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, i.e. Gator Bait!
Coach Meyer continued his success at Florida after choosing a position here instead of at one of his dream jobs at Notre Dame. His tenure at Florida had it ups and downs. Although he brought the Gators two championships, he is also remembered for the 30 arrests that occurred while he was coach. On the field, he succeeded at his goal of winning back the Swamp by going undefeated at home in 2005 and improving upon Ron Zook's 7-5 record by going 9-3 overall, 5-3 SEC with an Outback Bowl victory. His one obstacle to going to an SEC championship match in his first year was Steve Spurrier and the South Carolina Gamecocks. In 2006, he coached the Gators to a national championship with a 13-1 overall, 8-1 conference record and a 41-14 victory over his future team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. It was the Gator's first BCS bowl since 2001's Orange Bowl and first national championship since the 1996 Bowl Alliance national championship.
Urban Meyer coached the Gators to a 9-3 record in 2007, and guided Tim Tebow to becoming the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. His Gators did not make it to the BCS Championship in 2007, but he made it there as an analyst in the booth in a preview of his follow-up job. In 2008 he did guide the Gators to a 13-1 record and a BCS championship, his second in three years, with a 24-14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners. In 2009, he coached the Gators through a season in which they were ranked #1 all the way until the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama. After the game, he was taken to the hospital for esophageal spasms. There wil always be plenty of debate as to what caused his ailment, but this author will merely say that Coach Meyer's 18-hour days and extreme personality took its toll. Urban Meyer briefly retired from the head coaching position, only to rejoin the team with the promise to do better at balancing work and health after his leave of absence. In 2010 he became the fastest coach to win 100 games, guided the team to a 7-5 record, and ended his Gator coaching career with a 37-24 win over Penn State in the Outback Bowl.
With his two national championships, he will be eligible for the Gator Ring of Honor in 2015. Currently, he is head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, i.e. Gator Bait!
