First off I can not believe this and only found out from my brother who I though was playing a joke as he does from time to time. No, it is true Urban Meyer is resigning as the coach of the Florida Gators after the Sugar Bowl. This is an off the cuff and knee jerk reaction in this post, but this is just wow!
Right after the SEC title game he was checked into a hospital after the loss to Alabama a few weeks back due to dehydration and exhaustion, and when asked if he could imagine himself coaching as long as Bobby Bowden a few weeks back he had a look of horror in his face.
Here is the statement from the school:
"After consulting with my family, Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and my doctors, I believe it is in my best interest to step aside and focus on my health and family.
"I'm proud to be a part of the Gainesville community and the Gator Nation and I plan to remain in Gainesville and involved with the University of Florida.
"I'm very appreciative for the opportunity I've had to be a part of a tremendous institution - from Dr. Machen to Jeremy Foley and the entire administrative staff at UF. I'm also very thankful for the chance to work with some of the best assistants in college football and coach some of the best college football players and watch them grow both on and off the field as people. I will cherish the relationships with them the most."
He will always be remembered at Utah for guiding them to a two year school record of 22-2 record and for guiding the 2004 Utes to the Fiesta Bowl and becoming the first non-BCS school to a big money game. He was just amazing and blew out all of their opponents in 2004 with his innovated spread offense, and giving the Utes their first every Heisman finalist in Alex Smith. The move to the SEC was thought to be the end of Meyers uber successful spread offense and high scoring machine. Well, that was quasi true in the first year, but he still had a good record and eventually won two national titles while appearing in three SEC championships in his four years there.
Speculation will run rampant if Urban will coach again after a year or two off or the replacement at Florida. Early thoughts which I read from twitter (not sure from where so many), but Arkansas's Bobby Pettrino was mentioned, because of his passing offense and another which hits close is Utah's Kyle Whittingham. The reason for Coach Whittingham is not because he worked under Meyer, but because the current president at Florida -- Dr. Bernard Machen -- was the president at Utah prior and hired Urban Meyer on at Utah who then subsequently only kept Whittingham who was the defensive coordinator.