Urban Meyer
Encyclopedia
Urban Frank Meyer, III is an American football
coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University
, having been hired for the position in November 2011. Meyer has previously served as the head football coach at Bowling Green State University
from 2001 to 2002, at the University of Utah
from 2003 to 2004, and at the University of Florida
from 2005 until his retirement at the end of the 2010 season. He coached the Florida Gators
to two BCS National Championship Game
victories, during the 2006 and 2008 seasons. Meyer's winning percentage through the conclusion of the 2009 season (.842) was the highest among all active coaches with a minimum of five full seasons at a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program. He is a native of Ohio
and an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati
, where he played college football. During 2011, he worked as a college football analyst for the television sports network ESPN
.
) and television commentators (Home Depot Coach of the Year Award). He has twenty years of college coaching experience, including nine as a head coach. His overall record as a head coach through the end of the 2009 season is 96–18, and he is 49–14 in conference play. His winning percentage (.842) through the end of 2009 season ranks first nationally among active college football head coaches.
Meyer is a devout Roman Catholic and on several occasions has referred to the head coaching position at the University of Notre Dame
as his "dream job," leading to speculation that he would someday wish to coach there. However, according to a July 2009 newspaper report, Meyer insisted he would never leave Florida for Notre Dame. And when the employment status of Irish coach Charlie Weis
came into question in November 2009, Meyer held a press conference to dispel rumors linking him to the possible opening, stating that he would remain at Florida for "as long as they'll have me." The University of Cincinnati's Brian Kelly
was eventually hired for the job.
On December 26, 2009, Meyer announced he would resign following the team's bowl game
against Cincinnati
, citing health concerns. However, the following day Meyer announced that he would instead take an indefinite leave of absence
, and he resumed his coaching duties in time for the beginning of the Gators' spring practice on March 17, 2010.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley announced Meyer's resignation as the Gators head football coach on December 8, 2010, but stated that Meyer would remain as the head coach through the Gators' appearance in the Outback Bowl
on January 1, 2011.
in 1985 under the mentorship of legendary St. Xavier head coach Steve Rasso, where he met members of the Ohio State coaching staff. His first collegiate coaching position was a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under head coach Earle Bruce
. He then spent the next thirteen years as an assistant—two at Illinois State, six at Colorado State
, and five at Notre Dame
. In 1990, while still the linebacker coach at Illinois State, he called Toledo
head coach Nick Saban
to see if a position was available on his staff. Saban, however, never returned the call. In 2001, Meyer took his first head coaching job at Bowling Green
. In his first season there, he engineered one of the greatest turnarounds in the NCAA
football history, going 8–3 and capping off the season with a 56–21 victory over Bowling Green's rival, the University of Toledo Rockets. He also earned Mid-American Conference coach of the year honors. The next year, Bowling Green finished with a 9–3 record. After a 17–6 overall record, Meyer left for the University of Utah.
in 2003. In his first year
there, Meyer was named the Mountain West Conference
's Coach of the Year with a 10–2 record, the best ever for a coach's first season at Utah. He also earned honors as The Sporting News
National Coach of the Year, the first Utes coach to do so. Meyer's success can be attributed to his unique offensive system, which is an offshoot of Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense
, relying on short pass routes. Meyer's base offense spreads three receivers and puts the quarterback
in shotgun formation
. Then, he introduces motion in the backfield and turns it into an option
attack, adding elements of the traditional run-oriented option offense
.
In 2004
, Meyer led the undefeated Utes to a Bowl Championship Series
bid, something that had not been done by a team from a non-automatically qualifying BCS conference since the formation of the BCS in 1998. He remained at Utah long enough to coach the team to a Fiesta Bowl
win over Pittsburgh
, capping off the Utes' first perfect season (12–0) since 1930.
and the University of Notre Dame
vied for his services. Meyer chose to become Florida's head coach for the 2005 season, signing a seven-year contract worth $14 million. He later signed a six-year contract extension with the Gators on June 7, 2007; the extended contract paid an average of $3.25 million per year. On August 3, 2009, Meyer received another contract extension that made him the SEC's highest paid coach during the 2009 season; his 2009 extension is worth $24 million over six years. At the time of the latest contract extension, Meyer was the third highest paid college football coach, behind only Pete Carroll
and Charlie Weis
.
Meyer has been criticized by some commentators because 30 of his players were arrested during his nearly six years as the Gators' coach. The seriousness of the charges varied widely, from minor offenses such as possession of alcohol by a minor to the charge of possession of a concealed weapon, and many of the charges were ultimately dismissed. Meyer's punishments also varied with the severity of the charges, with some players never missing game time and others being kicked off the team.
In September 2010, after Gator receiver Chris Rainey was arrested for sending a threatening text message to a former girlfriend, Meyer stated that he was "real upset about that. After a while, enough's enough. If there's something that we can improve on, we're certainly looking into that. It's like if our graduation rate stinks then we gotta improve that. If there's other issues in a program, that's our job to get it better. It's people making stupid mistakes, that's something we gotta correct."
team finished the season 9–3 (5–3 in the Southeastern Conference
). The season included an undefeated record at home and a bowl victory against Iowa
in the Outback Bowl
in Tampa, Florida
. The Gators would have faced LSU
in the , but they lost to South Carolina
and former Florida coach Steve Spurrier
in the SEC regular season finale.
. After clinching the SEC East, the Gators won the on December 2 over Arkansas
by a score of 38–28. The Gators defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes
, 41–14, in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
to win the national championship. It was the first BCS bowl berth for the Gators since the Orange Bowl
that capped off the 2001 campaign, and Florida's first national championship appearance and victory since winning the 1997 Sugar Bowl
.
Meyer has been known for winning big games. In addition to his 5–1 record in bowl games (as of 2008) at Florida, Meyer has an 11–1 record (through the end of 2008) against three of the Gators' biggest opponents—Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida State—and a 14–2 home record.
and FSU
but once again losing to Auburn
. During his tenure at the University of Florida, Coach Meyer never defeated Auburn. Quarterback Tim Tebow
also became Coach Meyer's first Heisman Trophy
winner. The team led the conference in scoring, but struggles on defense made it difficult for the Gators to reach a BCS bowl game
. The Gators lost the to Michigan
41–35 on January 1, 2008. Meyer served as a pre-game and halftime analyst for the 2008 BCS National Championship Game
.
, including wins over six ranked teams. The team's lone defeat came at the hands of Mississippi
on September 27, 2008, a game in which Florida led in time of possession and passing yards, but turned the ball over three times. Eleven of the Gators' twelve wins in the 2008 regular season were by 20 points or more. On December 6, 2008, Meyer led the Gators to a 31–20 victory over then No. 1 ranked Alabama
in the SEC title game
. Leading in time of possession, rushing yards, and passing yards, the Gators would come from behind after a third quarter deficit to score two touchdowns and hold Alabama scoreless in the fourth quarter. The victory would vault Florida to No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll, No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, and No. 2 in the BCS rankings, setting up a showdown against Oklahoma
in the BCS Championship Game
on January 8, 2009, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Gators won 24–14, securing their second national championship under Meyer.
suffered a scary concussion in a September victory over Kentucky
, Florida finished the regular season 12–0 and still ranked No. 1. The winning streak ended in the SEC Championship Game
, when they lost 32–13 to Alabama
.
Florida was selected to play the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats
in the 2010 Sugar Bowl
. The Gators won 51–24 to finish the season with a 13-1 record for the second consecutive year.
, Meyer was quietly admitted into a Gainesville hospital suffering from chest pains and dehydration. He was released later in the day, and the incident was not announced to the public at the time.
On December 26, after discussions with his family, Meyer revealed his medical scare and announced that he would resign as Florida's head coach due to health and family concerns following his team's New Years Day Sugar Bowl
appearance . Meyer stated: "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family." He also said: "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." Meyer admitted that he had suffered frequent chest pains (later discovered to be caused by esophageal spasms
) and occasional severe headaches due to an arachnoid cyst
for years, and that they were related to stress.
On December 27, Meyer announced that he would take an indefinite leave of absence
instead of resigning. He was unsure if he would return for the 2010 season but stated that, "I do in my gut believe that will happen." Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio
would serve as the interim
coach in Meyer's absence.
On January 1, 2010, Meyer coached the Gators in their 51–24 Sugar Bowl
victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats
. In a post-game interview, Meyer again suggested that he would return to coach the Gators at some point by saying: "I plan on being the coach of the Gators."
Meyer took significant time off from his coaching duties after the bowl game in an attempt to improve his personal health. While he did stay in touch with potential new players during the busy recruiting season, Meyer did much less traveling to visit recruits than usual. Nevertheless, the Gators still signed the consensus No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in February.
On March 17, 2010, Meyer returned full-time to his position for the start of the Gators' spring practice and continued in that role into the 2010 season.
(108 games), George Woodruff
(109 games), Bud Wilkinson
(111 games), Fielding Yost
(114 games), and Knute Rockne
(117 games). He was also the second-fastest to reach 100 wins since Wilkinson in 1945.
Despite reaching this milestone, the season was a difficult one for the Gators, and their 7–5 regular season record was the worst in Meyer's tenure at Florida. On December 8, 2010, Meyer again announced his retirement from coaching for much the same reasons he mentioned in December 2009: his family and his health.
Urban Meyer's last game as Florida's coach was a 37–24 win over Penn State
in the 2011 Outback Bowl
on January 1, 2011.
.
. Meyer denied the report publicly. Meyer asked ESPN to be taken off assignment during the weekend of the Ohio State–Michigan game, adding more to the speculations that he might be named the next head coach of Ohio State. On November 28, WBNS
Columbus, confirmed that Meyer had accepted the job as Ohio State's head football coach. The school said Meyer would receive a six-year contract that pays $4 million annually, plus another $2.4 million total in "retention payments."
and Scott Linehan
at Louisville, Randy Walker and Kevin Wilson
at Northwestern, Bill Snyder
at Kansas State, Joe Tiller
and Jim Chaney
at Purdue, and Rich Rodriguez
at West Virginia, all of whom ran some version of the spread offense
Meyer's teams at Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida all ran the spread, chiefly utilizing a run-first variation most similar to Rich Rodriguez
's formerly at West Virginia with tweaks to fit the offensive personnel (for example, Meyer's first two years at Florida skewed toward a drop-back passing attack led by Chris Leak
, while Alex Smith
and Tim Tebow
led an option run-based spread). Using this offense, he has won two BCS titles, has become the first coach to lead a non-BCS conference team (Utah) to a BCS bowl, has coached a Heisman trophy winner (Tim Tebow
), and has graduated a player who became a number one overall pick in the NFL draft (Alex Smith
).
and moved to Ashtabula, Ohio
as a child. He graduated from Ashtabula's Saint John High School
. Meyer was also selected in the 13th round, as a shortstop, by the Atlanta Braves
in the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft. Meyer spent two seasons playing minor league baseball in the Braves organization. He concurrently played defensive back
at the University of Cincinnati
before earning his bachelor's degree
in psychology
in 1986. During his undergraduate studies, Meyer also became a brother of the Sigma Chi
Fraternity
(Zeta Psi Chapter), and met his future wife at Sigma Chi's Derby Days philanthropy event.
Meyer went on to earn his master's degree
in sports administration at The Ohio State University in 1988.
Meyer married Shelley Mather Meyer in 1986. The Meyers have three children: Nicole ("Nicki"), Gisela ("Gigi") and Nathan ("Nate"). His two daughters currently play Division I volleyball: Nicki plays for Georgia Tech
and Gigi plays for Florida Gulf Coast
. He is a practicing Roman Catholic.
were named co-chairmen of an effort to raise $50 million to support the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
. This scholarship was designed for first-generation students that have unique needs and financial challenges. The Florida Opportunity Scholars Program was created by President Bernie Machen
in 2006, and is intended to increase the opportunities for academically prepared first-generation students.
In December 2008, Meyer and Utah football
head coach Kyle Whittingham
were the first people to donate money to the Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Family Scholarship, an endowed scholarship which will benefit the Utah football program.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player. He is head football coach at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, having been hired for the position in November 2011. Meyer has previously served as the head football coach at Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
from 2001 to 2002, at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
from 2003 to 2004, and at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
from 2005 until his retirement at the end of the 2010 season. He coached the Florida Gators
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
to two BCS National Championship Game
BCS National Championship Game
The BCS National Championship Game, or BCS National Championship, is the final bowl game of the annual Bowl Championship Series and is intended by the organizers of the BCS to determine the U.S. national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision...
victories, during the 2006 and 2008 seasons. Meyer's winning percentage through the conclusion of the 2009 season (.842) was the highest among all active coaches with a minimum of five full seasons at a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program. He is a native of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
, where he played college football. During 2011, he worked as a college football analyst for the television sports network ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
Coaching career
In 2004, Meyer was recognized as the college football "coach of the year" at the University of Utah by both sportswriters (Eddie Robinson Coach of the YearEddie Robinson Coach of the Year
The Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award is given annually to a college football coach by the Football Writers Association of America. The award honors Eddie Robinson, former coach at Grambling State who holds the second best record for most Division I wins with 408 behind only Joe...
) and television commentators (Home Depot Coach of the Year Award). He has twenty years of college coaching experience, including nine as a head coach. His overall record as a head coach through the end of the 2009 season is 96–18, and he is 49–14 in conference play. His winning percentage (.842) through the end of 2009 season ranks first nationally among active college football head coaches.
Meyer is a devout Roman Catholic and on several occasions has referred to the head coaching position at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
as his "dream job," leading to speculation that he would someday wish to coach there. However, according to a July 2009 newspaper report, Meyer insisted he would never leave Florida for Notre Dame. And when the employment status of Irish coach Charlie Weis
Charlie Weis
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
came into question in November 2009, Meyer held a press conference to dispel rumors linking him to the possible opening, stating that he would remain at Florida for "as long as they'll have me." The University of Cincinnati's Brian Kelly
Brian Kelly (coach)
Brian Keith Kelly is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, a position he has held since the 2010 season...
was eventually hired for the job.
On December 26, 2009, Meyer announced he would resign following the team's bowl game
2010 Sugar Bowl
The 2010 Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game that was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 76th Sugar Bowl...
against Cincinnati
2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, played its home games in Nippert Stadium....
, citing health concerns. However, the following day Meyer announced that he would instead take an indefinite leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
, and he resumed his coaching duties in time for the beginning of the Gators' spring practice on March 17, 2010.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley announced Meyer's resignation as the Gators head football coach on December 8, 2010, but stated that Meyer would remain as the head coach through the Gators' appearance in the Outback Bowl
Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl is an annual New Year's Day college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The event was originally called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1994 until being renamed in 1995 for its new title sponsor, Outback Steakhouse...
on January 1, 2011.
Early coaching career
After playing as a defensive back for the University of Cincinnati, Meyer spent one season interning as a defensive back coach at Saint Xavier High School in Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
in 1985 under the mentorship of legendary St. Xavier head coach Steve Rasso, where he met members of the Ohio State coaching staff. His first collegiate coaching position was a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under head coach Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
. He then spent the next thirteen years as an assistant—two at Illinois State, six at Colorado State
Colorado State Rams football
The Colorado State Rams football program, established in 1893, represents Colorado State University and is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mountain West Conference under head coach Steve Fairchild...
, and five at Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
. In 1990, while still the linebacker coach at Illinois State, he called Toledo
University of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
head coach Nick Saban
Nick Saban
Nicholas Lou "Nick" Saban is the head coach of the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide football team. Saban has previously served as head coach of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and three other NCAA universities: LSU, Michigan State and Toledo...
to see if a position was available on his staff. Saban, however, never returned the call. In 2001, Meyer took his first head coaching job at Bowling Green
Bowling Green Falcons football
The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships....
. In his first season there, he engineered one of the greatest turnarounds in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
football history, going 8–3 and capping off the season with a 56–21 victory over Bowling Green's rival, the University of Toledo Rockets. He also earned Mid-American Conference coach of the year honors. The next year, Bowling Green finished with a 9–3 record. After a 17–6 overall record, Meyer left for the University of Utah.
University of Utah
After two seasons at Bowling Green, he took the job at UtahUtah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
in 2003. In his first year
2003 Utah Utes football team
The Utah Utes 2003 football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2003-2004. This was Urban Meyer's first year coaching at the school, after being hired from Bowling Green...
there, Meyer was named the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
's Coach of the Year with a 10–2 record, the best ever for a coach's first season at Utah. He also earned honors as The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
National Coach of the Year, the first Utes coach to do so. Meyer's success can be attributed to his unique offensive system, which is an offshoot of Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense
West Coast offense
In American football, "West Coast Offense" refers to two similar but distinct offensive-strategic-systems of play: the "Air Coryell" system; or more commonly the pass play system popularized by Bill Walsh...
, relying on short pass routes. Meyer's base offense spreads three receivers and puts the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in shotgun formation
Shotgun formation
The shotgun formation is a formation used by the offensive team in American and Canadian football. This formation is used mainly for passing plays, although some teams use it as their base formation. In the shotgun, instead of the quarterback receiving the snap from center at the line of scrimmage,...
. Then, he introduces motion in the backfield and turns it into an option
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
attack, adding elements of the traditional run-oriented option offense
Option offense
The option offense is a generic term that is used to describe a wide variety of offensive systems in American football. Option offenses are characterized as such due to the predominance of option running plays employed in these schemes. Option offenses have traditionally relied heavily upon running...
.
In 2004
2004 Utah Utes football team
The 2004 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2004–2005. This team was the original 'BCS Buster', meaning, this was the first time that a team from a non-BCS conference was invited to play in one of the BCS bowl games. The team, coached by 2nd...
, Meyer led the undefeated Utes to a Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
bid, something that had not been done by a team from a non-automatically qualifying BCS conference since the formation of the BCS in 1998. He remained at Utah long enough to coach the team to a Fiesta Bowl
2005 Fiesta Bowl
The 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 2005, was the 34th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game was played between Utah and Pittsburgh, in front of 73,519 fans. It is notable for being the first BCS game to feature a team from a non-BCS conference, and the only BCS bowl to feature a...
win over Pittsburgh
2004 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2004 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2004 college football season in which they won a share of The Big East Conference Championship and were awarded with a BCS berth to the 2005 Fiesta Bowl.- Schedule :...
, capping off the Utes' first perfect season (12–0) since 1930.
University of Florida
In the wake of his accomplishments at Utah, both the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
vied for his services. Meyer chose to become Florida's head coach for the 2005 season, signing a seven-year contract worth $14 million. He later signed a six-year contract extension with the Gators on June 7, 2007; the extended contract paid an average of $3.25 million per year. On August 3, 2009, Meyer received another contract extension that made him the SEC's highest paid coach during the 2009 season; his 2009 extension is worth $24 million over six years. At the time of the latest contract extension, Meyer was the third highest paid college football coach, behind only Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
and Charlie Weis
Charlie Weis
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Weis is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Florida Gators. For five years, from December 2004 through 2009, he was the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame...
.
Meyer has been criticized by some commentators because 30 of his players were arrested during his nearly six years as the Gators' coach. The seriousness of the charges varied widely, from minor offenses such as possession of alcohol by a minor to the charge of possession of a concealed weapon, and many of the charges were ultimately dismissed. Meyer's punishments also varied with the severity of the charges, with some players never missing game time and others being kicked off the team.
In September 2010, after Gator receiver Chris Rainey was arrested for sending a threatening text message to a former girlfriend, Meyer stated that he was "real upset about that. After a while, enough's enough. If there's something that we can improve on, we're certainly looking into that. It's like if our graduation rate stinks then we gotta improve that. If there's other issues in a program, that's our job to get it better. It's people making stupid mistakes, that's something we gotta correct."
2005 season
In 2005, his first season at Florida, Meyer's GatorsFlorida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
team finished the season 9–3 (5–3 in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
). The season included an undefeated record at home and a bowl victory against Iowa
2005 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2005 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa during the 2005 college football season. The Hawkeyes played their home games at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa and were coached by Kirk Ferentz....
in the Outback Bowl
2006 Outback Bowl
The 2006 Outback Bowl featured the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Florida Gators. Florida came into the game under first year head coach Urban Meyer with an 8-3 record. Iowa came into the game with a 7-4 record...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. The Gators would have faced LSU
2005 LSU Tigers football team
The 2005 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the college football season of 2005–2006. Coached by Les Miles in his first season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
in the , but they lost to South Carolina
2005 South Carolina Gamecocks football team
The 2005 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season...
and former Florida coach Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier
Stephen Orr Spurrier is an American college football coach and player. Spurrier is the current head coach of the University of South Carolina's Gamecocks football team. He is also a former professional player and coach...
in the SEC regular season finale.
2006 season
In 2006, Meyer coached the Gators to a 13–1 (8–1 in the SEC) record, with the one loss coming to the Auburn Tigers2006 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2006 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Tommy Tuberville served his eighth season at Auburn, the third longest tenure among current SEC head coaches that year...
. After clinching the SEC East, the Gators won the on December 2 over Arkansas
2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team
The 2006 Arkansas Razorbacks football team completed the season with a 10–4 record. The Razorbacks had a regular season SEC record of 7–1.-Schedule:-USC:...
by a score of 38–28. The Gators defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes
2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
The 2006 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team representing the Ohio State University in the college football season of 2006-2007. The team's head coach was Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes played their home games in Ohio Stadium...
, 41–14, in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game
2007 BCS National Championship Game
The 2007 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by Tostitos, was an American football game played at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8, 2007. The BCS No. 2 Florida Gators defeated the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, 41–14. The Buckeyes secured a spot by finishing...
to win the national championship. It was the first BCS bowl berth for the Gators since the Orange Bowl
2001 Orange Bowl
The 2001 FedEx Orange Bowl game was a post-season college football bowl game and BCS National Championship match between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Florida State Seminoles on January 3, 2001, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida...
that capped off the 2001 campaign, and Florida's first national championship appearance and victory since winning the 1997 Sugar Bowl
1997 Sugar Bowl
The 1997 Sugar Bowl was the 63rd edition to the annual game. It featured the top ranked , and their heated rivals, the third ranked Florida Gators. It was the designated National Championship Game for the 1996-97 season by the Bowl Alliance. The match up was supposed to feature the top two teams...
.
Meyer has been known for winning big games. In addition to his 5–1 record in bowl games (as of 2008) at Florida, Meyer has an 11–1 record (through the end of 2008) against three of the Gators' biggest opponents—Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida State—and a 14–2 home record.
2007 season
The Gators managed a 9–3 regular season record in 2007, including blowout wins over rivals Tennessee2007 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2007 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the college football season of 2007–2008. They won the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference before falling to the eventual national champion LSU Tigers in the SEC Championship Game...
and FSU
2007 Florida State Seminoles football team
The 2007 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University during the 2007 college football season. Florida State entered the 2007 season coming off a 2006 that ended with an overall record of 7-6, which was head coach Bobby Bowden's worst record since going 6-5 in 1981,...
but once again losing to Auburn
2007 Auburn Tigers football team
The 2007 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University during the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Tommy Tuberville returned for his ninth season at Auburn, the third longest tenure among SEC head coaches in 2007. He was joined by returning offensive coordinator Al...
. During his tenure at the University of Florida, Coach Meyer never defeated Auburn. Quarterback Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
also became Coach Meyer's first Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner. The team led the conference in scoring, but struggles on defense made it difficult for the Gators to reach a BCS bowl game
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
. The Gators lost the to Michigan
2007 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 2007 college football season. This was Lloyd Carr's final season as Michigan head coach. The 2007 season began with a stunning loss to Appalachian State, but the Wolverines won eight straight games after...
41–35 on January 1, 2008. Meyer served as a pre-game and halftime analyst for the 2008 BCS National Championship Game
2008 BCS National Championship Game
The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007...
.
2008 season
In 2008, Meyer led the Gators to a 13–1 overall record and the BCS National Championship over Oklahoma2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2008-2009. It was the 114th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
, including wins over six ranked teams. The team's lone defeat came at the hands of Mississippi
2008 Ole Miss Rebels football team
The 2008 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi during the 2008 college football season. The team's head coach was Houston Nutt, who served his first season in the position and replaced Ed Orgeron, who was fired after accumulating a 10–25 record at Ole Miss from...
on September 27, 2008, a game in which Florida led in time of possession and passing yards, but turned the ball over three times. Eleven of the Gators' twelve wins in the 2008 regular season were by 20 points or more. On December 6, 2008, Meyer led the Gators to a 31–20 victory over then No. 1 ranked Alabama
2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2008 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 76th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 17th within the SEC Western Division...
in the SEC title game
2008 SEC Championship Game
The 2008 Dr Pepper SEC Championship Game was played on December 6, 2008 in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia to determine the 2008 football champion of the Southeastern Conference . The game featured the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Gators were classified as the home team...
. Leading in time of possession, rushing yards, and passing yards, the Gators would come from behind after a third quarter deficit to score two touchdowns and hold Alabama scoreless in the fourth quarter. The victory would vault Florida to No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll, No. 2 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll, and No. 2 in the BCS rankings, setting up a showdown against Oklahoma
2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team
The 2008 Oklahoma Sooners football team represented the University of Oklahoma in the college football season of 2008-2009. It was the 114th year of season play for the Sooners. The team was led by head coach Bob Stoops, a two-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year award winner, who has a contract...
in the BCS Championship Game
2009 BCS National Championship Game
The 2009 BCS National Championship Game, sponsored by FedEx, was an American football game played at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 8, 2009. It was the national championship game for the 2008 college football season, and featured the second-ranked Florida Gators against the...
on January 8, 2009, at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Florida. The Gators won 24–14, securing their second national championship under Meyer.
2009 season
In 2009, Meyer's Gators began the season ranked No. 1 by the largest margin in the history of the AP preseason poll. Though the team struggled on offense at times and quarterback Tim TebowTim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
suffered a scary concussion in a September victory over Kentucky
2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2009 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Rich Brooks, in his seventh and ultimately final season at Kentucky, and played its home games at Commonwealth Stadium. The Wildcats competed...
, Florida finished the regular season 12–0 and still ranked No. 1. The winning streak ended in the SEC Championship Game
2009 SEC Championship Game
The 2009 SEC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2009, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine the 2009 football champion of the Southeastern Conference . The game featured the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide was the designated "home team"; this...
, when they lost 32–13 to Alabama
2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team
The 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Crimson Tide's 77th season as a member of the Southeastern Conference and its 18th within the SEC Western Division...
.
Florida was selected to play the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats
2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2009 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represented the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2009–2010. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, played its home games in Nippert Stadium....
in the 2010 Sugar Bowl
2010 Sugar Bowl
The 2010 Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game that was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 76th Sugar Bowl...
. The Gators won 51–24 to finish the season with a 13-1 record for the second consecutive year.
Leave of absence
In the early morning of December 6, 2009, soon after returning home following his team's loss in the 2009 SEC Championship Game2009 SEC Championship Game
The 2009 SEC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2009, in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, to determine the 2009 football champion of the Southeastern Conference . The game featured the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide was the designated "home team"; this...
, Meyer was quietly admitted into a Gainesville hospital suffering from chest pains and dehydration. He was released later in the day, and the incident was not announced to the public at the time.
On December 26, after discussions with his family, Meyer revealed his medical scare and announced that he would resign as Florida's head coach due to health and family concerns following his team's New Years Day Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
appearance . Meyer stated: "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family." He also said: "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." Meyer admitted that he had suffered frequent chest pains (later discovered to be caused by esophageal spasms
Esophagus
The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
) and occasional severe headaches due to an arachnoid cyst
Arachnoid cyst
Arachnoid cysts are cerebrospinal fluid covered by arachnoidal cells and collagen that may develop between the surface of the brain and the cranial base or on the arachnoid membrane, one of the three membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord...
for years, and that they were related to stress.
On December 27, Meyer announced that he would take an indefinite leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
instead of resigning. He was unsure if he would return for the 2010 season but stated that, "I do in my gut believe that will happen." Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio
Steve Addazio
Steve Addazio is an American college football coach and former player, and is head coach of the Temple Owls football team that represents Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
would serve as the interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
coach in Meyer's absence.
On January 1, 2010, Meyer coached the Gators in their 51–24 Sugar Bowl
2010 Sugar Bowl
The 2010 Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game that was part of the Bowl Championship Series for the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 76th Sugar Bowl...
victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
. In a post-game interview, Meyer again suggested that he would return to coach the Gators at some point by saying: "I plan on being the coach of the Gators."
Meyer took significant time off from his coaching duties after the bowl game in an attempt to improve his personal health. While he did stay in touch with potential new players during the busy recruiting season, Meyer did much less traveling to visit recruits than usual. Nevertheless, the Gators still signed the consensus No. 1 recruiting class in the nation in February.
On March 17, 2010, Meyer returned full-time to his position for the start of the Gators' spring practice and continued in that role into the 2010 season.
2010 season
With his victory over Kentucky on September 25, 2010, Urban Meyer achieved his 100th career win as a coach. With that win, his record was at 100–18 over the course of 10 seasons. He became the sixth fastest NCAA coach to reach that record, following Gil DobieGil Dobie
Gilmour "Gloomy Gil" Dobie was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at North Dakota Agricultural College—now North Dakota State University , the University of Washington , the United States Naval Academy , Cornell University , and...
(108 games), George Woodruff
George Washington Woodruff
Note: Before 1936, national champions were determined by historical research and retroactive ratings and polls. 1894 Poll Results = Penn: Parke H. Davis, Princeton: Houlgate, Yale: Billingsley, Helms, National Championship Foundation, Parke H. Davis1895 Poll Results = Penn: Billingsley, Helms,...
(109 games), Bud Wilkinson
Bud Wilkinson
Charles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships and 14...
(111 games), Fielding Yost
Fielding Yost
Fielding Harris Yost was an American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Ohio Wesleyan University , the University of Nebraska–Lincoln , the University of Kansas , Stanford University , San Jose State University , and the University...
(114 games), and Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
(117 games). He was also the second-fastest to reach 100 wins since Wilkinson in 1945.
Despite reaching this milestone, the season was a difficult one for the Gators, and their 7–5 regular season record was the worst in Meyer's tenure at Florida. On December 8, 2010, Meyer again announced his retirement from coaching for much the same reasons he mentioned in December 2009: his family and his health.
Urban Meyer's last game as Florida's coach was a 37–24 win over Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
in the 2011 Outback Bowl
2011 Outback Bowl
The 2011 Outback Bowl was the 25th edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The game kicked off at 1 p.m. US EST on January 1, 2011 and was telecasted on ABC...
on January 1, 2011.
ESPN career
After resigning as the head football coach of the Florida Gators, Meyer worked as a college football commentator and analyst for the American television sports network ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.
The Ohio State University
On November 23, 2011, The Plain Dealer reported that Meyer would become the head coach of the Ohio State BuckeyesOhio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
. Meyer denied the report publicly. Meyer asked ESPN to be taken off assignment during the weekend of the Ohio State–Michigan game, adding more to the speculations that he might be named the next head coach of Ohio State. On November 28, WBNS
WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV, channel 10, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The station is an affiliate of the CBS Television Network and is owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group, a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch, along with WBNS radio...
Columbus, confirmed that Meyer had accepted the job as Ohio State's head football coach. The school said Meyer would receive a six-year contract that pays $4 million annually, plus another $2.4 million total in "retention payments."
Spread offense
Meyer is widely considered one of the most accomplished practitioners of the spread offense. When Meyer got his first head coaching position at Bowling Green, he took trips to visit John L. SmithJohn L. Smith
John L. Smith is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the special teams coach at the University of Arkansas, under head coach Bobby Petrino...
and Scott Linehan
Scott Linehan
Scott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach, currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the St...
at Louisville, Randy Walker and Kevin Wilson
Kevin R. Wilson
Kevin R. Wilson is an American football coach. He is currently the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers.-Playing career:Wilson played offensive line and linebacker at Maiden High School...
at Northwestern, Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder is the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was rehired to the position on November 24, 2008, making Snyder one of the rare college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Snyder previously served as head coach at the school from 1989 to...
at Kansas State, Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller
Joe Tiller is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wyoming from 1991 to 1996 and Purdue University from 1997 to 2008, compliling a career college football record of 126–92–1...
and Jim Chaney
Jim Chaney
Jim Chaney is currently in his third year as the offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. He has previously served as the offensive line and tight ends coach for the NFL's St. Louis Rams. Before coaching for the St...
at Purdue, and Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
at West Virginia, all of whom ran some version of the spread offense
Meyer's teams at Bowling Green, Utah, and Florida all ran the spread, chiefly utilizing a run-first variation most similar to Rich Rodriguez
Rich Rodriguez
Richard A. "Rich" Rodriguez is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Arizona. Rodriguez previously served as the head football coach at Salem University , Glenville State College , West Virginia University , and the University...
's formerly at West Virginia with tweaks to fit the offensive personnel (for example, Meyer's first two years at Florida skewed toward a drop-back passing attack led by Chris Leak
Chris Leak
Christopher Patrick Leak is an American professional football player who is currently a quarterback for the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League. He played college football for the University of Florida, and led the Florida Gators to victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game...
, while Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
and Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
led an option run-based spread). Using this offense, he has won two BCS titles, has become the first coach to lead a non-BCS conference team (Utah) to a BCS bowl, has coached a Heisman trophy winner (Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
), and has graduated a player who became a number one overall pick in the NFL draft (Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith is a professional American football player and starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Smith was drafted with the 1st-overall pick in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL Draft by San Francisco from the University of Utah...
).
Personal life
Meyer was born on July 10, 1964 in Toledo, OhioToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
and moved to Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,962 people, 8,435 households, and 5,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,775.9 people per square mile . There were 9,151 housing units at an average density of 1,211.8 per square mile...
as a child. He graduated from Ashtabula's Saint John High School
Saints John & Paul High School
Sts. John & Paul High School is a private, Catholic high school in Ashtabula, Ohio. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. Ohio State University head football coach Urban Meyer is an alumnus.-Accreditation and Curriculum:...
. Meyer was also selected in the 13th round, as a shortstop, by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft. Meyer spent two seasons playing minor league baseball in the Braves organization. He concurrently played defensive back
Defensive back
In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...
at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
before earning his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
in 1986. During his undergraduate studies, Meyer also became a brother of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
(Zeta Psi Chapter), and met his future wife at Sigma Chi's Derby Days philanthropy event.
Meyer went on to earn his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in sports administration at The Ohio State University in 1988.
Meyer married Shelley Mather Meyer in 1986. The Meyers have three children: Nicole ("Nicki"), Gisela ("Gigi") and Nathan ("Nate"). His two daughters currently play Division I volleyball: Nicki plays for Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
and Gigi plays for Florida Gulf Coast
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Gulf Coast University, also known as FGCU, is a coeducational public university located just south of the Southwest Florida International Airport in the South Fort Myers region of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The university belongs to the 11-campus State University...
. He is a practicing Roman Catholic.
Philanthropy
In October 2008, coach Urban Meyer and University of Florida head basketball coach Billy DonovanBilly Donovan
William John "Billy" Donovan, Jr. is an American college basketball coach and a former college and professional basketball player. Donovan is the current head coach of the Florida Gators men's basketball team of the University of Florida...
were named co-chairmen of an effort to raise $50 million to support the Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
Florida Opportunity Scholars Program
Florida Opportunity Scholar Program is a need-based scholarship at the University of Florida. The objective of the scholarship is to retain these particular students and have them graduate at rates equal to or greater than the standard undergraduate population on campus.- History :This program is...
. This scholarship was designed for first-generation students that have unique needs and financial challenges. The Florida Opportunity Scholars Program was created by President Bernie Machen
Bernie Machen
James Bernard "Bernie" Machen is an American university professor and administrator. Machen is a native of Mississippi, and earned multiple academic degrees before becoming a university administrator and president...
in 2006, and is intended to increase the opportunities for academically prepared first-generation students.
In December 2008, Meyer and Utah football
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
head coach Kyle Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham is the head football coach of the University of Utah Utes. Prior to becoming the head coach at Utah, Whittingham served as Utah's defensive coordinator for ten seasons. He was named head coach of Utah after Urban Meyer left for the Florida Gators in 2004...
were the first people to donate money to the Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Joseph Bitner Wirthlin was an American businessman, religious leader and member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was sustained to the Quorum on October 4, 1986, and ordained an apostle on October 9, 1986 by Thomas S. Monson, following the...
Family Scholarship, an endowed scholarship which will benefit the Utah football program.
Head coaching record
See also
- Bowling Green FalconsBowling Green FalconsThe Bowling Green Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Bowling Green State University, located in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Falcons participate in NCAA Division I in the Mid-American Conference and the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. BGSU is one of only 13 universities in the...
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- History of the University of FloridaHistory of the University of FloridaThe history of the University of Florida is firmly tied to the history of public education in the state of Florida. The University of Florida, colloquially known as "Florida" or "UF," originated as several distinct institutions that were merged to create a single state-supported university by the...
- List of Florida Gators head football coaches
- List of Ohio State University people
- List of Sigma Chi members
- List of University of Cincinnati people
- University Athletic AssociationUniversity of Florida Athletic AssociationThe University Athletic Association, Inc. is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for maintaining the Florida Gators intercollegiate sports program of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida...
- Utah UtesUtah UtesThe Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the...
External links
- Urban Meyer – Official profile at Gatorzone.com