Florida Football: Is Meyer an Urban Legend or Urban Liar?

TV Man - www.cfb360.com

Whether you believe he's a legend in the making or a liar, Urban Meyer stokes passions on all sides.

Legend advocates will cite his second-year National Championship and a sophomore Heisman Trophy winner.  Liar advocates are lining up against Meyer as stories continue to build, just as bridges linking Meyer to other coaches continue to burn.

Consider these recent stories from other sites and sources on Meyer's recruiting tactics.  It's unlikely the following schools have Meyer on their Christmas card list.

LSU: Florida was ready to take all-star corner Patrick Johnson with what they thought was a bogus test score, but he committed to LSU.  How did Florida respond?  "Florida flagged my scores," Johnson said.  "They called the compliance office."

"I'm not upset," Johnson said.  "Florida made an issue about the ACT score.  They're cowards.  They had to go behind my back.  But that's OK.  We play them this year (on Oct. 11 at Florida)."

FSU (posted on noledigest.com): "While Gator fans will sit and give excuses or spin the details of what is going on, there is no denying that it seems like the UF staff flat-out lies to these kids.

"Here is a quote from Trent Pupello (a player they initially compared to Jeremy Shockey), who is looking to leave the program this year: 'Coach (Steve) Addazio (UF tight ends coach) told me to work on my speed,' Pupello said.  'He didn't say that my speed was slow or anything.  He just said that everything (at this level) is faster.

"'I need to work on speed and getting stronger, which is pretty much what we all need to work on. He said that they need me at tight end, that I’ll have an early chance to play and that all of the tight ends will play on the special teams.'"

Michigan site (on the recruitment of Daryl Stonum): The University of Florida stayed on the four star pass-catcher well all the way through.  Things crescendoed recently after a conversation with Urban Meyer.  According to Stonum, Meyer had a compelling reason why he should become a Gator.

"He told me that he talked to Coach Carr and Coach Soup and that they told him that I would be a much better fit in the Florida offense than I would be in the one at Michigan," Stonum recalled.

"I thought, wow, my coaches are selling me out?  I confronted them about it.  I asked Coach Carr and Coach Soup about it, and they said they never talked to that guy and that there was no way they ever said anything like that and that they think I should be a Wolverine.  I believed them.  Right then, I knew just how Florida rolled."

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