Urban Meyer: 'Ship Has Sailed' on Potential Return as Florida HC amid Struggles

Amid questions surrounding head coach Billy Napier's job security at Florida following the team's 1-2 start to the 2024 season, it sounds like a reunion with a former head coach won't be an option for the Gators.

During an appearance on The Triple Option podcast, Urban Meyer shot down the possibility of returning to coach Florida, saying, "That ship has sailed."

Meyer, who coached the Gators from 2005 to 2010 and led the team to national championships in 2006 and 2008, added that he still actively roots for Florida to succeed, but he has no plans of returning to the sidelines in Gainesville.

"I want that program to do well, so bad," Meyer said. "I know so many people there and we gave a big part of our life to that program. But that ship has sailed."

A three-time national champion coach in the collegiate ranks, Meyer hasn't returned to coaching since his failed stint in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 which saw him get fired before the end of the season following his 2-11 record at the helm. ESPN's Paul Finebaum floated the possibility of Meyer returning to coach Florida during an appearance on The Matt Barrie Show this week.

"Well, I mean, we know there were a lot of bad feelings," Finebaum said. "I don't think those feelings are still there. It's been a long time. And one thing you can't deny about Urban Meyer is he came within a paper clip of winning three national championships in four years there, and that's all that matters."

For now, it appears that the Gators will have to try and make it work with Napier before the season gets too out of hand. Florida will try to get back to its winning ways when it visits Mississippi State for a road matchup on Saturday.