Urban Meyer Resigns: What Will It Mean for LSU and the Rest of the SEC?

Over the weekend, Florida Gator Coach Urban Meyers had a meeting with Athletic Director Jeremy Foley, and he offered his resignation as Head Coach of the Gators. 

Wow, this was a surprise to most SEC fans including myself, but then the Gator team has been doing rather poorly this year and the fans have been grumbling. 

It seems the Gators and Urban Meyer's problems actually started when Alabama defeated the Gators for the SEC title in 2008, and it has continued to decline every since.  

Coach Meyer first resigned because of what he thought was a heart condition after the Gators loss to Alabama,  but he later changed his mind and returned.  

As long as Tim Tebow was still there, the Gators seemed to still be a viable SEC power, but now that Tebow is gone, this year the Gators have struggled mightily and they barely finished with a winning record.  In fact, for the first time you could hear boos from the Gator faithful when they didn't like the plays being called. 

I wonder if the pressures from the Gator fans has anything to do with Meyer seeking less pressure somewhere else.  If not the pressures, then I wonder what made Coach Meyer come to this stunning conclusion,

Maybe he just couldn't take having to rebuild the Gators again and he was not comfortable with the task facing him along with the spoiled Gator fans. 

But now that he has resigned the ramifications of his decision will be felt like an earthquake all over the SEC region.  Florida was definitely one of the powers in the SEC and now the dominoes will begin to fall everywhere.

As far how the resignation of Urban Myers will affect LSU, I have listed the following as likely events. 

1.  The Tigers will face a wounded foe at least next year in Tiger Stadium and they will be waiting for the chance to move in for the kill.  

2.  Since LSU has been recruiting many of the same players that Florida was and several had LSU as one of their hot places to play, it looks like many of those players will again reopen the recruiting process, and LSU should have an excellent opportunity to get some of those targeted players they missed before. 

3.  Possibly there may be some present Gator players than want to consider a transfer, and they will be looking for the stronger and more stable programs to go to.  Say what you will about Coach Les Miles, but this guy has a stable and grounded program where the players all like the coaches and the Tigers just keep finding a way to win.

With Zach Mettenberger coming in as the new LSU quarterback, he could be the missing part of the puzzle that will make LSU the dominant team in the West. With the LSU youth getting experience this year, the Tigers could well be the one to watch next year.   

As far as the SEC goes, the resignation of Urban Meyers could bring the following events: 

1.  The rumor is out that Florida will pursue Mississippi State Coach Dan Mullen as their new coach. If the Gators really want Mullen then I think he will probably take the job. 

2.  If Mullen goes then that will leave an opening at Mississippi State and I am sure they will pursue someone else's coach or assistant. 

3.  I am sure the current Gator assistants will be looking for jobs and then others schools will pursue them.  So, the resignation by Urban Meyers will start a whirl wind of changes in the SEC.  

4.  With a different coach and different coaching styles coming in at Florida the Gators will probably struggle for a year or two before they can regain their program status. 

5.  The struggling Gators will leave a big opportunity for South Carolina and Georgia to take the balance of power in the SEC East, but the Vols may have something to say next year.   

6.  The best news of all of this maybe for Tennessee as they will benefit most from the wounded Gators as Dooley is just now getting that team on the rise and he will no longer have to worry about a challenge from the Gators.  With good recruiting I think the Vols could easily become an unexpected force in the East much like they used to be. 

7.  Without the Gators, The SEC will be more about LSU, Alabama, and Auburn next year, but if Cam Newton goes as expected then Auburn will not be anything like the team they are now.  

Arkansas will be losing Ryan Mallett and they are desperately looking for a quarterback now to replace him and if they don't then they could be a team in transition also.   

The Hogs made a big push for Zach Mettenberg , but they missed out as he committed to LSU.

8.  Let's don't forget that Vanderbilt is also looking for a new coach, and this could be a blessing for them since there will be a number of top assistants looking for jobs. 

All in all I see the resignation of Urban Meyer as a very big event that will probably effect every team in the SEC in some manner.  

Now the final question will be, Where will Urban Meyer Coach Next Year ? I am sure he has something in mind as I doubt a successful coach like Meyer will just walk away into the sunset.

Though this is just pure speculation, don't be surprised to see Urban Meyer end up back at Utah now that they are joining the Pac 12.   Because it is not common for a coach to back track himself, there still  may be less pressure and stranger things have happened.