Would Urban Meyer Have Left Florida for Ohio State If He Hadn't Retired?

Florida fans feel disappointed, even deceived.  Their once prominent head coach has returned, but not to Gainesville.  Urban Meyer left Florida to work on his life and now he is back. But the question is: Would Urban Meyer have taken the Ohio State job even if he were still at Florida? Currently, Florida fans are feeling jilted.

Crystal Gross, a graduate of the University of Florida and current graduate student, was asked in an email correspondence what the current state of affairs was like at the University of Florida.  She responded, “People around me reported feeling betrayed and bitter that Urban was a liar for not keeping his word.”

Eli Marger of Bleacher Report also published an antagonizing letter against Urban Meyer.  In it he writes, “we hope that the recruits will see the way you stabbed the Florida football program in the back with a scarlet and grey knife. We hope the fans will remain skeptical of you as long as you are there. We hope that Michigan beats you every single year. We hope that every Ohio State Buckeye knows the same pain that we, the Florida Gators, feel right now.”

These types of reactions can come across as classless, angry and ungrateful.  AD Jeremy Foley offered a gracious and thankful send off knowing that Meyer’s contribution to the school warranted it.

Gator fans need to understand that in 2009, Ohio State had a head coach, one that was very prominent in Jim Tressel, and his contract would run through the 2014 season.  The thought of coaching at OSU was probably not a reality for Meyer.  But the unexpected happened and Jim Tressel was forced to resign.  Now, what was once thought impossible became a reality.

The question remains, would Urban Frank Meyer have taken the OSU job if he were still head coach at UF? I will guess yes. 

In a revealing 2007 article by Kelly Whiteside of the USA Today, she wrote an article on Meyer before he played Ohio State in his first BCS game. What Whiteside uncovered about Meyer was very revealing.

Whiteside writes “the boy from Ashtabula, Ohio, wore No. 45 on his football jersey in honor of Buckeyes great, Archie Griffin. He got his start in coaching as a graduate assistant at Ohio State under Earle Bruce, who became his mentor. He has a large portrait of Ohio State coaching legend Woody Hayes, his idol, in the rec room at home. A framed photo of Bruce is displayed proudly in his office. His wife carries a buckeye (the nut from a buckeye tree) in her purse for good luck.”

It is clear that Meyer has Ohio State in his blood so when the chance to coach his home-state team came, he jumped.  Just like people in Florida grow up loving the Gators, Meyer grew up loving Ohio State.

Whiteside also writes, “Meyer loves his home state . . . the lessons he learned remain.
He says everything he does at Florida to build tradition he learned at Ohio State, such as doing the Gator Walk before games — a pep rally of sorts as the players enter the stadium — and singing the fight song afterward. Although he receives plenty of attention for his innovative offense, its principles are based in his Midwestern roots. His players are well-steeped in Buckeye lore and know how it influenced him.”

Whiteside goes on to share Meyer’s response to the question: "Once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye?” Meyer’s response: "I am a Buckeye."

The last phrase is quite revealing. Meyer loved UF and gave five hard and prosperous years to the school but it is clear that being a Buckeye was always in his heart and that if the Ohio State job ever opened up, Meyer would take it.  This would be different if Meyer were from Florida, but he is an Ohio boy and wanted to go home.

Gator fans need to realize that Urban Meyer neither jilted them nor lied to them, he just got the job he had always wanted.  Had Meyer not left UF for health and family concerns, I still believe he would have taken the Ohio State job. Buckeye is in his blood, it is who he is, it is what he has dreamed about. Meyer gave six wonderful years to Florida with wins and championships.  Few football programs experienced the success UF fans have. Urban has been a big blessing to Florida now send him off back home with grace, honor and thankfulness.  He has earned it.