The Shock Heard 'Round The World

Yesterday, I learned that Urban Meyer, the head coach of my beloved Florida Gators, is retiring due to health concerns. First of all, let me thank Coach Meyer for everything is has done for the Gator program. He took a terrible program and turned it into gold with two national championships in five years.

As far as his decision is concerned, I agree with it 100 %. I'm not like some of these crazy Alabama fans (read the post on this later on today) who have nothing else better to do than to cheer for my team and poke fun at others. Meyer is a young guy (45) who has a wife and three kids. His health is top priority. He needs to make sure he is around to give his daughters away at their weddings and watch them grow up as adults. Tim Tebow said it best after the loss to Alabama a few weeks ago that despite the pain, football isn't everything. I've read that stress has played a great deal into his health. I would love for him to take as much time as he needs to recouperate.

Now, as far as his replacement is concerned. The guys I would love for the Gators to target as the new head coach are Steve Spurrier (South Carolina), Dan Mullen (Mississippi State), Charlie Strong (Louisville), and Kyle Whittingham (Utah).

Steve Spurrier's name is on the list for all the obvious reasons. He coached the Gators from 1990-2001, led them to six SEC Championships, a national championship, and coached a Heisman trophy winner. He might be a nice fit to coach at his alma mater a few years while Urban Meyer rests for a few years. Spurrier could retire with his family in Gainesville after retiring. He's already on record for saying he wants to coach maybe five more years. Plus, I think he'd welcome the opportunity to get back to Atlanta to contend for SEC championships and get another national championship to go with his 1996 national championship ring.

Dan Mullen is a strong possibillity because of his ties with Florida and Meyer. He was the offensive coordinator at Florida from 2005-2008, he won a pair of national championships with the team, coached a Heisman trophy winner, and coached a lot of the players on the roster. Also, he was Meyer's quarterbacks coach at Utah from 2002-2004 and at Bowling Green from 2001-2002.

Charlie Strong is a guy I'm not so sure about. Don't get me wrong. He has the stuff to succeed and pick up where Meyer left off. However, would he want to renege on a Louisville program that gave him his first coach opportunity just three weeks ago? Like Mullen, Strong's hire would ease the pain of losing Meyer due to his familiarty with the players. And also like Mullen, Strong has coached two national championship teams at Florida. His recruiting ties would remain strong as he's recruited several kids in Florida's 2010 class. In addition, Strong might have stronger ties to Florida than any other candidate, except Steve Spurrier. He served as a grad assistant at UF from 1983-1984, outside linebackers coach from 1988-1989, assistant head coach/defensive tackles coach from 1991-1994, and defensive coordinator from 2002-2009.

Kyle Whittingham could be seen as a curveball. Florida has already gone the Utah route to find a head coach once (with Meyer) and could catch ligtning in a bottle twice with the hiring of Whittingham. Whittingham served as the defensive coordinator under Meyer at Utah from 2002-2004. His team runs the same spread-style offense Florida runs. He coached an undefeated team last year that upset heavily favored Alabama in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl. He's got the credentials, but would Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley pull the trigger?

Foley struck out with Zook as he made a quick decision following Spurrier's abrupt departure from UF in January 2002. Obviously, things are different this time around, but who will be the right man for the job. I feel the aforementioned candidates are strong candidates for the job. A couple of dark horse candidates for the job could be Oklahoma's Bob Stoops and Boise State's Chris Petersen.

Stoops was beaten by Meyer in last year's national championship game, and has seen Florida's program skyrocket with Meyer at the helm. With mounting displeasure about his team flopping in big games (2004 National Championship, 2005 National Championship, 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, and 2009 BCS National Championship Game), would a change of scenery to the Sunshine State sway the former Florida defensive coordinator to return to the school he once coached at?

Chris Petersen is another interesting choice. Like Meyer, Petersen is a big fish in a small pond at Boise State. Petersen says he's committed to Boise State, but if Foley came a calling, would the allure of national championships and millions of dollars be too much to pass up? Stay tuned.

Lastly, I would like to reiterate my gratitude for what Meyer has done for Florida's program. He's turned Florida into a national powerhouse in a great conference like the SEC. (Note to the sadistic Bama fans: Meyer wins championships in the 21st century. Your "Bear" Bryant took advantage of hatred and racism to dominate a restricted conference 40 years ago. The "Bear" is dead...deal with it.) I would also like to thank the other assistants, Meyer's family, and the assistants' familes as well for allowing them to spend countless hours with the team instead of being at home. Meyer sacrificed so much to this program. He certainly shouldn't have been expected to sacrifice his life for the team. Coach Meyer and his family will remain in my prayers. Godspeed Coach Meyer and a job well done.