Meyer to Florida

[treynolds]

The University of Florida has offered its coaching job to Urban Meyer, who accepted today, ESPN.com's Pat Forde has learned.


Florida papers reported the offer to Meyer, who has coached Utah to a 12-0 season and a BCS bowl bid, on their Web sites Friday morning.


"It could be any minute," UF president Dr. Bernie Machen told The Palm Beach Post earlier today. "I'm waiting for an e-mail."


When asked about the report, Utah athletic director Chris Hill, deferred.


"My position is to let the other parties in these things -- the schools and the coach -- speak for themselves," Hill said. "Any kind of confirmation would have to come from other sources."


When pressed, Hill offered no further comment.


Meyer met with his players Thursday and told them what schools are pursuing him, but he would not be specific when asked about the meeting.


"There's too many things involved right now to have any comments," Meyer said after a practice at Utah's new indoor practice field.


Florida officials were in Utah on Thursday, as were Notre Dame officials.


Meyer will replace Ron Zook, who was fired but coached the team through the end of the season.


The Utah coach has said he wants to coach the Utes in their bowl game. Zook has not yet decided whether he will coach the Gators in the Peach Bowl.


Utah is expected to consider offensive coordinator Mike Sanford and defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham to replace Meyer.

 

[treynolds]

Word is Florida doubled notre dames offer, meyer will be making over 2million a year

 

[AR182]

i heard that the main reason for meyer not taking the notre dame job was that he asked notre dame to lower their admission standards....but they refused.

 

[2muchchalk]

i lol how notre dame gets screwed.
They fire their coach under contract (first time ever) to get this guy. Meyer's dream job was notre dame. He even had an out in his contract that said he could go there anytime ND offered him a job. After ND sets up everything, they can't seal the deal with the hottest coach in the ncaa right now. Notre Dame needed him alot more than he needed notre dame. I also heard there was a money issue, bc notre dame didn't want to give a coach all that money bcthey are still the mighty notre dame. Meyer had the ball in his court and said, well if you are going to hardball me i will go to Florida. ,They have one of the best recuiting states in the country, they already have talent there from the last coach, and Florida can bring in any stud they want who can't read. He also has a better shot winning a national title there than in ND> Notre Dame tried to bully him down bc they were ND, and now they have no options. Boy i love it!

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

i heard that the main reason for meyer not taking the notre dame job was that he asked notre dame to lower their admission standards....but they refused.

I'd like to believe that's true. I'll always be an ND fan, but if they fire the man who has every attribute that the University tries to build in their students and then give a new coach different rules to play with, I will become more disillusioned with the Board of Trustees than ever.

. . . and for the record, despite all the reports to the contrary, ND fired Davie with three years left on his contract. That's what made 2001 so beautiful. Davie had already been told that he was getting canned at the end of the year, and every time that he was asked about his job security, he always said "This is Notre Dame and we do things different here." Terrible coach, but wonderful slash and burn strategy

 

[Blackman]

I think at this point ND has to make a decision -- do they want to concentrate on upholding these academic standards or do they want to compete for a national title. It's sad to say, but in today's climate I don't think you can have both.

If they are going to make the academic stance, then they are going to have to accept a lot of 7-4 type years and be happy with it. Appears this was a sticking point with Meyer, and if this is a huge issue with ND administration, I guestion why Willingham got the boot, he graduated players and had no problems off the field with them.

Either way ND has egg on their face right now.

 

[ELVIS]

forgive me, but what am i missing ? the state florida has a ton of talent, and the offense he runs is perfect for it. he will replace spurrier as "captain covers II"


seriously, the recruits for ND will not typically be as talented as the other big name schools - at the least they cannot have the depth. the admission standards are very different, and ND has not been as good as they were 10 yrs ago - this also doesn't help. also, i think losing lou holtz really hurt the school. jmo

finally, where are the tim brown's , rocket ismail's, tony rice,etc. they just don't seem to get as many of these guys anymore. jmo

 

[2muchchalk]

seriously, if ND is SO about academics, why did they fire their coach? Why bc he didn't win. That is why. If you are really about grades they would understand that they can't get the best studs in the country. They are the biggest two faced college i have ever seen. Is your academic standards high or do u want to win football games? ND wants to have their pie and eat it too. YOU can not have both. They think they can have both bc they are ND. Well in this age you can't. All Meyers wanted was a few players who did not fit into their "What relative when to ND and who is a above average student." I know kids who got a 1550 and got WAIT LISTED. If their high pripority are about academics; dont' fire your coach bc he didn't win bc he obviously wasn't getting the players he wanted. Great young football players don't go to Notre Dame anymore simply for the fact it is ND anymore. Maybe 15 years they did but now they dont'.

 

[Blackman]

I know kids who got a 1550 and got WAIT LISTED..

Any of them your students???

 

[volfan]

Maybe ND should join the Ivy League

 

[BobbyBlueChip]

. . . But then they'd never have room for the creampuffs on the schedule like UT.