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Urban Meyer Opts For Leave Of Absence
Florida coach Urban Meyer changed his mind Sunday and said he was taking an indefinite leave of absence instead of resigning. Despite ongoing concerns with his health, he expects to be on the sideline leading the Gators when next season opens.
"I do in my gut believe that will happen," he said Sunday at a Allstate Sugar Bowl news conference.
Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will run the team during Meyer's absence, but Meyer will coach against Cincinnati on New Year's Day.
"It's full speed ahead. We're going to do everything possible to win this game," he said.
Meyer, 45, said he was offered and encouraged to take a leave of absence earlier in the week. He said being with his players at a "spirited practice" Sunday morning persuaded him not to resign.
"I've accepted this offer to improve my health," said Meyer, who refused to elaborate on his health problems and declined to answer when asked if doctors advised him to stop coaching.
After the Southeastern Conference championship game three weeks ago, Meyer spent several hours in a Gainesville, Fla., hospital because of chest pains. Meyer said Sunday he had experienced similar problems at times this season but had not had a heart attack.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said when he went to sleep Saturday night he did not think there was any chance Meyer would change his mind.
"It was a long night for everybody in Gator nation," Foley said. "The intent here is to make sure Urban goes and deals with the issues we discussed last night."
Meyer led the Gators to BCS national championships in 2006 and 2008. Meyer is 56-10 with Florida, including 32-8 in the SEC and a school-record 22-game winning streak that was snapped by the Crimson Tide in the conference title game Dec. 5.
"I want to make sure I do right by my family," said Meyer, who is married with three children. "My second family is my players and my staff."
Gators quarterback Tim Tebow said he and several of his teammates cried when they found out Meyer was stepping down Saturday and were elated when he told them he changed his mind.
"We want him to do what's best for him," Tebow said. "We want him to get himself right, and when he's right then come back to coaching, then get back into ball."
Last month, Sports Illustrated chronicled Meyer's coaching career and reported that he suffered from persistent headaches caused by a cyst that becomes inflamed by stress, rage and excitement.
Meyer told the magazine that since the diagnosis in the early 2000s he has tried to stay composed during games.
A tireless recruiter and creative motivator, Meyer came to Florida from Utah in fall 2004 amid speculation he would end up at Notre Dame.
Meyer brought most of his staff with him, some of whom worked with him at Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah (2003-04). Together, they restored the program to national prominence two years later with the school's second national championship.
The Gators upset Ohio State 41-14 in Glendale, Ariz.; they won another one last January by beating Oklahoma 24-14 in Miami.
With just about his entire team returning this fall, Meyer spent all season coaching under intense pressure and sky-high expectations. He said he welcomed it all as the defending national champions tried to become just the second team in the past 14 years to repeat.
But the season was far from smooth. Florida dealt with distraction after distraction, prompting Meyer to call it "the year of stuff."
"I had a 30-year coaching career in nine years," Meyer said. "You just can't do that."
Source: AP
"I do in my gut believe that will happen," he said Sunday at a Allstate Sugar Bowl news conference.
Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will run the team during Meyer's absence, but Meyer will coach against Cincinnati on New Year's Day.
"It's full speed ahead. We're going to do everything possible to win this game," he said.
Meyer, 45, said he was offered and encouraged to take a leave of absence earlier in the week. He said being with his players at a "spirited practice" Sunday morning persuaded him not to resign.
"I've accepted this offer to improve my health," said Meyer, who refused to elaborate on his health problems and declined to answer when asked if doctors advised him to stop coaching.
After the Southeastern Conference championship game three weeks ago, Meyer spent several hours in a Gainesville, Fla., hospital because of chest pains. Meyer said Sunday he had experienced similar problems at times this season but had not had a heart attack.
Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said when he went to sleep Saturday night he did not think there was any chance Meyer would change his mind.
"It was a long night for everybody in Gator nation," Foley said. "The intent here is to make sure Urban goes and deals with the issues we discussed last night."
Meyer led the Gators to BCS national championships in 2006 and 2008. Meyer is 56-10 with Florida, including 32-8 in the SEC and a school-record 22-game winning streak that was snapped by the Crimson Tide in the conference title game Dec. 5.
"I want to make sure I do right by my family," said Meyer, who is married with three children. "My second family is my players and my staff."
Gators quarterback Tim Tebow said he and several of his teammates cried when they found out Meyer was stepping down Saturday and were elated when he told them he changed his mind.
"We want him to do what's best for him," Tebow said. "We want him to get himself right, and when he's right then come back to coaching, then get back into ball."
Last month, Sports Illustrated chronicled Meyer's coaching career and reported that he suffered from persistent headaches caused by a cyst that becomes inflamed by stress, rage and excitement.
Meyer told the magazine that since the diagnosis in the early 2000s he has tried to stay composed during games.
A tireless recruiter and creative motivator, Meyer came to Florida from Utah in fall 2004 amid speculation he would end up at Notre Dame.
Meyer brought most of his staff with him, some of whom worked with him at Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah (2003-04). Together, they restored the program to national prominence two years later with the school's second national championship.
The Gators upset Ohio State 41-14 in Glendale, Ariz.; they won another one last January by beating Oklahoma 24-14 in Miami.
With just about his entire team returning this fall, Meyer spent all season coaching under intense pressure and sky-high expectations. He said he welcomed it all as the defending national champions tried to become just the second team in the past 14 years to repeat.
But the season was far from smooth. Florida dealt with distraction after distraction, prompting Meyer to call it "the year of stuff."
"I had a 30-year coaching career in nine years," Meyer said. "You just can't do that."
Source: AP