Urban Meyer recently shared that he is not interested in returning as head coach of the Florida Gators. Meyer, who led Florida to two national championships during his tenure from 2005 to 2010, has been the subject of speculation regarding potential coaching vacancies.
However, he made it clear that a return to the Gators isn’t in his plans, signaling that he remains committed to his current role outside of coaching. Meyer’s legacy at Florida remains strong, but he seems focused on other pursuits for now.
After a 1-2 start in his third year in Gainesville, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier is sitting in one of the most hottest seats in the history of the program. Napier’s first two seasons with the Gators were both losing records, with a combined record of 11-14 entering 2024. Having said that, optimism surrounding the program as he entered his third year, with hopes that things would begin to improve for a school that had seen three head coaching changes in the previous decade.
While the Gators have enjoyed a few strong seasons since the departure of former head coach Urban Meyer in 2010, they have been inconsistent at best. The Gators’ most recent season, which many would consider successful, was an 11-2 record under Dan Mullen in 2019. Since then, the program has continued its slow deterioration that began before to Mullen’s arrival.
For Napier, it is not necessarily that they will lose games in 2024, as the Gators were ranked as having the worst schedule in the country before to the season, but rather the manner in which the Gators appear to lose. The Gators have totaled only 562 yards of offense in their first two games against FBS opponents, the Miami Hurricanes and the Texas A&M Aggies, and they have been outscored 74-37.
Needless to say, these statistics largely convey the tale of the desire for reform. Again, it is not that the Gators are losing; it is how they are losing that is causing concern.
With prospective firings and coaches on the hot seat comes conjecture about who the next head coach of a team will be, and the Gators’ potential vacancy is no exception. Jedd Fisch, Lane Kiffin, and Urban Meyer are some of the familiar names that have surfaced. Meyer previously coached the Gators and won two national championships in six seasons.
Although Meyer’s success looked to be accompanied with some negativity surrounding the program, success on the field appears to be something Gator supporters are more hungry for at this point, and willing to deal with the potential negative consequences. Meyer may not be amenable to it, even if the fans and administration are.
What did Urban Meyer say about coaching the Florida Gators for a second time?
Meyer recently featured on The Triple Option podcast, dismissing the possibility of returning to Florida, saying, “That ship has sailed.” That pretty much settles it. Even if the Gators contact Meyer to assess his interest, they already know there will be little interest. This should enable them to conduct a more targeted search for other potential coaches to replace Napier.
