University of Florida president Bernie Machen spoke with Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated after the Florida Gators‘ 51-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the 2010 Sugar Bowl on Friday. When asked about head coach Urban Meyer‘s leave of absence, Machen was forthcoming with his answer. “It could be six months, it could be a year, or it could be never,” Machen said. “But this is all about Urban and helping him get well and get himself right. [The media has] been on a bit of a wild-goose chase looking for some illness or something that’s wrong with him. He just gave all of himself to his job, and he’s exhausted mentally and physically. He doesn’t, as far as I know, have any serious medical problem. There’s no heart deal.”

Machen also revealed details about the first conversations Meyer had with him about stepping down. “He was thinking what was best for the university was for him to leave,” Machen said. “It was typical Urban. He always puts himself last in the conversation. At that time, I said, ‘Urban, think about yourself. If you coach again, wouldn’t you like to do it at Florida?’ He really wasn’t thinking about that.” With the new plan – to give Meyer a leave of absence and appoint offensive coordinator Steve Addazio as interim coach – the administration knows they are taking a chance. “It is a gamble. But what the hell? I’ll take that bet anytime,” Machen said. “He’s the best coach in America. He loves this program. He built this program. It’s his program. I would hate for him to wake up a year from now and decide he wants to coach again and we’ve moved on.”

Meyer, who said during the trophy presentation that he “plan[s] on being the coach of the Gators,” reiterated that stance in the press conference. “In my gut, I feel like I’ll be back,” Meyer said. “I just want to make sure my family and health are No. 1. And I’ve just got to get that right.” Addazio feels the same way. “It’s real simple,” Addazio said. “Florida’s Florida. Coach will be back.”

In the end, the decision to offer Meyer a leave of absence was really about one simple concept. “If there’s any chance that Urban Meyer is going to coach again,” Machen said, “I want it to be at Florida.” For more details about this story, please check out Staples’ SI.com article.

Tags: Bernie Machen, Cincinnati Bearcats, Steve Addazio, Sugar Bowl, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

University of Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley announced Saturday afternoon that Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer will be stepping down after coaching the team in the 2010 Sugar Bowl against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Meyer, 45, who was hospitalized with chest pains after the 2009 SEC Championship, has had concerns about his health for years. A school source has told ESPN that “Meyer has been to the hospital at least twice since suffering chest pains after the SEC title game” and that “the heart problems are stress related, not congenital.” Numerous rumors state Meyer may have had a heart attack.

In 1998, while he was an assistant with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Meyer experienced head pains that led doctors to discover a non-life-threatening arachnoid cyst on his brain. Though it did not put him in immediate danger, the cyst could flare up because of stress – something that happened while he was head coach of the Utah Utes. If stress is the key component at work with Meyer’s health problems, his decision to retire becomes even more clear.

“I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program,” Meyer said in statement released to the press. “I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family. After consulting with my family, [university president] Dr. [Bernie] Machen, Jeremy Foley and my doctors, I believe it is in my best interest to step aside and focus on my health and family.

“I’m proud to be a part of the Gainesville community and the Gator Nation and I plan to remain in Gainesville and involved with the University of Florida. I’m very appreciative for the opportunity I’ve had to be a part of a tremendous institution – from Dr. Machen to Jeremy Foley and the entire administrative staff at UF. I’m also very thankful for the chance to work with some of the best assistants in college football and coach some of the best college football players and watch them grow both on and off the field as people. I will cherish the relationships with them the most.”

According to Pete Thamel of the New York Times, Meyer suffered severe chest pains while sleeping after the Alabama game. He was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, “underwent more than nine hours of testing” and was scared for his life after losing consciousness. Though he has “suffered from severe chest pains the past two years,” these were particularly frightening. Meyer continued testing after returning to Gainesville.

On Christmas Eve, Meyer told his family that he would be resigning. “I saw it as a sign from God that this was the right thing to do,” is how Meyer said he felt when his 18-year-old daughter Nicki was overjoyed to find out he was returning home. “I was worried about letting people down. I was feeling so awful and concerned about my health. That was among several other signs that said it’s time to back away.”

For now, Meyer’s focus is solely on the Sugar Bowl. “I just want to win this game for these players and make sure that the University of Florida is in good shape,” Meyer said. “I haven’t even thought about anything after that, other than I’m a Gator and I’ll always be a Gator.” Meyer also told the Times that the team cried but took the news well. “I was very concerned about that. They were awesome. They stayed 45 minutes afterward.”

Foley and Machen also made statements about Meyer’s resignation.

“Coach Meyer and I have talked this through and I realize how hard this was for him to reach this decision,” Foley said. “But, the bottom line is that Coach Meyer needed to make a choice that is in the best interest of his well being and his family. I certainly appreciate what he has meant to the University of Florida, our football program and the Gator Nation. I have never seen anyone more committed to his players, his family and his program. Above all, I appreciate our friendship.”

“Urban Meyer’s integrity, work ethic and commitment to his players are some of the reasons we asked him to become head football coach at the University of Florida,” Machen said. “As a Gator, Urban has done everything we asked of him and more. He leaves a lasting legacy on the field, in the classroom and in the Gainesville community. I am saddened that Urban is stepping down but I have deep respect for his decision.”

Meyer leaves Florida with a 56-10 record (32-8 SEC), a school-record 22-game winning streak, two BCS National Championships and two SEC Championships. His .841 career winning percentage (95-18) is the highest among active coaches with at least five years experience, and he is the only current coach to win two BCS titles.

“I love Coach Meyer,” senior quarterback Tim Tebow said in a statement released Saturday evening. “The past four years he has been my dad away from home. We will always have a father-son relationship for the rest of our lives. Coach loves the university, his players and the fans. I believe he has made the right decision for him and his family. He will always be loved by me and the Gator faithful.”

Meyer will host a press conference in New Orleans, LA, at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Florida sports information director Steve McClain has said that Meyer will not only stay on in a non-coaching role for the Gators, but that he will also be heavily involved in the hiring of his successor.

NOTES/RUMORS:
- McClain also said that reports of Meyer having a defective heart muscle and an unreported heart attack are incorrect.
- ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Foley was aware of Meyer’s thoughts about resigning for a week.
- Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel reports that the Gators tried to keep Meyer by offering him time off.
- ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit says Meyer sounded “devastated” when the two spoke earlier.
- In a completely unconfirmed report, WKMG television in Orlando, FL, is reporting that Meyer suffered a heart attack during the season. Station sports director David Pingalore also is also reporting that Meyer did not inform anyone about the issue.
- OGGOA source: Meyer may have had a heart attack upon his return to Gainesville after the SEC Championship.
- A source has told Pat Dooley of The Gainesville Sun that Meyer “just doesn’t have anything left in the tank” and “had been considering leaving coaching for more than a week, going back and forth on the decision.”
- Dooley said players were brought to tears when Meyer gathered the team.
- ESPN’s Pat Forde: Former defensive coordinator Charlie Strong, who was just recently hired as the Louisville Cardinals head coach, has only signed a term sheet with the University of Louisville and not yet a contract. The school’s media relations director, Rocco Gasparro, has confirmed this fact.

OGGOA will update this breaking news story as more is made available.

Tags: BCS, Bernie Machen, Charlie Strong, Cincinnati Bearcats, heart, Jeremy Foley, Louisville Cardinals, National Championship, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, SEC Championship, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, Utah Utes

Arrested for DUI the Monday before the 2009 SEC Championship, junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap became a pariah in the eyes of Florida Gators fans. How could he be so stupid? How could he be so selfish? How could he do this to himself, his teammates and die-hard Gators fans? If Dunlap’s father had it his way, his son would return to the University of Florida to play football, earn his degree and – more importantly – redeem himself and his family.

“It’s a possibility,” Carlos Dunlap, Sr. told The Post and Courier. “It’s a 50-50 chance that he will come back. If it was my decision right now, I would say come back. Because we are a very prideful family. We have a tarnished name, somewhat in the eyes of so-called fans. But I really feel there is a distinct possibility he will come back because he feels like he owes his university something. There are ways you can always redeem yourself. This is not Carlos’ senior year. Carlos has another year to go in school. If he decides to come back to school, he can redeem himself and show the kind of character he has.”

Dunlap’s previously clean record and strong family values have already led head coach Urban Meyer, athletic director Jeremy Foley and university president Bernie Machen to believe in him and allow him to return to the team for the 2010 Sugar Bowl (should he meet certain criteria). But will Dunlap actually return to Gainesville, FL, if he can be a top 10 pick in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft?

Originally considered a top five pick and potentially even No. 1 overall, Dunlap’s draft projection fell after his DUI arrest brought questions about his trustworthiness. However, the situation is now out of the national spotlight, and Dunlap gets a chance to play on New Year’s Day in a BCS bowl game. Couple that exposure with a strong combine and positive recommendations from his coaches, and he could very well vault back into that top tier without having to spend another year in college. Therefore, the question is no longer if Dunlap is stupid or selfish or if his absence was just another unnecessary distraction that held the Gators back from performing at their best in Atlanta, GA.

The remaining question is simple: Is it about pride or money?

Tags: BCS, Bernie Machen, Carlos Dunlap, Draft, Jeremy Foley, NFL, SEC Championship, Sugar Bowl, Urban Meyer

Florida Gators head coach Urban Meyer, athletic director Jeremy Foley and University of Florida president Bernie Machen unanimously decided Friday to clear junior defensive end Carlos Dunlap to play in the 2010 Sugar Bowl less than three weeks after he was arrested for driving under the influence. Meyer, who made the announcement of Dunlap’s reinstatement after Friday’s practice, had suspended him from the team indefinitely the day after his arrest on Dec. 1.

“[Dunlap is] going to play if he takes care [of some things],” Meyer said. “[I talked] with the administration, with the president and also the athletic director. What was involved was it was his first mistake. It was a real serious one, but he paid a serious price as well. It was a real serious mistake. But since he’s been here he’s been a good student, a good person and represented us well. It devastated him. There were a lot of discussions. No previous track record. It’s case-by-case. If there was another issue, it would be an issue, and there hasn’t been. That’s basically what the administration let me know. They actually let me know.”

Discuss: Do you agree with UF’s decision to clear Dunlap to return this season?

Tags: Bernie Machen, Jeremy Foley, Sugar Bowl, University of Florida, Urban Meyer

From time to time, OGGOA will come across a plethora of news and notes that we wish to share with our readers. In those instances, we present a special post: Gator Bites. Enjoy.

» An article published Tuesday by the Gainesville Sun brings Florida Gators fans numerous clarifications from head coach Urban Meyer about some of the most recent incidents and rumors swirling around the football program. It is important to remember that just because Meyer says something does not make it true as coaches cannot always be honest with the media and public. OGGOA will tackle Meyer’s statements one-by-one based on their appearance in the article.

- (Did Billy Gonzales’ knowledge about a birthday party attended by Carlos Dunlap lead to his dismissal?) “That’s absolutely not true,” Meyer said. “In fact, that’s the first I’ve heard of that one. Billy left because he was passed up last year for the offensive coordinator’s job. It was about the title.”

- (Then why did they hire Zach Azzanni so quickly as his replacement?) “We had to act quickly on that because of recruiting and because we have a bowl game coming up,” Meyer said. “I knew the guy and we moved fast on that.”

- (Ole Miss Rebels defensive coordinator Tyrone Nix was offered the job at Florida and turned it down, right?) “I talked to Tyrone. I’ve known Tyrone for a long time,” Meyer said. “But we would have had to change our whole defense if we hired him. We would have had to change everything our players are doing, and we didn’t want to do that.”

- (Will Dunlap play in the 2010 Sugar Bowl?) “It’s close to being finalized,” he said. “It’ll be done pretty soon.” Meyer also indicated he will sit down with athletic director Jeremy Foley and UF president Bernie Machen before making the decision.

Three more Gator Bites are waiting for your eyes after the jump!
Continue Reading » Gator Bites for Tuesday, December 15th

Tags: Bernie Machen, Billy Gonzales, Bob Griese, Carlos Dunlap, Charlie Strong, Jeremy Foley, Jim Rome, Louisville Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Mike and Mike in the Morning, Ole Miss Rebels, Steve Addazio, Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow, Tyrone Nix, University of Florida, Urban Meyer, Zach Azzanni

1 » Florida Gators junior punter Chas Henry was named a candidate for the 2009 Ray Guy Award on Thursday. Given annually to the nation’s top collegiate punter, the award may very well end up on Henry’s mantle. He has yet to allow a single punt return yard in 2009, making the Gators one of only two teams in the country to accomplish that feat. Named the preseason All-SEC First-Team punter, Henry has punted the ball 18 times on the season with 16 not returned and seven downed inside the 20-yard line.

2 » SEC commissioner Mike Slive told The Associated Press on Friday that conference coaches who violate the ethics rules against criticizing officials in public will face a suspension or fine (even for the first offense) instead of public reprimands like in the past. The new rule, which is already in effect, was unanimously agreed upon by the conference’s athletic directors and university presidents, including Florida’s Jeremy Foley and Bernie Machen. The ruling comes on the heels of three SEC coaches being warned in the last two weeks including the Tennessee Volunteers’ Lane Kiffin, Arkansas Razorbacks’ Bobby Petrino and Mississippi Sate Bulldogs’ Dan Mullen. “I was no longer interested in reprimands” Slive told the AP.

3 » Former Florida quarterback Rex Grossman and defensive back Lawrence Wright have been inducted into the 14th Anniversary class of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame. They were honored along with Georgia Bulldogs inductees Garrison Hearst and David Pollack. Grossman was 3-0 against the Bulldogs including performances where he went 27-of-35 for 407 yards and two touchdowns (2001, 24-10 victory) and 36-of-41 setting a school record for completions (2002, 20-13 victory). Wright was a Thorpe Award winner who owned a perfect 4-0 record against Georgia and was part of a senior class that claimed four-straight SEC championships and won the 1996 National Championship. He forced two fumbles and recorded a sack against Georgia in 1995.

4 » REMINDER: No. 10 soccer (13-4-2, 7-1-2 SEC) will host SEC East rival No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks (15-2-1, 7-2-1 SEC) TONIGHT at 6 p.m. at James G. Pressly Stadium. The Gators, with 23 points, currently lead the SEC and can take home the regular season title with a win Friday night. If you are in Gainesville, FL, be sure to go out and support them! Admission is FREE!

Tags: Arkansas Razorbacks, Bernie Machen, Bobby Petrino, Chas Henry, Dan Mullen, David Pollack, Garrison Hearst, Georgia Bulldogs, Hall of Fame, James G. Pressly Stadium, Jeremy Foley, Lane Kiffin, Lawrence Wright, Mike Slive, Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ray Guy Award, Rex Grossman, SEC, soccer, South Carolina Gamecocks, Tennessee Volunteers