Urban Meyer is off to Ohio State to coach the Buckeyes, fulfilling a lifelong dream and continuing his storied career just 10 months after choosing to leave Florida because it was “time to put my focus on my family and life away from the field.”

Gator Nation was rocked when the more-solid-than-ever rumors began a week ago and continued its uproar Monday when it was confirmed and later officially announced that Meyer would indeed be heading to Ohio State.

Plenty is being said in regards to whether or not Gators fans have a right to be upset at Meyer for taking a job just months after declaring that he needed to reevaluate his health and relationship with his family but there is not one correct answer as to how Florida fans should feel about Meyer’s decision and the way in which this situation unfolded.

Whether the perception is that Meyer was dishonest when communicating his intentions for leaving Florida, a culprit of circumstance with his dream job suddenly becoming available years sooner than expected, or a college football addict unable to satisfy his fix while sitting behind a desk working for a major network, each observation has its own legitimate merits to be considered for evaluation.

Let’s take a more complete look at the situation by examining each angle of the story.

HEALTH

The first of two reasons he noted as reasons for choosing to step down from his position with the Gators, Meyer said in 2009 that he had been ignoring his health for years, but a recent scare prompted him to “reevaluate my priorities of faith and family.” He wound up returning to Florida for 2010 but stepped away after the season for the same reasons he mentioned a year earlier.

In this day of harsh criticism for coaches, leaving a job to concentrate on your health is one of two ways in which a person will receive a pass (the other is family, which will be covered next), and rightfully so.

Meyer’s announcement was met with immense disappointment but a wealth understanding and well wishes from Gators fans, which appreciated his hard work and hoped that their future hall of fame coach would be around long enough to share in the glory they would impart upon him.

Though Meyer has said previously that his health issues are under control, one of the main reasons they were brought forth in the first place was the high level of stress he was under from managing one of the greatest college football programs in the country.

Ten months removed from his decision to leave Florida, Meyer has explained that his health is no longer a day-to-day issue but instead something he must monitor and control by doing the right things on a daily basis.

Meyer’s health issues originated from his inability to take care of himself. He ate at infrequent intervals, did not exercise regularly and had other poor habits that led to his health deteriorating. He made great strides in the area of self-improvement in 2010 and has done even better with a year off in 2011.

That is not to say Meyer can revert back to his old ways. He cannot. But the time he spent learning to take care of himself over the last two years has improved his health beyond his family’s expectations and provided him with the ability to take a new job.

FAMILY

The second part the statement Meyer made when deciding to resign focused on his inability to spend time with his family and watch his children grow up because of the time commitment forced on him by being a head football coach.

Florida fans, which embraced the entire Meyer clan from day one, equally understood this desire and supported Meyer to this end, even after he decided to spend a portion of his week working as an analyst for ESPN rather than at home with his family or on the road to watch his two daughters play volleyball.

The argument from the Gators faithful was that Meyer spending a few hours around college football each week was nowhere near the time commitment or stress level he was experiencing as a head coach at Florida.

Fans supported him with the same empathy they gave him in regards to his health. Despite others saying he was disingenuous, Meyer had the support of the Gators, something he may not have necessarily always felt in his final two seasons at the helm.

From his family’s perspective, Meyer spent more time with them than he ever had to his children’s memory. In fact, according to those who can speak to it, it was undeniably the best year the Meyer family had ever experienced together.

FLORIDA FAN BASE

Fans can be your greatest asset or your worst nightmare. The same ones that cheer and laud you one day can be fickle and petty the next…even if they don’t realize how much their nature might bother a person.

Following Meyer’s second national championship in three seasons (with the year in between resulting in the school’s third Heisman Trophy), he was questioned to no end about the decision to install Steve Addazio as offensive coordinator over Billy Gonzales (or anyone else for that matter).

Florida’s offense had become less electric and awe inspiring, leading fans to take for granted the fact that the Gators finished the regular season undefeated and had an opportunity to compete for their third national title in four years. Instead they focused on why UF was not more perfect heading into its tilt with Alabama for the SEC title.

When Florida lost that game by a margin wider than anyone could have imagined, the spoiled fan base exploded with criticism. Addazio may have been the target but Meyer felt each shot and took them personally. Losing hurts him deep down in his core, as he’s explained, but persistent attacks against his coaches and friends pain him just as much.

Things got even worse the following year when he put Addazio in charge of the entire program while he took a leave of absence. The offensive coordinator rounded up a bit of goodwill in the offseason due to his ability to keep the recruiting class together and win over fans in public speeches. However, he again became the brunt of criticism soon after the season got off to a slow start.

Meyer would never have fired Addazio despite cries from the Gators pleading with him to do so. He did not fault him for Florida’s woes and refused to place blame for the team’s struggles on his friend’s shoulders.

Yet Meyer felt the fans’ displeasure deep down inside. He knew they appreciated the victories and the championships but was also slightly perturbed at how vicious they could be after a 13-1 season (2009) and during a rebuilding year (2010).

He did not in any way leave the Gators because of the fans but there should be no question that he was frustrated with the fact that he had not garnered more trust and goodwill during his previous five years.

MEDIA SCRUTINY

After Florida found success again in a second BCS title, Meyer’s legacy with the Gators slowly started becoming less about victories and more about how often his players were getting in trouble with the law.

The count was on and it was just a matter of time before Florida’s “30 arrests” became a national punch line to some but both a burden and sign of disrespect to the coach.

Every arrest brought new accusations and assumptions about Meyer, that he had no control over his players, did not care what they did in their personal lives as long as they produced on the football field, and held winning as a priority above everything else.

There is no question that Florida is one of the most scrutinized programs in the country. In addition to the pressure from the fans, Meyer felt that he always had to answer for things he had less control over than people chose to believe.

THE TENNANT

The state in which Meyer left the Gators may lead one to believe that he would be a landlord’s worst nightmare.

At the crux of Gator Nation’s frustrations over Meyer agreeing to become the next head coach of the Buckeyes is one simple fact: He left Florida’s roster worse off than he found it following Ron Zook‘s tenure.

UF looked weak and inept for the second-straight season, finishing 6-6 (their worst record since 1979) one year after Meyer took a similar unit to an 8-4 record and bowl victory against Penn State.

He may have been the best coach in school history between the days he dropped off his security deposit and moved out for good, but Meyer left the cupboard bare, the carpet dirty and the walls in need of a new paint job.

The Gators were a fractured team when Meyer took over. Ron Zook was a great recruiter and filled the team with talent but was unable to coach the players up and failed when it came to leadership and forcing the student-athletes to take responsibility.

Meyer did great things both on and off the field while wearing orange and blue. In addition to the victories and championships, he rebuilt the program from the inside-out, began and continued a number of traditions, and made fans once again proud to be a part of the Gator Nation.

But Meyer lost a lot over the last two years. The vast majority of his coaching staff (truly beginning with Dan Mullen leaving for Mississippi State at the end of the 2008 season) was gone by the time 2010 rolled around.

He had handfuls of players being selected early in the NFL Draft and was even forced to dismiss the heir apparent to Tim Tebow in Cam Newton (who only went on to win a Heisman Trophy and national title for Auburn).

Recruits did not pan out the way he expected, losses began mounting and the excellent team chemistry Florida had been building for years suddenly disappeared.

Meyer even admitted it himself, telling new head coach Will Muschamp on several occasions that “this program is broken,” according to a recent column by The Gainesville Sun’s Pat Dooley.

He expressed a similar sentiment after losing to Florida State in 2010, but his resolve was different at that time.

“I can assure you we’re going to rebuild this thing and build it up the right way and do it right,” he said. “Obviously we’re down a little bit. I didn’t believe we’d be that far down, but we are. So how do you build up a program? I’ve done it a few times and you build it up with tough players and tough coaches.”

The truth is that Meyer faced issues heading into 2010 and may have been confronted with even bigger ones if he had stuck around in 2011. Whether his decision to leave had anything to do with a potential lack of desire to rebuild a broken Gators team will remain an unknown but is no doubt a valid point for those landlords out there who do not appreciate the condition he left the home in.

BACK SO SOON?

Florida’s recent struggles are certainly on the minds of fans when they question why Meyer has decided to return to coaching, but his choice to do so less than a year after stepping down from the Gators is equally as disturbing to them.

When Meyer resigned, the expectation was that he would be out of the game for at least a few years. Some expected three or four, others believed he would need two years away from the action, but everyone (including his family) knew he would eventually return to coaching sooner than later.

No one could have legitimately predicted it would happen this quickly.

If this occurred on Nov. 28, 2012, the uproar would be minor. Meyer would have been off the sideline for nearly two years, watched one daughter graduate, seen another into her junior year of college, and been there while his son matured into a young man.

Instead it appears as if Meyer took a break rather than a sabbatical and just wanted a bit of space to regroup. That is not the case because, as you will soon read, the unique opportunity he was presented with was the primary reason for his return.

THIS IS FLORIDA

Many have been comparing Meyer’s departure from Florida and rebirth at Ohio State to a romantic relationship and truth be told the situation is not that far off. However, there is an important difference.

Usually when one partner leaves another it is to move on to a younger, more attractive and more appealing partner, one that provides benefits (whether mental, emotional or physical) or displays characteristics the other cannot and enables them to be a better person in the long run.

Gators fans refuse to believe (and rightly so) that they are the older, less attractive and less appealing partner. Florida is one of the premier football programs in the country, a fact that was true before Meyer arrived and has remained such since his departure.

Meyer himself said that he could not think of a better program – in terms of academic support, recruiting base, funding, etc. – to lead as a head football coach and was sure to say all the sweet nothings to make the Gators swoon at the sound of his voice.

“This is the premiere coaching position in the country,” he said at his introductory press conference.

He also indicated that his coaching mindset was “UF or nowhere” just one year earlier when he decided to return rather than ride off into the sunset.

“What I didn’t want to have happen, and I made this clear to Jeremy [Foley], if I am able to go coach, I want to coach at one place, the University of Florida,” Meyer said. “It would be a travesty, it would be ridiculous to all of a sudden come back and get the feeling back, get the health back, feel good again and then all of a sudden go throw some other colors on my shirt and go coach. I don’t want to do that. I have too much love for this university and these players and for what we’ve built.”

Florida fell hard for Meyer and was rewarded with victories and national titles. The Gator Nation stood by him in his darkest hour, praying for his health and a happy home life even after a rough season.

And he rewards them by moving in with someone new less than a year after being apart?

DREAM JOB II

There have been some inane conspiracy theories floated recently, but the truth is that Meyer did not have had any idea that there would be two premiere coaching vacancies just months after he resigned from Florida.

Even while with the Gators, there were murmurs that Meyer might leave the team at some point should the Notre Dame gig became available. It did, and he stuck around.

When announcing his decision to leave, Meyer probably took a long look at the coaching landscape and realized that he would eventually have an opportunity to step into a top job a few years down the line.

Jim Tressel was winning at Ohio State but not coming through in the big game, Joe Paterno was holding steady at Penn State but nearing retirement, and no coach at Notre Dame had seen true success since Lou Holtz (1986-96).

Meyer’s lone promise was that no matter where his career took him or how long he remained a head coach, he could never imagine himself coaching another SEC school.

So when the Ohio State scandal broke and Tressel stepped down, Meyer realized that he was faced with a legitimate once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Despite Florida being Florida, Ohio State was and still is home for Meyer.

He may not have planned to be coaching OSU in 2012, but how could he turn down such an opportunity when it presents itself? A football nut like him? He couldn’t.

With the Penn State job toxic and Notre Dame under new management with Brian Kelly at the helm, Ohio State was likely the only school that could sway Meyer back to the circus that is college football.

And it just so happened that the job became open while he was unemployed and has a president so desperate to put his school’s rash of NCAA violations behind him that he will do anything in his power to make sure Meyer’s return to OSU is as perfect as can be.

The fact is that he is not Nick Saban going from LSU to Alabama or even Steve Spurrier heading to South Carolina following respective stints in the NFL. Meyer will not be competing against the Gators on an annual basis or trying to beat them and knock them out of the SEC race.

He would have been crazy to pass on this opportunity and walk away. Meyer declining the job he has always wanted would have eaten at him for the remainder of his career. The regret he would have felt would’ve been significantly worse and lasted much longer than any backlash he was prepared to incur and brush off his shoulders.

IN THE FACE OF SCANDAL

Meyer wanted to coach Ohio State so bad that he is willing to overlook the fact that the Buckeyes are about to be hit with penalties from the NCAA likely reinforcing the loss of scholarships and potentially adding bowl bans.

He has wanted to don the scarlet and grey so long that he has chosen to ignore the fact that his two current bosses possess neither integrity nor trustworthiness – two things he often praised about Jeremy Foley and Bernie Machen.

Meyer’s desire to coach Ohio State is so strong that, despite being disgusted with the “state of college football” just one year ago, he will be returning to the game at the helm of a school that could have been on the cover of his manifesto if he released one.

Some might label this has hypocrisy. The truth is that Meyer is simply looking out for his best interests. He has worked every day of his life to become a coach capable of running a top-ranked national program and was not going to let his opportunity to return home go by the wayside because of timing or penalties.

TIMING

There is no worse time to deliver bad news than immediately following other bad news.

If Muschamp had immediately reinvigorated the program and brought home another SEC East title (or at least a winning record against Florida’s rivals), some Gators fans would still be upset at Meyer but many others would take the mentality of, “Well, at least we’re all set with his replacement.”

Instead, Florida has just finished its worst regular season since 1979, did not defeat a single ranked opponent, lost to both Georgia and Florida State, and barely became bowl eligible after struggling to defeat Furman two weeks ago.

Their reward?

The two-time national champion coach that left just 10 months ago accepting a new job at Ohio State and…wait for it…a likely bowl game against his new employer.

Gators fans feel like they’re being kicked while their down, whether or not they want to admit it. It is tough to blame a fan base used to immense success for feeling that way or to criticize them for having that reaction.

Meyer proved one thing about himself in leaving the Gators and signing with the Buckeyes 10 months later.

No, he is not a “liar” – though some believe he may have lied.

No, he is not a “hypocrite” – though some of his actions may give one legitimate reasons to question his rationale even if he is being forthright and honest.

From what I have been told directly from people who would know better than anyone, Meyer’s motives were pure and his reasoning sound.

Despite what Meyer said upon stepping down, his actions compounded over the last year prove he just can’t quit college football. And in many respects, if you paid attention to the coverage yesterday, you would know that college football can’t quit him either.

Therefore, only one relevant and obvious conclusion stands above the rest.

Urban Meyer, like the rest of us, is imperfect.

And like the rest of us, that just makes him human.

The purpose of the above column was not to tell you how to feel but rather provide you with the necessary perspective to formulate your own opinion. Feel free to sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below.

1 » Once Florida Gators head basketball coach Billy Donovan reinstated junior forward Erik Murphy one month ago, it appeared quite obvious that he would make the same decision once redshirt freshman F Cody Larson‘s legal situation was settled. Now that Larson has received a longer probation period and a re-invoked 120-day suspended sentence after violating his probation, Donovan official decided he could rejoin the team after being indefinitely suspended since April. “I think both guys have been through a lot,” Donovan said on Monday, according to The Gainesville Sun. “I think both those guys are really, really remorseful. I don’t think the incident is a reflection of who they are as people. They come from great families. [...] I’ve seen a lot of growth from these kids since the incident. That’s encouraging.”

2 » According to a report from USA Today, Florida’s Jeremy Foley is the second-highest paid athletic director in the country, earning $1.55 million in pay. He only ranks behind Vanderbilt’s David Williams ($2.56 million), who holds multiple positions at the school including serving as a general counsel and a fully tenured law professor. The Gators paid Foley a retention bonus of $200,000 in 2011, but he will hit an even bigger one on Jan. 31, 2012 when he is owed $550,000. Additional retention bonuses include $150,000 in 2013, $250,000 in 2014 and $100,000 per year from 2015-18 (though he would likely receive a new contract well before then).

Click to expand and read the two more BITS in this post.

COACHING DIFFERENCES APPARENT

No matter who was asked, it is quite obvious that there are plenty of differences between the old coaching staff and new coaching staff – not necessarily in a good or bad way.

Asked how head coach Will Muschamp differs from Urban Meyer, McCray had some poignant thoughts. “He treats us like adults. He give us standards and then we’ve got to be held to those standards,” he said*. “If we mess up, that’s our fault. He doesn’t baby us and treat us like kids. He treats us like adults.”

Robey said the techniques of new offensive line coach Frank Verducci differ from the philosophy employed by Steve Addazio. “Coach Verducci’s great. It’s a whole different pace than Addazio,” he said. “It’s just more emphasis on our hands – a different type of coaching style.”

Perhaps no one can speak about the coaching style (at least offensively) better than Wenger, who transferred to Florida this year because of Verducci and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. He said that players need to be aware of one thing in order to stay on their good side. “We’re taught to just be always focused – always zeroed in on what we’re doing at the time,” he said. “There’s no room for slacking off – mentally or physically – whether it be in the classroom or on the field. Just be on top of everything and make sure you have your notebook out.”

Click to expand and read the remainder of this post.

1 » Florida Gators center/guard Mike Pouncey already knew his answer when the higher-ups called to officially invite him to the 2011 NFL Draft. Now just days away, Pouncey is preparing to be a first-round selection and had to choose who would be joining him in the green room. According to the Chicago Tribune’s Shannon Owens, Pouncey will be accompanied by his agent, parents, brother (Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey), former teammate (New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez) and former position coach (Temple Owls head coach Steve Addazio).

2 » Plenty of NFL scouts speak to reporters under the condition of anonymity before the draft, and one did just that when discussing the mindset of Florida safety Will Hill with Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald recently. “The guy is ignorant and crazy,” the scout said when discussing Hill’s questionable off-the-field character. “I wouldn’t touch him.” Though he is still compared favorably to fellow Gators S Ahmad Black due strictly to his prototypical size and speed, the immense character concerns surrounding Hill could very well see him go undrafted or picked much later than Black in the draft.

1 » No. 2 Florida Gators women’s tennis (21-1, 10-0 SEC) captured at least a share of the 2011 Southeastern Conference Championship for their efforts during the regular season on Sunday by defeating the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers (16-5, 8-1 SEC) 4-0 at home. The SEC title is the program’s 25th in 32 years and is the University of Florida’s 199th all-time. Florida still has South Carolina to contend with on Saturday before entering the 2011 SEC Tournament beginning April 21.

2 » Senior first baseman Megan Bush of the No. 10/11 Gators softball team set the SEC’s career home run record over the weekend. First tying and then surpassing former Florida outfielder Francesca Enea, Bush smacked her 61st homer on Saturday and her record-breaking 62nd on Sunday. She has now hit 18 on the season and has been a source of consistent offense all season for the Gators.

3 » Competing in the 2011 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, Florida redshirt senior center Vernon Macklin and senior forward Alex Tyus both impressed NBA scouts with their respective performances. Macklin finished the event as the third leading scorer with 57 points and seventh-place rebounder with 24 boards in three games. Tyus posted 41 points over the weekend, was third in rebounding (27) with 16 offensive boards and blocked six shots.

4 » The Philadelphia Inquirer took an in-depth look at new Temple Owls head coach Steve Addazio over the weekend, publishing a feature story about his coaching methods, personality and life journey that landed him in Philadelphia, PA.

Extra BIT » Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah’s father, former tennis player now musician Yannick Noah, was the subject of death threats and racist slurs from neo-Nazis in central France last week. Read more on the story in translated form from the French newspaper France Soir.

With quarterback Tim Tebow graduating and a number of talented play makers leaving for the NFL, it was a known fact that the Florida Gators had to reinvent themselves going into the 2010 season. So it certainly came as a surprise to both fans and analysts when head coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Steve Addazio did not adjust the offense to fit then-redshirt junior QB John Brantley‘s skillset.

During an interview Wednesday on ESPN, Meyer did something he never chose to do while still wearing the orange and blue: provide an explanation as to why the offense was not better tailored for Brantley to succeed from the get-go.

“We wanted to do some more pro-style stuff, but our fullback was hurt for the year, our tailback got hurt for the year and we didn’t have a tight end,” he said. “That just mounted and then we got to the point where we had to win. The best way to win was to do some of the stuff – some of the spread stuff.”

Click to expand the remainder of the post.

1 » Forty-six student-athletes attending the University of Florida were named to the 2010 Southeastern Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll on Wednesday in a release by commissioner Mike Slive. The football and soccer teams led the way with 19 players apiece receiving the honors; volleyball added the other eight. Notable players on the list include senior punter Chas Henry, senior defensive end Duke Lemmens, senior DE Justin Trattou, redshirt junior kicker Caleb Sturgis, freshman quarterback Trey Burton, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr. and redshirt freshman linebacker Jelani Jenkins. Florida’s total of 46 was tied (Vanderbilt) for third-best in the SEC, following South Carolina (79) and Georgia (47).

2 » Florida Gators junior jumper Will Claye has joined sophomore sprinter Jeff Demps and junior jumper Christian Taylor on The Bowerman’s 2011 watch list. Awarded by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA), The Bowerman honors the sport’s best overall athlete each year.

3 » Left without a job when new Gators head coach Will Muschamp decided not to retain him as quarterbacks coach, Scot Loeffler has found a new position as offensive coordinator and QB coach of the Temple Owls under former Florida offensive coordinator now Temple head coach Steve Addazio. Loeffler is the sixth assistant coach with a Gators connection to be hired by Addazio for his first staff. He joins Owls defensive coordinator Chuck Heater, wide receivers/special teams coach Zach Smith, offensive line coach Justin Frye, defensive line coach Sean Cronin and strength and conditioning coach Frank Piraino. OwlScoop.com first reported the signing via Twitter.

4 » While Florida waits for redshirt junior guard Mike Rosario to complete his transfer season, Rosario’s former team, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, is benefiting from a UF transfer. Former Gators forward Jonathan Mitchell, now a senior, had a game-winning four-point play for the Scarlet Knights in their 77-76 upset victory over No. 10/9 Villanova on Wednesday. Check out the video by clicking here.

Former Florida Gators defensive tackle Terron Sanders has taken a bumpy road filled with injuries and setbacks to get to this point in his playing career. A redshirt senior, Sanders remains in Gainesville, FL rehabbing with trainer Marty Huegel in order to heal a torn right labrum he had surgery on after the Florida State game.

Sanders, who signed with Craig Schaeffer and Glen Lansky of Elite Sports Agency, plans to head to Sarasota, FL after his rehab is complete so he can begin training for Florida’s Pro Day in April. He spent some time over the weekend with OGGOA recounting his collegiate career and looking ahead to the future.

ADAM SILVERSTEIN: Let’s start at the beginning. I read you were a fan of the Gators growing up but obviously had plenty of other schools vying for your services out of high school. What was it like to receive a scholarship over from Florida and how long did it take you to jump on it?
TERRON SANDERS: “It was kind of a dream come true for me, actually. Coach [Greg] Mattison and Coach [Steve] Addazio told me that Coach [Urban] Meyer wouldn’t consider offering until I came up for a camp. So I came up for the camp, did whatever I could do, and when they called me in the office after the camp and told me that I really impressed them and they were really interested in me. That made me feel good. A week later I got a call with them offering me the scholarship. It felt surreal almost. I felt like I was kind of dreaming. It wasn’t something that I really expected because I didn’t know how well I did at the camp. It took me five minutes – if that – to call them back and tell them that I was going to be a Gator. Coach Addazio called, offered me the scholarship. [I asked for] a week to think about it, got off the phone with him and told my dad they offered me a scholarship. My dad asked me what I was waiting for, so I turned around, called Coach Addazio right back and told him that I’d come. There was no question about it; it was what I wanted to do.”

AS: Between your senior year of high school and the 2008 season, you tore your meniscus in your left knee twice, the one in the right knee once and suffered a high ankle sprain. Coming back from injury so many times, what were you going through mentally and how did you prepare physically to come back the next season?
TS: “I wasn’t doing what I needed to do when I first got here. I wasn’t accomplishing my goals. I was kind of disappointed in myself. I had the motivation for myself to get better and do what I needed to do.”

AS: After going through all of that you ended up starting 12 games in 2008 including the SEC Championship and BCS National Championship. How special was it getting to play that season and seeing the end result?
TS: “That was another one of those surreal moments. You kind of had to pinch yourself afterward. To sit back, look at the turnaround I made, it felt good to know that I did everything I could to become a part of that. I knew how important it was to be a part of that. And I knew that, if I hadn’t pushed myself, and I didn’t have the people around me – the family members, the support group that I had – it wouldn’t have been possible. After it happened, I went back to my hotel room, spent some time with my family and just embraced the moment. It was something that was an amazing feeling. A lot of people say it’s an once-in-a-lifetime feeling to experience two National Championships. The second one I was a part of, and I feel like I added my contribution. It was an incredible feeling.”

Read the rest of our exclusive interview with Terron Sanders…after the break!

AS: You seemed to be going strong in 2009 until another injury popped up – a fluke torn ACL. Talk about rehabbing from that and coming back strong this past year.
TS: “I knew that coming back for my senior year, I knew it was going to be important for me to recover to the fullest. I knew that I had one more shot to catch the eyes of anybody who might be out there and who might be interested in giving me a chance at the next level. After having torn my ACL, my trainer Marty [Huegel] got me back [in action] in six months. That is something not a whole lot of people do. I knew my knee was strong, and having missed so much of the offseason and not being able to go full speed, to go through surgery and get ready for the season was difficult. The support group I had – the family, the friends – everyone asked me if it was worth it.

I already had a National Championship. I could have laid down and said, ‘I have my National Championship.’ I looked back at what I did to get myself here. Kind of went back to that same place. I wasn’t all about partying or doing the stuff that wasn’t going to get me right. It was hard, closer to the end of the camp I ended up re-aggravating my knee, and I missed the first game of the season. I was able to take advantage of the opportunity [and return for most of the season].”

AS: How difficult was this past season week-in and week-out for the seniors?
TS: “It was hard because it wasn’t exactly what we wanted. At the same time, we were trying to make sure we led by example for the underclassmen and ones who were coming back. Things didn’t go the way we wanted them to, but we tried our best to rally up. It was definitely difficult because it wasn’t how we wanted to go. We knew that this was it. For some of us, there was no tomorrow. There’s not another guaranteed season. Some of us, myself included, are going into this offseason not knowing if we’re going to play another down of football. It was real hard finishing 8-5. It was real hard because it didn’t go how we expected it to go. We were expecting another opportunity at the SEC Championship, another opportunity at the National Championship. It didn’t go that way. It was hard but, as a senior class, we did a good job sticking together and finishing strong not only for ourselves but to send Coach Meyer out on a winning note. That was really important for us.”

AS: What did you think of Meyer resigning for the second time? Think he’ll coach again?
TS: “For him to announce that he was retiring for the second time, it kind of felt like it was necessary. Being there with him for the National Championships, for the five years that I’ve been there, I support him 100 percent. He’s one of those coaches who puts his whole entire heart into it. He sacrifices a lot. He cares about things that some coaches would never care about. That’s a burden – not a burden – but a lot of weight on one person’s shoulders for them to be carrying for as long as he did. When he announced that he was retiring, I was there for him. I support him 100 percent. I’m happy he made a decision that’s going to help him in the future. I’m sure, later on in life when things get a little calmed down and he gets a little bit of time for himself and his family, I could see him getting back into coaching. Right now I think him taking some time off and spending it with his family is probably the best thing for him.”

AS: Any thoughts on Will Muschamp? I’m not sure how much time you’ve gotten to spend around the team since all of that went down…
TS: “I haven’t had an opportunity to speak with him personally. From speaking to a lot of the football players, because I see them every day, a lot of them like him. They feel like he’s a good addition to the program. He’s coming in with expectations to make a run to a National Championship this year. With the talent that’s coming back, and the players that are there, I see that as an opportunity. Coach Muschamp might be the guy to do it.”

AS: Which guys returning next season really impressed you over the last year?
TS: “I would say Sharrif [Floyd]. Sharrif had an amazing year as a freshman. He made freshman All-SEC. Jaye Howard, me and him shared time. A lot of people need to watch out for Jaye Howard as well. I think he might have a good year as long as he stays motivated and continues to be coachable, wants to improve and get better.”

AS: Looking back on your career in the Orange and Blue, what one play that you were on the field for that you will remember the fondest?
TS: “There’s a couple of them. I’d probably have to say the stop I made on the field goal in the SEC Championship game against ‘Bama the first time in 08. The fumble recovery against Georgia in 08. The fumble recovery against Vanderbilt this year [see picture]. There’s been a couple of plays that I will remember for as long as I’m here.”

AS: What have you been up to since the season has ended? Have you signed with an agent or made plans for a NFL Draft push?
TS: “I had surgery after the Florida State game on my right labrum. I’ve been in Gainesville rehabbing with Marty again. I’ve been working out two-three times a day, just trying to cut weight and get in shape. I have signed with an agent; one of them is based out of Sarasota. As soon as I get clearance from the doctor, I will be moving down to Sarasota to train with my trainer and get ready for Pro Day.”

» OGGOA INTERVIEWS:
QB Tim Tebow | QB Danny Wuerffel | ESPN’s Erin Andrews | ESPN’s Erin Andrews II | DE Alex Brown | WR Percy Harvin | F/C Al Horford | WR David Nelson | QB Shane Matthews | TE Cornelius Ingram | DE Jermaine Cunningham | S Major Wright | LB Earl Everett | F/C Chris Richard | DE Lynden Trail

Florida head coach Will Muschamp, offensive line coach Frank Verducci and tight ends coach Brian White visited Hounshell on Sunday and came away with an agreement from the young man that he would visit UF this upcoming weekend in order to reaffirm his commitment. Meeting with Notre Dame less than 24 hours later appears to have canceled those plans as well.

“I committed to the University of Notre Dame,” Hounshell announced on his personal Twitter account. “[I] want to thank Gator Country for all your support. You guys are the best, but I had to do what’s best for me.”

According to 247 Sports, he will switch to defensive end for the Fighting Irish.

When he agreed to join the team on Aug. 11, Hounshell was the Gators 13th commitment. Since head coach Urban Meyer (and in this case offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Steve Addazio) left the program, he is Florida’s third decommitment. The others include four-stars cornerback Nick Waisome (Florida State) and linebacker Ryan Shazier (Ohio State). Four-star defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan (Clemson) decommitted from UF on Nov. 29

The Gators now have 15 commitments for the 2011 recruiting cycle, seven of whom enrolled in January for the spring semester.
 

You can view the rest of the pictures from this photoshoot right here.

1 » Before returning to coach in college, new Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp spent a season coordinating the defense under Nick Saban in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. As a rookie third-round draft choice, former Gators linebacker Channing Crowder played for Muschamp and was thrilled to learn he was hired to lead his alma mater. “He’s an energetic dude. I’m excited for him,’’ Crowder told MiamiDolphins.com writer Andy Kent, who related his thoughts to the University of Florida senior writer Scott Carter. “He’s a proven defensive coordinator and he knows defense. When he was here I want to say we were the No. 3 or No. 4 defense in the league. He’s just a smart dude and he’s going to be a young head coach. He’s going to bring energy to the team. Urban [Meyer] was a great coach but he was more of that laid-back, dictator type. Will’s going to get in there and get dirty with the guys and I think he’s going to be great for Florida. […] Now he’s going to be in the spotlight at Florida, especially coming into the situation he’s coming into with a proven program. I think it was a great hire and I think he’ll bring a lot of excitement.’’

2 » Passed over for Steve Addazio for the open offensive coordinator position with the Gators, Billy Gonzales left his post as wide receivers coach under Meyer to join the LSU Tigers staff for the same position with the enhanced title of “passing game coordinator.” Though the Tigers are now searching for a new offensive coordinator, ESPN‘s Bruce Feldman reports that head coach Les Miles will be looking to fill the position with someone outside the program. It should be noted that, contrary to Feldman’s report, there are rumors that Gonzales is the frontrunner for the position. Those have not yet been confirmed.

3 » Denver Broncos president John Elway announced Thursday afternoon that he and the organization have decided to hire veteran John Fox as the team’s next head coach. Fox, who will be faced with a number of important decisions in his first year including deciding whether or not Tim Tebow is his starting quarterback, had glowing things to say about the Heisman Trophy winner before the 2010 NFL Draft. “[Tebow] had a very, very good workout,” Fox said last March at Florida’s Pro Day. “He doesn’t lack in the work ethic department, so whatever needs to be done, he’ll do. I definitely saw some adjustment and I thought he executed very well.” He said later that Tebow is “a guy that has a great work ethic … that if there’s something that needs to be fixed, he can fix it.” Asked about his talent compared to his intangibles, Fox referenced another quarterback who was overlooked by some. “Did you ever watch Bernie Kosar play?” Fox said at a league meeting last year. “Bernie might not appreciate it, but I call it as I see it. He won a lot of games. So it’s not all just how pretty they are [or] how big.”

4 » Former Florida dazzler and current ESPN reporter Erin Andrews has signed an endorsement deal with Reebok to promote the company’s ZigTech brand. Joining names like Peyton Manning, Chad Ochocinco, John Wall and Sidney Crosby, Andrews will pitch the company’s footwear and apparel while helping to expand the ZigTech brand’s reach to a female audience. “I’m very excited to be the first female to become part of Reebok’s ZigTech campaign,” she said in an official statement. “I have been athletic all my life, and I’m thrilled to be working out in the same footwear and apparel that helps these athletes perform at the top of their game.”

Photo Credit: Reebok