Weis says chance to coach at UF “almost a dream”

By Adam Silverstein
January 2, 2011

In an exclusive interview with the Kansas City Star Sunday evening, current Kansas City Chiefs and future Florida Gators offensive coordinator called the opportunity to coach at the University of Florida while his son attends school there “almost a dream.”

Weis, who will stay on with the Chiefs through the duration of the 2010 NFL Playoffs, said he decided to accept the Gators job because it is a unique opportunity to do what he loves while simultaneously seeing and working with his son each day.

“This was a really tough decision for the Weis family,’’ he said. “This opportunity is one of those unique situations where I can go to a great institution where my son goes to matriculate and be able to spend the next bunch of years watching my son grow.

“He wants to coach. It took us very long to try to find a place where he could be involved with the football program in a student assistant capacity. When I finally did talk to [Florida head coach] Will [Muschamp], we chatted about that and then we talked about me. I had to really reflect on that, spend time with my wife and [my son]. We talked about a whole bunch of things and at the end of the day, I don’t think anybody could understand how wonderful an opportunity it would be to be able to work at a place and see your kid on a daily basis.

“It’s a tough business. To go to a program like Florida and be able to be around my kid at the same time … is almost a dream.”

Sports talk radio host Heath Cline notified OGGOA on Twitter that Weis’s son was originally planning to attend the University of Texas and serve as a student assistant under Muschamp with the Texas Longhorns. His move to Florida comes as a result of Muschamp’s, hence unique opportunity for his father.

A notorious family man, Weis said he is friends with Muschamp and that family issues were the catalyst for the decision to leave the NFL for college football. Though Weis likely had initial conversations with Muschamp about the opportunity, he says he had not made a final decision when news of his hire was initially reported.

“I didn’t even talk about the job until I got home at 10 o’clock at night,” he told the paper.

Weis also denied rumors that he had a falling out with Kansas City head coach Todd Haley. “I almost get offended when people say that,” he said. “People always want to look for a different angle for why you’re doing [something]. … This decision had absolutely zero to do with relationships in Kansas City.”

OGGOA RELATED: Charlie Weis to be named Gators OC Monday

Photo Credit: Bill Haber/Associated Press

12 Comments

  1. Gatorgrad79 says:

    Isn’t it ironic? Lose a HC so he can spend more time with his family, and gain an OC so he can spend more time with his family!

  2. Gatorbuc15 says:

    Well it seems pretty clear now as to why Weis is leaving the Chiefs for us. The chance to work at one of the best football schools in the country and being able to see your son every day seems like a pretty good deal to me. I’m happy for him.
    @Gatorgrd79 It is a bit ironic.

  3. Gatorgrad79 says:

    Looked back at articles from Weis departure from ND.
    Apparently his family was traumatized by the vicious personal
    attacks on him, and his son who was 15 said he would never go to
    ND. (More irony if reports are true that Addazio’s family was
    similarly traumatized by vicious personal attacks by Gator fans
    & press reports). Also his wife has several horses, and
    Bernie Machen’s wife happens to own a horse farm outside
    Gainesville. Harmonic convergence? Great news is that his work
    ethic is unsurpassed – in his office from 4:30 am to after 9 pm
    most days, and a tireless perfectionist with a blunt, direct
    approach that values truth and doesn’t sugar coat the hard stuff.
    Maybe that is the reason he is said to lack “people
    skills”.

  4. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    Very unique situation and clearly to our benefit…probably
    part of the decision was knowing this move would ruffle many NFL
    feathers

  5. Gatorgrad79 says:

    Seriously, I doubt he considered the opinions of others in
    the NFL, but rather the wishes of his wife & son. Plus long
    term, if he wants to be a HC again in a few years, Miami will
    likely need him, then he can take that gig and retire in a state
    with no state income tax. He may have a plan to which we are not
    privy…

  6. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    Adam…do you plan on having a recruiting update
    soon…things like our top targets (Chickillo is WM’s #1) and what
    our chances are to get this class back into the top #10…right now
    it looks like this could be a very average
    class…..THANKS

  7. Drew 4 Orange & Blue says:

    Thanks….sorry to be so impatient….the coaching staff
    looks like it’s really coming together but the class looks like it
    might fall short of what we have been used to around here….as
    long as we can keep Driskel & Blakely I think we will be OK
    but we still have some major holes to fill with the seniors leaving
    and probably Jenkins as well….THANKS!!!

  8. Aligator says:

    Does anyone know what year his son will be in
    school?

  9. gatornutt says:

    Adam, you are my go to guy on this kind of stuff.

  10. Gatorgrad79 says:

    Surely the new coaches with Dade county ties will boost the recruiting down south. Looks like the DC is even more important, because many of the south Fla recruits go to teams that get them “”NFL ready”” (in their opinion). A DC with NFL experience could really be major right now. Also, maybe WM can get some studs from Blinn JC in Texas?? Some JuCo beef that are full grown men could help us on both lines…

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