Once upon a time that wasn’t that long ago, Florida Football was one of the premier programs in the country. With national titles in 1996, 2006, and 2008, the Gators have spent the last 15 years chasing the glory the program once had.
The architect for two of those national titles is now up to be immortalized in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Florida Football: Urban Legend
Urban Meyer came to Gainesville after two seasons as the coach at Utah. Over the course of six seasons the Gators went 65-15 and won the 2006 and 2008 national title. Meyer stepped down after the 2010 season, citing health reasons. He then resurfaced at Ohio State in 2012, going 83-9 and won the 2014 national title.
Since Meyer left Florida, the Gators have been chasing after finding a replacement who could match his level of success. Will Muschamp went 28-21, Jim McElwain was 21-12, Dan Mullen was 34-15, and Billy Napier is currently 11-14.
Meyer also left behind a complicated legacy, which included scores of players getting arrested, but there is no denying that the story of college football can’t be told without the inclusion of Meyer.
He is among nine FBS coaches who are on the ballot for the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame. Included on the ballot for coaches is Nick Saban, another sure fire inductee to the Hall of Fame.
As we profiled yesterday, former defensive end Alex Brown is also on the ballot as is Brad Culpepper, but Meyer feels like the one of the three who should be a lock to be enshrined in Atlanta
