For the past decade, there had been a bit of frostiness between Florida fans and Urban Meyer. Despite winning two national titles and having the second-best winning percentage in school history, behind only Steve Spurrier, Meyer has never had the same warm embrace from Gator Nation as some others.
Those fences appear to have been mended, and Meyer will be back on campus in November to be inducted into Florida’s Ring of Honor against one of the most appropriate opponents possible.
Oklahoma provides the perfect opponent for Urban Meyer’s ceremony
Florida announced that Meyer will be inducted on November 7 when the Gators take on Oklahoma, who Meyer beat to claim the 2008 national title. It was previously announced last November that Meyer would have his name hung up as the 7th member of the group.
Even though Meyer had met the criteria to be in the ring under the requirement of “Coaches with UF National Championships” and he had been “five years removed from UF,” it was the part about “be in good standing with the institution” that seemed to make the powers that be drag their feet about the induction.
As a reference point, Spurrier was inducted into the ring in 2006 as part of the initial group of four that included Danny Wuerffel, Jack Youngblood, and Emmitt Smith. Wilber Marshall was inducted in 2007, and Tim Tebow was inducted in 2018.
Urban Meyer’s Florida résumé made his induction inevitable
- Record: 65-15
- Winning percentage: .813, second in program history
- National championships: 2006 and 2008
- SEC championships: Two
- SEC East titles: Three
- Record against top-10 opponents: 11-4
- Record in The Swamp: 36-5
- Record against Georgia, LSU and Florida State: 13-5
Whatever one may think about the way Meyer left Florida and the loose control he kept over his players at times, it is impossible to tell the story of the Florida Gators without Meyer. And in a lot of ways, Meyer is the ghost that Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, Dan Mullen, and Billy Napier all had looming over them during their respective failed tenures at Florida.
What Meyer proved is that the program was more than just a one-trick pony under Spurrier, and that at Florida, if you are a top-level coach, you will win in Gainesville. His ruthless demeanor was sometimes off-putting, especially when juxtaposed with Spurrier, but it is also what made the Gators who they were.
Beyond the wins, part of what made those teams from Meyer special was their ruthless nature. There was an attitude and swagger to them that frankly hasn’t been seen in Gainesville since. And as much as he is linked with Tebow, Meyer doesn’t get enough credit for the 2006 title that he won with Chris Leak as his starting QB.
For those who may still harbor ill will, we’ll say time heals everything. The man won two national titles and kept the Gator brand elite.
November 7 will be an honor well past due in Gainesville.
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