When University of Florida Athletics Director Jeremy Foley hired Urban Meyer on December 4, 2004, the goal was to return Florida football to Southeastern Conference and national prominence.
Mission Accomplished.
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Most coaches are involved in either the offense or the defense. He’s (involved in) offense, defense, special teams, academics, living your life the right way. It’s everything, because everything matters to him.
— Ryan Smith, former UF cornerback
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Meyer
YEAR 1986 1987 1988 1989
After a 41-14 win over No. 1 ranked Ohio State in Glendale, Ariz., on January 8th, 2007, Meyer and The Gator Nation stood center stage basking in the glory of the second national championship in school history. Meyer, 43, became the seventh head coach in NCAA history to win a national championship in his first or second year at a school and the 14th-youngest head coach to win a national title since 1950. Meyer is one of only four active coaches to win a national championship, coach a Heisman Trophy winner and coach a number one pick in the National Football League Draft. Florida’s run to the 2006 national championship featured a school-record 13 wins, including the school’s seventh Southeastern Conference Championship with a 38-28 win over Arkansas in the SEC Title tilt.
The magnitude of the national championship grows when one considers that the 2006 Florida schedule ranked as the toughest in the country by the NCAA, featuring six ranked teams and 11 teams that played in bowl games – the top total in the nation. Meyer was named the National Coach of the Year by the All-American Football Foundation at the conclusion of the season. The three-year tenure of Coach Meyer in Gainesville extends beyond the 2006 National Championship and Southeastern Conference Championship. UF is 31-8 during the last three seasons, tied for the thirdbest win total in the nation during that time, and no other SEC Eastern Division school posts a better league mark than UF’s 17-7 record during that span. Meyer, who has 22 years of coaching experience, including seven as a head coach,
FACT SHEET
SCHOOL , TITLE Ohio State, Tight Ends (Grad. Asst.) Ohio State, Receivers (Grad. Asst.) Illinois State, Outside Linebackers Illinois State, Quarterbacks/ Wide Receivers
COACHING EXPERIENCE
YEAR SCHOOL , TITLE 1990-95 Colorado State, Wide Receivers 1996-00 Notre Dame, Wide Receivers 2001-02 Bowling Green, Head Coach 2003-04 Utah, Head Coach 2005-present Florida, Head Coach
HEAD COACHING RECORD
Year School 2001 Bowling Green 2002 Bowling Green 2003 Utah 2004 Utah 2005 Florida 2006 Florida 2007 Florida Totals: 7 Years Record 8-3 9-3 10-2 12-0 9-3 13-1 9-4 70-16 (.814) Conference Record 5-3 6-2 6-1 (First) 7-0 (First) 5-3 7-1 (First) 5-3 41-13 (.759) Final Poll* NR NR 21/21 4/5/3 12/16 1/1 13/16
PLAYING CAREER
Lettered as a defensive back at the University of Cincinnati…A 13thround pick in the 1982 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft as a shortstop…Played two years in the Atlanta Braves’ organization….Spent the summer of 1982 with Sarasota of the Rookie League and played for Pulasky (Va.), a Class A team, in 1983.
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Coach Meyer is different than a lot of coaches. You can tell he actually cares about the little things in a person. He is a good guy to talk to.
— Phil Trautwein, UF Offensive Lineman
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Birthdate: July 10, 1964 Hometown: Ashtabula, Ohio Education: 1986, bachelor’s degree in psychology, University of Cincinnati 1988, master’s degree in sports administration from The Ohio State University Family: Married to the former Shelley Mather. Three children: Nicole (18), Gigi (15), Nathan (9).
* Polls listed AP/Coaches’/Sports Illustrated
BOWL GAMES AS A COACH
1987 1990 1994 1995 1997 1998 2001 Cotton Bowl Freedom Bowl Holiday Bowl Holiday Bowl Independence Bowl Gator Bowl Fiesta Bowl 2003 2005 2006 2007 Liberty Bowl Fiesta Bowl Outback Bowl Tostitos BCS National Championship Game 2008 Capital One Bowl
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.814 winning percentage ranks third nationally among active coaches with at least five years of coaching experience. Just as impressive, Meyer owns an 11-3 record against the other
circumstances and other topics. His priority on academics has resulted in more than 38 percent of the University of Florida football scholarship student-athletes earning above a 3.0 GPA in the 2008 Spring
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I’ve got a championship ring and a college degree. Not many people get a moment like this in life. I thank God and I thank Coach Meyer because I couldn’t have done it without them.
— Dallas Baker, former UF wide receiver
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He talked about us trying to graduate after college. He wants us to do well on the field, but if we don’t do well on the field, he’s going to make sure that we do well in the classroom.
— Mon Williams, UF running back
top-10 active winningest coaches in college football. He is one of nine coaches in the history of Division IA football to reach 70 wins in seven seasons or less. He owns a 41-3 record at home in his career, including 19-1 in The Swamp. Few are better than getting a team ready to play, as Meyer sports a 23-3 record when having more than a week to prepare for a game.
became the only coach in school history to post seven-consecutive wins against UF’s traditional rivals – Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State. Overall, Meyer has won eight of nine against the trio. Florida has been ranked in the each of the 47 polls under Coach Meyer, including 23 weeks in the top 10. A three-time national Coach-of-the-Year, his career record stands at 70-16 and his
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Semester and 70 players have been named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll in the last three years. This past season, Tim Tebow became the first Florida football player named to First-Team Academic All-America since Danny Wuerffel in 1996. Tebow also is only the second sophomore football player in school history and the fourth sophomore athlete overall at UF to earn firstteam Academic All-America honors. Chris Leak was a finalist for the 2006 Draddy Trophy, dubbed the Academic UF’s 31 wins under Heisman, and was selected as the 2006 Coach Meyer are tied Fall Graduating Outstanding Leader for all for the third-best total students on campus. Leak was the featured speaker at UF graduation ceremonies in in the nation during the December of 2006 and overall 59 players past three years. have graduated under Meyer. In addition, Fourteen Gators have been selected in Mike Degory was named to ESPN The the NFL Draft, including a nation’s best nine Magazine Academic All-District III Team in in 2007. Overall, 31 Gators have signed NFL 2005 in Meyer’s first year. contracts under Meyer. Off the field, Meyer established the Gators’ Coach Meyer is 19-1 Leadership Committee, a group of players (.950) at The Swamp and charged with acting as spokesmen for the overall Coach Meyer is team and handling situations related to team policy issues, academic affairs, off-campus 41-3 (.932) at home
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Urban Meyer became the seventh head coach in NCAA history to win a championship in his first or second year with a school and the 14th youngest head coach to win a national title since 1950.
YEAR 1942 1948 1974 2000 2001 2002 2006 COACH Paul Brown B. Oosterbaan Barry Switzer Bob Stoops Larry Coker Jim Tressel URBAN MEYER SCHOOL Ohio State Michigan Oklahoma Oklahoma Miami (Fla.) Ohio State FLORIDA YEAR Second First Second Second First Second SECOND
Quick Path To A National Championship
as a head coach.
Meyer’s 2007 Gator team produced one of the most prolific offensive attacks in school history. Behind Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow, the Gator offense ranked third nationally (42.5 ppg) and was just eight points shy of tying the school mark for most scored in a season. The team led the nation and established a school record by converting on 53 percent of third downs and posted the second-highest passing efficiency mark in the country (170.17). UF was the only school in the nation to rush for a touchdown and pass for a touchdown in every game.
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Coach Meyer owns 10 wins against ranked opponents in the last three years.
Against the third-toughest schedule in the nation, UF won nine games for the third-straight year for the first time since 1999-2001 and extended its school record with its 17th straight bowl appearance – the longest active streak in the SEC. Meyer’s first year at Florida produced a nine-win season and January Bowl game victory, the Gators’ first since 2001. Not only did Florida defeat three of its biggest rivals (Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State), the Gators never trailed in each of those games – a first in program history. Florida’s final ranking of No. 12 in the Associated Press Poll was also its
Blocked Kicks Under Urban Meyer
YEAR BLOCKED KICKS PUNTS FG XP
2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 Totals
4 8 5 9 2 8 1 37
4 5 2 7 0 7 0 25
0 2 2 2 2 1 1 10
0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2
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88 receptions, sixth-best in the nation and tied for fourth-best all-time in the SEC. Meyer earned multiple National Coach of the Year honors in 2004 after leading Utah to a perfect 12-0 season, the school’s first in 75 years. Meyer collected the Home Depot National Coach of the Year, the George Munger Award for the Collegiate Coach of the Year presented by the Maxwell Club
(Urban) is great to coach and to work for. We have a family-oriented staff, and we carry that over to the players. Working for him, you enjoy getting up and going to work everyday. That’s important to your staff.
— Dan Mullen, UF assistant coach
Coach Meyer is 11-3 against the current top-10 winningest active coaches in college football.
Did You Know?
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If you’re straight with Coach, he’s going to be straight with you. That’s one of the best things about him. He’s a guy who wants to know about you, talk to you, help you out.
— Vernell Brown, former UF cornerback
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highest season-ending ranking since 2001. Meyer became the first coach in UF history to defeat four ranked opponents in his initial season at Florida and his nine wins tied a school record for most wins by a first-year coach in Gainesville. Meyer’s 2005 team continued to follow his blueprint for success. Take care of the ball, control the clock, win the field position battle and put the ball in the hands of the best players. Florida ranked third nationally in turnover margin at +18, just one shy of the school record set in 2000 and its average time of possession was 32:37, second-best in the SEC and best in UF records dating back to 1986. UF’s average starting field position was also tops in the league, thanks in large part to a punt return unit that allowed just 3.3 yards per return – the best in school history and second nationally. For the fifth straight season under Meyer, a wide receiver ranked among the top 20 nationally in catches per game – this time Chad Jackson tied a school record with
and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (Named by the Football Writers Association of America). He also was named National Coach of the Year by Pro Football Weekly and earned the Woody Hayes Trophy Award and the Victor Award. With its post-season bid to the Fiesta Bowl, Utah made history by becoming the first school from a non-Bowl Championship Series conference to earn a berth in a BCS Bowl. Utah finished as the outright 2004 Mountain West Conference champion to
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Coach Meyer is the only coach in school history to open his career with three straight wins over Tennessee and Florida State.
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become the only backMeyer completed to-back outright his Utah coaching Coach Meyer is winners in the league’s career riding a 16one of only nine head history. game winning streak, coaches that have totaled the second-longest Under his direction, the Utes ranked in the 70 wins in seven seasons in the nation behind top five nationally in six only Southern or less in NCAA history. statistical categories. California (21). The Utah ranked third Utes did not trail at nationally in scoring (45.3), total offense halftime of any 2004 game and their closest (499.7), net punting (40.8), turnover margin margin of victory was 14, a 49-35 win over Air (+1.25) and passing efficiency (173.4), and Force on Sept. 25. was ranked fifth nationally in kick returns Meyer’s mark has been made on the NFL (26.2). The Utes were the only school in the Draft as well, tutoring the No. 1 pick in the 2005 nation to have their rushing offense (236.1, Draft. Quarterback Alex Smith, the first-round
coveted TSN award. Meyer was also voted the MWC Coach of the Year, becoming Utah’s first conference coach of the year selection since 1978. He became the only coach in the school’s 111-year football history to win a conference title in his first year. Ironically, Utah’s 2003 wins came against one of the toughest schedules in school history. Two were against Pac-10 foes Oregon and California, and the Ducks were ranked No. 19 when Utah scored a 17-13 upset. The Utes also knocked off perennial league powers Colorado State, Air Force and Brigham Young. It was the first Ute sweep of that trio in 10 years and the first-ever road sweep against them. Meyer’s Utes capped the season with a 17-0 victory over Conference USA champion Southern Mississippi at the AXA Liberty Bowl.
Countless guys have gotten so much better off the field in just doing what is right and just the way they treat people because of Coach Meyer. I think the best thing about him, actually, is that he cares more about how the guys succeed off the field than how they succeed on the field. That’s why our team is so close.
— Tim Tebow, UF Quarterback
In 2003, Utah won five more games than the previous year, when it was 5-6, and matched BCS national champion LSU as the fifth-most improved team in the nation. What I like about him is that he is specific. This is what we think. Meyer’s explosive spread offense and one of This is what we need. That’s good for a college coach. Some drag the nation’s best defenses brought Utah kids along and say, ‘We’re going to try and get A and B, if that, local and national attention. The 2003 Utes shattered their previous home attendance then this.’ He’s a good man in that he will be honest with you. record by averaging 41,478 fans. The largest — John Sprague, Riverview HS Head Coach crowd ever to attend a Utah athletic event (46,768) and a national ESPN television 13th) and passing offense (263.7, 19th) rank draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers that audience watched the Utes beat California, in the top 20 nationally. April, is one of 62 former Meyer players who 31-24, in Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah led the MWC in 11 categories, have signed contracts with NFL teams. including scoring offense, total offense, pass Meyer was named the 2003 National efficiency offense, pass efficiency defense, Coach of the Year by The Sporting News turnover margin, kick returns and third- after leading the Utes to a 10-2 record, Coach Meyer has down conversions (52.3). The Utes were the their first outright conference championship tutored four NFL MWC runner-up in rushing offense, passing since 1957, a bowl victory and a final national first-round draft picks defense (203.3), scoring defense (19.5), ranking of No. 21. He became the first coach total defense (343.2), punt returns (10.9) from the MWC and just the second coach in the last four years. and sacks against (18). from a non-BCS program to receive the
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Urban Meyer’s Coaching
2004 Woody Hayes Trophy Award (Presented by the Columbus Touchdown Club) HEAD COACHING b 2004 Victor Award HIGHLIGHTS b Semifinalist for the 2004 Bobby Dodd (2005-07) Coach of the Year award b 2006 National Championship b 2003 National Coach of the Year by The b 2006 Southeastern Conference Sporting News Championship b 2003 and 2004 Mountain West b 2006 All American Football Foundation Conference Coach of the Year National Coach of the Year b 31-8 record, tied for the third-best victory total in the nation the last three years and 22 wins is second-best total in the nation the last two years b 17-7 mark in SEC action, tops in the SEC East b Faced the nation’s No. 1 schedule in 2006, the third-toughest in 2007 and overall has played 16 ranked teams in three years b Only coach in UF history to win sevenstraight games against traditional rivals Tennessee, Georgia and b 22-2 overall record and 6-1 Florida State and overall mark versus BCS teams has won eight of nine b Directed Utah to a perfect against the trio 12-0 record in 2004 and became b 19-1 record at home in The Swamp the first school from a non-Bowl Championship b Ranked in 47 consecutive polls, including Series conference to earn a berth in a BCS Bowl (Fiesta) 23 weeks in the top 10 b More than 38 percent of football b Utah finished as the MWC winner for scholarship players earned a 3.0 GPA in the second-straight season to become the the Spring of 2008 and the team GPA has only back-to-back outright champion in the league’s existence improved every year Coached 2007 Heisman Trophy Winner b The 2004 Utes ranked in the top five b nationally in six statistical categories and Tim Tebow 14 players selected in the NFL Draft, the top 20 in eight. b including a nation’s best nine in the 2007 NFL b 2004 Utah squad led the MWC in 11 statistical categories Draft 59 players have graduated b Coached Heisman Trophy Finalist Alex b b 70 student-athletes named to SEC Smith, who alsoofearned The Sporting News National Player the Year and was the first Academic Honor Roll player selected in the 2005 NFL Draft b Squad averaged 44,112 spectators per breaking HEAD COACHING game,2003 the school record of 41,478 set in HIGHLIGHTS b First Utah football coach ever named (2003-04) National Coach of the Year b The Home Depot 2004 Coach of the Year b Best debut season ever for a Utah b 2004 George Munger Award for the football coach (10-2) Collegiate Coach of the Year presented by the b 2003 marked the school’s first outright Maxwell Club conference championship since 1957 b 2004 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year b Became only coach in program’s history (Named by the Football Writers Association to win the conference crown in debut season of America)
HIGHLIGHTS
FLORIDA
b
Utah ranked No. 1 in the nation in kickoff returns in 2003 b 86% conference winning percentage in ’03 was the best since 1953 b Road sweep of Brigham Young, Colorado State and Air Force in 2003 was a Utah first b Led the Utes to their first New Year’s Eve bowl ever, where they beat Southern Mississippi (17-0) in the AXA Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31 b Utah ended Brigham Young’s NCAA record 361-game, 28-year scoring streak to complete the 2003 regular season
b
HEAD COACHING HIGHLIGHTS (2001-02) b 2001 Mid-American Conference Coach of
BOWLING GREEN
UTAH
the Year b Biggest turnaround in the NCAA in 2001 b First winning season at BGSU since 1994 b 17-6 overall record and 5-0 versus BCS teams b Five weeks in the national rankings in 2002 b Ranked as high as No. 16 (Coaches’) and No. 20 (Associated Press) b Finished third in the nation in scoring offense in 2002 with 40.8 points per game b 40.8 points per game set new MAC mark b Finished ninth in the nation in total offense with 448.9 yards per game b 2001 squad led MAC in total defense, scoring defense and rush defense
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Known as a defensive There’s a genuineness about power, Utah’s reputation on that side of Urban and a passion. As a the ball held true while the offense simply took off using Meyer’s system. Utah shut player, you can sense whether out its last two opponents, Brigham Young it’s real or contrived. We’ve all and Southern Mississippi, and finished seen that Urban is real, No. 19 in the nation in scoring defense (19.1 points per game). On the other side of the that he’s the man for this job. line, Utah went from last in scoring offense — Jack Youngblood, former Gator in 2002 to third in the league by averaging defensive end and NFL Hall of Famer 28.7 points per game in ’03. A similar improvement (seventh to fourth) was made in total offense. Red zone scoring, a Meyer from a 2-9 record to post their first winning point of emphasis, rose 11 percentage points season since 1994 with an 8-3 finish. For his efforts, he was named the 2001 MidAmerican Conference Coach of the Year. A UF has started year later, he guided BGSU to a 9-3 record a true freshman on and its highest national ranking in school history (No. 16 ESPN/USA Today and No. 20 opening day in all Associated Press). Bowling Green spent five three seasons under weeks in the national polls and finished third Coach Meyer. in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 40.8 points per game. (68 percent -79 percent, with 61 percent of The Falcons, who became the highest those scores coming on touchdowns (versus scoring team in MAC history, also finished 49 percent in 2002). ninth in the nation in total offense (448.9 Utah’s special teams, under Meyer’s direct ypg) and 11th in rushing offense (219.1 ypg) in supervision, also improved dramatically from past years. The Utes led the nation in kick Coach Meyer is one return average (28.2 yards per return) and of only eight coaches ranked second in the league in kickoff coverage to direct a team to a (16.4 yards per opponent return) in 2003. Meyer began his head coaching career at top-12 team finish in the Bowling Green in 2001, where he engineered final version of the BCS poll the top turnaround in NCAA Division I-A in at least three of the football, showing a six-win improvement from the previous season. The Falcons rebounded past four seasons.
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DATE Oct. 13, 2002 Oct. 20, 2002 Oct. 27, 2002 Nov. 3, 2002 Nov. 10, 2002 Oct. 19, 2003 Nov. 16, 2003 Nov. 23, 2003 Nov. 30, 2003 Dec. 7, 2003 Jan. 4, 2004 Aug. 1, 2004 Aug. 15, 2004 Aug. 29, 2004 Sept. 5, 2004 Sept. 12, 2004 Sept. 19, 2004 Sept. 26, 2004 Oct. 3, 2004 Oct. 10, 2004 Oct. 17, 2004 Oct. 24, 2004 Oct. 31, 2004 Nov. 7, 2004 Nov. 14, 2004 Nov. 21, 2004 Nov. 28, 2004 Dec. 5, 2004 2004 Final Poll Preseason 2005 Sept. 5, 2005 Sept. 12, 2005 Sept. 19, 2005 Sept. 26, 2005 Oct. 3, 2005 Oct. 10, 2005 Oct. 17, 2005 Oct. 24, 2005 Oct. 31, 2005 Nov. 7, 2005 Nov. 14, 2005 Nov. 21, 2005 Nov. 28, 2005 Dec. 5, 2005 2005 Final Poll Preseason 2006 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 2006 Final Poll Preseason 2007 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 2007 Final Poll
Urban Meyer Week-By-Week In The Polls
AP COACHES BCS 25 23 NP 24 22 NR 21 18 NR 20 16 NR NR 25 NR 24 23 NR NR NR 24 NR NR 22 NR NR 23 25 25 22 21 21 NP NP 21 NP 20 NP NP NP 19 NP 17 16 NP 15 14 NP 14 14 NP 14 14 NP 11 11 NP 11 10 NP 9 10 7 9 10 6 7 8 6 7 8 7 5 6 6 5 6 6 5 6 6 5 6 6 4 5 NP 10 11 NP 10 10 NP 6 7 NP 5 5 NP 5 5 NP 13 15 NP 11 13 NP 18 19 20 16 18 19 13 15 16 12 12 13 20 20 22 19 19 23 17 18 17 16 18 17 12 16 NP 7 8 NP 7 7 NP 7 6 NP 5 5 NP 5 5 NP 5 5 NP 2 3 NP 9 10 6 9 8 6 7 7 4 6 6 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 2 2 2 1 1 NP 6 3 NP 4 3 NP 5 3 NP 3 3 NP 4 3 NP 9 7 NP 13 14 NP 14 14 15 T-9 11 11 18 17 20 17 18 15 14 14 12 12 12 14 10 11 10 9 12 12 13 16 NP
HAR
4 15 12 19 17 15 13 20 19 18 17 NP NP NP NP NP 6 5 3 9 9 7 6 4 4 4 2 NP NP NP NP NP 4 8 13 14 8 17 16 14 13 11 10 NP
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Florida Football
Take Back The Swamp
UF’s 18-game home winning streak was the fourth-longest in school history and was the second-longest winning streak in the nation until Sept. 29, 2007. Coach Meyer began his Florida career with a 16-0 record in The Swamp and is 41-3 (.932) at home as a head coach.
I N I T I AT I VUrban Meyer ES Under
Win Rivalry Games
After the 59-20 victory over Tennessee on Sept. 15, 2007 the Gators had defeated UT, Georgia and Florida State eight-consecutive times, the longest stretch in school history. Meyer is the first coach in school history to defeat Tennessee in each of his first three seasons and he is also the only coach in school history to begin his career with three straight wins over Florida State. Welcomed back former Gator captains and Develop Leaders On their families for a special Captains’ Legacy and Off the field Weekend, highlighted by a private dinner for Coach Meyer established the Gators’ the captains with the current team the night Leadership Committee, a group of players before the Homecoming Game. charged with acting as spokesmen for the Recruit Quality Individuals team and handling situations related to Each of the 53 total members of the team policy issues, academic affairs, off2006 and 2007 recruiting classes qualified campus circumstances and other topics. academically, making the Gators’ the only Make Academics a Priority team in the SEC to have each member of its More than 38 percent of the University recruiting class on the field at the start of of Florida football scholarship studentpractice. athletes earned above a 3.0 GPA in the
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Connect with the Fans, the Student Body and the Community
Initiated the Gator Walk, during which players enter the stadium through a tunnel of enthusiastic and vibrant Gator fans and colors two hours prior to kickoff. Began the tradition of players singing the school song to the student section at the conclusion of home games. Held a number of contests for the student body prior to the 2008 Spring Game, including the fastest fan on campus, which was televised live by ESPN. Coach Meyer has worked with local community leaders to establish a mentoring program with disadvantaged youth and members of the football team.
Integrity is such a good word to describe him. He really taught me a lot about integrity and doing the job right and doing it to the best of your ability — and you’d never have any regret. Living the right way. You were going to go to class. You were going to get good grades. You were going to treat women with respect. Football wasn’t just off the field and it was our job to do the right things in all aspects of our life.
— Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers QB and former Utah QB
Emphasize Special Teams
The Gators have blocked 17 kicks under Urban Meyer, including a school-record eight in 2006. Florida established a school record by allowing just five punt returns in 2007 for a total of 22 yards – the fewest in the nation since at least 1996. Under Coach Meyer, UF has allowed just 153 total punt return yards, the best threeyear total in the nation. UF has returned a punt for a TD in each of Meyer’s three years at Florida. Brandon James had seven returns of 50plus yards in 2007 – the top total in the nation. Under Urban Meyer, UF has been perfect on executing fake punts (5-for-5).
Embrace the Tradition of Florida Football
Has invited several former players, including 1996 national championship team captain James Bates, to visit and speak with the team. Other former players have included Alex Brown, Danny Wuerffel, Errict Rhett, Jack Youngblood, Emmitt Smith, Lawrence Wright, Donnie Young, Trace Armstrong, Terry Jackson and Travis McGriff. Required all players to learn the school song, so that they may sing it to the student section after each home game.
2008 Spring Semester and 70 players have been named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll in the last two years. The team’s GPA is the highest ever since the data has been tracked by the Office of Student Life. Florida’s 2007 Graduation Success Rate was 72 percent. 59 student-athletes who have played for Coach Meyer have graduated.
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Improve Facilities
Spearheaded the plans for a $28 million expansion of the football facility which will feature expanded weight room, new football offices and state of the art technology. The project began in February of 2007 and will be completed in August of 2008.
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Coach Meyer is one of four active coaches to have led his team to a national championship, tutored a NFL No. 1 draft pick and have one of his players win the Heisman Trophy.
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I went down there (to Gainesville), and it was good for me. The offense he runs is very ... I won’t say it’s a pro-style offense, but it’s an open offense that has a lot of pro elements to it. From what I know about Urban, he runs a program similar to the way we run our program, so we talked about lots of things relative to technical football, Xs and Os, how to deal with different stuff that’s common (to both pro and college football). Probably a lot of things I believe in have been reinforced, because I respect (Meyer) It’s great to get that perspective (from Meyer).
— Bill Belichick, New England Patriots Head Coach
He has changed a lot of people’s lives. He turned around people that could have gone who-knowswhere to probably going to the NFL. He has made everybody a better person.
— Steve Rissler, former UF center
2002. They were the only team in the nation Meyer’s 17-6 record at Bowling Green to average at least 215 yards rushing and included a 5-0 mark against BCS teams 215 yards passing per game. BGSU also led and two wins over ranked opponents. After the nation in red zone production, scoring his first of two wins over Missouri, Meyer on 61-of-63 trips (.968) inside the 20-yard line, including 52 touchdowns. His teams fared well defensively, too. In 2001, BGSU ranked first in the MAC in scoring defense (19.5 ppg), rushing defense (86.3 ypg) and total defense (319.5 ypg). Bowling Green led the MAC in turnover margin both years under Meyer.
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was named ESPN.com National Coach of the Week in 2001. Meyer apprenticed at Ohio State (198687), Illinois State (1988-89), Colorado State (1990-95) and Notre Dame (19962000) before getting the head job at Bowling Green. The Ashtabula, Ohio, native learned the coaching trade from the likes of Sonny Lubick, Lou Holtz, Earle Bruce and Bob Davie. The 1999 season saw Meyer’s receiving corps break the Irish single-season record for pass receptions with 192 and total receiving yards with 2,858. During 1998, Meyer coached split end Malcolm Johnson, who ended his career with 110 receptions, the seventh-most in school history.
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Florida has been ranked in the AP, Coaches’ and BCS polls each week since Urban Meyer’s arrival in Gainesville, which is a streak of 47-straight AP and Coaches’ polls.
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National and Conference Rankings under Urban Meyer
(First or Second Conference Rank and Top 50 Nationally)
YEAR CATEGORY LEAGUE RANK NATIONAL RANK
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
Total Offense (457.15) Scoring Offense (42.46) Rushing Defense (103.31) Net Punting (38.68) Punt Returns (15.08) Passing Efficiency (170.17) Sacks Allowed (1.00) Rushing Offense (200.15) Rushing Defense (72.50) Total Offense (396.07) Scoring Offense (29.71) Pass Efficiency Defense (98.31) Total Defense (255.43) Scoring Defense (13.50) Net Punting (37.69) Rushing Offense (160.0) Passing Efficiency (150.45) Turnover Margin (.36) Passing Offense (236.07) Sacks (2.43) Punt Returns (10.18) Pass Defense (182.93) Sacks Allowed (1.64) Turnover Margin (+1.50) Total Defense (299.8) Net Punting (38.1) Rushing Defense (94.9) Sacks (2.75) Total Offense (499.7) Scoring Offense (45.3) Passing Efficiency (173.4) Turnover Margin (+1.25) Net Punting (40.8) Kick Return (26.2) Pass Efficiency Defense (108.9) Rushing Offense (236.1) Passing Offense (263.7) Scoring Defense (19.5) Total Defense (343.4) Punt Returns (10.9) Pass Defense (203.3) Kick Returns (28.2) Turnover Margin (+0.75) Scoring Defense (19.1) Pass Efficiency (141.7) Pass Efficiency Defense (111.0) Scoring Offense (40.8) Turnover Margin (+0.75) Rushing Offense (219.1) Pass Efficiency Defense (113.8) Total Offense (448.9) Turnover Margin (+1.55) Rushing Defense (86.3) Total Defense (319.6) Scoring Defense (19.6) Punt Returns (10.3)
1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 6 6 1 4 4 4 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 1
14 3 10 9 7 2 T-5 23 5 19 23 4 6 6 12 38 14 37 28 35 43 33 42 3 9 9 10 25 3 3 3 3 3 5 24 13 19 22 39 40 45 1 15 19 21 27 3 21 11 38 9 3 4 21 22 42
In 1997, Meyer coached Johnson and fellow receiver Bobby Brown as they became the first Irish pair of players to record 40 or more receptions individually in a season as Brown had 45 receptions and Johnson had 42. In addition, the Notre Dame receivers helped set a then single-season school record with 190 receptions. Meyer coached a youthful Irish receiving corps in 1996 and helped integrate those players with veteran quarterback Ron Powlus to contribute to a Notre Dame offense that produced the third-highest figures for total offense and scoring in Irish history. Prior to going to Notre Dame, Meyer had served as wide receiver coach for six years at Colorado State. He helped the Rams to the 1994 Western Athletic Conference title and
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This is why Urban Meyer brings recruits into his home to meet his wife and children. This is why Meyer’s players take a day each week to visit with the coaching staff’s children. Family values matter in an increasingly impersonal world. The proof is in the results.
— Spencer Tillman, CBS Sports
to Holiday Bowl appearances following both the 1994 (10-2) and 1995 seasons (8-4). In 1992, he coached wide receiver Greg Primus, an All-WAC pick who finished as Colorado State’s all-time leading receiver and ended up with 192 career catches for 3,200 yards (then 10th on the NCAA’s all-time yardage list). He also helped the Rams to the Freedom Bowl title following the 1990 season. Meyer spent the previous two seasons at Illinois State, coaching quarterbacks and
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Coaches’ All-SEC Selections Last Three Years
School Total FLORIDA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 LSU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Arkansas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Auburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Vanderbilt . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Kentucky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 S. Carolina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Miss. State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Ole Miss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
receivers in 1989 and outside linebackers in 1988. He worked as receivers coach at Ohio State in 1987 and helped the Buckeyes to a Cotton Bowl win following the 1986 campaign, when he coached tight ends. A 13th-round pick in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in 1982, he played two years in the Atlanta Braves’ organization. He played as a defensive back at the University of Cincinnati before earning his degree in psychology in 1986. He went on to earn a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1988. Born July 10, 1964, Meyer and his wife Shelley are the parents of two daughters, Nicole (18) and Gigi (15), and a son, Nathan (9).
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Coach Meyer was there with me the whole way (after the knee surgeries). I ate with him and his family a few times when I was on crutches. He was there for me every day. Any time I needed something, he was always there. He gave me his wife’s number. That says a lot about him. He said that any time I needed anything and if I could not get in contact with him to call her. He was just there for me every day.
— Ray McDonald, former UF defensive end/tackle
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Thank you for what you are doing with my son. Whatever you are doing, keep on doing it.
— LaBrinda McDonald to Coach Meyer on her son, Ray McDonald
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I love that Coach Meyer has installed the fact that we need the camaraderie, a team relationship and we need to play for each other. We need to take out the selfish attitudes. If you have to play on special teams, play on special teams. You should be fighting for that. He’s taken out the selfish aspect of the game.
— Emmanuel Moody, UF Running Back
Top Winning Percentage of Active Coaches Since 2001
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. COACH Pete Carroll Bob Stoops Urban Meyer Mark Richt Phillip Fulmer Bobby Bowden Joe Paterno Steve Spurrier Jim Tressel Paul Johnson SCHOOL Southern California Oklahoma Florida Georgia Tennessee Florida State Penn State South Carolina Ohio State Georgia Tech
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WINNING RECORD PERCENTAGE 76-14 .844 97-22 .815 .814 70-16 72-19 .791 147-45 .766 373-119-4 .756 372-125-3 .747 163-56-2 .742 208-73-2 .739 107-39 .733
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