Urban Meyer and the Leave of Absence

I've heard a lot of conjecture and a lot of opinion on Urban Meyer and his leave of absence. As a self-proclaimed commentator on college football, I figure that I should put forth some thoughts on the matter.

I can understand why Meyer originally quit. His health is in jeopardy from some manner of heart condition that is clearly more threatening that he is letting on. It is one thing to have some discomfort. It is another to have sharp chest pains that cause your left side to go numb before you pass out. That has the distinct ring of a heart attack, unless I miss my guess. Even if it isn't technically a heart attack by medical standards, the fact that it is decidedly reminiscent of a heart attack indicates to me that Urban has some serious health issues.

With that said, I would like to say that I also understand why he accepted the offer of a leave of absence. Let's also face the fact that Urban Meyer loves coaching football. He took a graduate assistant position immediately after college and he has done nothing but coach ever since. And now, after over 20 years in coaching, he is sitting on top of one of the premier programs in the country and is considered by many to be the best coach in the nation. He loves being a head football coach, he loves being the head football coach of the Florida Gators, he is sitting on a recruiting gold mine, he is still very young, he loves his players, and they love him. Why, precisely, would he want to leave?

The fact of the matter is, he does not want to leave. It is only his health that makes him feel like he should leave. He is doing something he loves every day... who wouldn't want to be able to say that? So, when the University of Florida gave him an option that allowed the possibility of returning, he would have been crazy not to accept it.

On the opposite side of the equation, Florida made a very impressive move to possibly keep their coach. Rather than accept his resignation, they gave him a chance to walk away so that he could sort out his health issues and, hopefully, figure out how he can continue to be a head coach without jeopardizing his own well-being. Urban Meyers don't come along very often, and Florida has one. The Ron Zook experience clearly taught the University of Florida is not a self-sustaining machine; it needs a good coach to keep it humming. So, when they found a very good one, they are doing what they can to keep him.

It is hard to say how this story will end up. But I think that all sides are doing what they can to ensure that it will be a happy ending, and they should be commended for that.