When Urban Meyer announced he’d be stepping down from his position of head coach of the Florida Gators last December, the college football world sympathized with the man that proved a former mid-major conference coach could survive and succeed in a powerhouse conference such as the SEC.

A trip to the hospital for heart pains and a family at home that wanted the full-time dad they felt they deserved were reasons enough for Meyer to step down and start living the normal life he desired. We tipped our hats to a guy who had to prioritize what was important in life.

And when he decided he wasn’t done just yet, just days after we thought we’d seen the end of one of these most successful and short-lived coaching tenures in history, Meyer’s actions were heroic. He chose to potentially put his good health, maybe even his life, on the line for kids that called him coach and the millions of Gator faithful.

But on Wednesday, when Meyer announced for the second time that he’d be leaving Gainsville, we weren’t as quick to sing our praise. Following the worst season of his coaching career, we had to question what Meyer’s true motives were this time around.

Year one of the Post-Tebow era didn’t go all that well did it Urban? Working without defensive coordinator Dan Mullen and offensive coordinator Charlie Strong was pretty difficult, huh? And I bet five losses didn’t sit too well with fans or the alumni.
And it must’ve been gut-wrenching to watch a kid you once recruited to Florida completely tear up your conference. Knowing Cam Newton could’ve been Tebow’s predecessor, could’ve fit right into the playbook built around a mobile quarterback that won you a national championship and Sugar Bowl, had things gone a little differently must’ve been harder to watch than an episode of ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’.
But no one can be expected to replace Tebow or the other eight draft picks you lost from last season in just one year. Seven-win seasons don’t sit well with Gator fans, but hey, you get yourself to a bowl game and you start rebuilding for next year.

All this in mind, why are you leaving this time Urban?

If your motives are sincere, if you really do need to spend the time with your wife and kids that you felt you’ve lost in your career, that’s great. We all wish you the best. Maybe a coaching career in Pop Warner is more your thing.

But it just seems a bit fishy, doesn’t it?

Just a few days ago, another coaching job opened up, for a team in a different shade of blue and orange, in a place that might as well be different world all together from Gainesville. That’s right Josh McDaniels is done in Denver. And isn’t there a certain quarterback in Denver who’s just waiting for someone to join the Broncos and give him a chance as an everyday NFL player?

I know, I know. I’m jumping to conclusions. But isn’t plausible that Meyer would love to the plunge like so many successful college coaches have done before and take over the reins of NFL team? To start his pro-coaching career with the quarterback that led him to the BCS title in 2008? Come on, it’d be perfect. Meyer and Tebow, together again, back for another run at greatness.

Only time will tell what Meyer truly wants to do with his life. But we can only hope that he’s made up his mind for good this time.

Another Brett Farve saga is the last thing we need.