Urban Meyer reveals how he chose Florida over Notre Dame
By Keith Farner
Published:
Urban Meyer is commonly seen as a key figure for a high-profile coaching hire that could be made in the near future. But the former Ohio State coach revealed how he might arrive at a decision put in front of him, should an offer arrive.
In an interview with The Herd, Meyer recalled how he decided between two high-profile openings in 2004, when he was in a position to choose between Notre Dame and Florida.
“I felt Florida had the better roster,” he said. “They had Chris Leak coming back, they had Chad Jackson, they had Bubba Caldwell. I did my homework and I thought, ‘You know what? You get one swing and I think the best chance to win is going to be at the University of Florida.’”
Meyer may face another Notre Dame equation in the near future, and that’s why his comments about his background, faith and family help the rumor cycle.
“I’m Irish-Catholic, I grew up a Notre Dame fan,” Meyer said. “I spent six years there, my son was baptized at Notre Dame. We loved it there.
But he’s aware of the state of modern college football that winning must come almost immediately, even more so that 15 years ago when that was at the forefront of his mind.
“The bottom line in the coaching profession is you don’t have time to build programs anymore. You better get it going right now,” Meyer said.
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
