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The Urban Meyer saga has become so drawn out that I’m almost
looking forward to the Brett “Even a high school QB knows
better than to throw that pass” Favre retirement soap opera
and the already tired storyline of how the Saints are going to
magically rebuild New Orleans by playing in the Super Bowl (just
like Michigan State’s hoops team was going to save Detroit by
playing in the national title game).
However, Meyer deciding to coach spring ball IS a big deal
because it involves one of the best coaches in all of sports and
his powerhouse of a program. His health could shape the world of
college football for the next five years, at least.
The Meyer health issues don’t appear to be having any
effect on recruiting, as the Gators are about to bring in the
nation’s No. 1 class, but the big question continues to be
the issues that are getting blown off. It’s not like Meyer is
suddenly going to be all mellow after a day off, and he's fooling
himself if he thinks 36 hours off will make a difference. Now he
wants to coach spring ball while the entire Gator program will hold
its breath game-in-and-game-out hoping its superstar coach
doesn’t blow a gasket.
Meyer is one of the most innovative and successful coaches in
the history of college football. Now it’s time that he leads
the way and shows how an uber-driven head coach at a national
title-caliber program can figure out how to create a better
balance. While he doesn’t have to be as lax as Steve
Spurrier, who was able to rock in Gainesville while not exactly
being known for burning the midnight oil, he doesn’t have to
suffer a Nick Saban-like miserable existence and make it a Coach Or
Die situation for himself.
He has to realize that he really does have to take his health
into account, and not just for his family and himself, but in this
case, for the sake of Florida football, his career, and what he
wants to do for the rest of his life.
Top coaches are like boxers; they know how to do one thing.
While it’s bad for them, they’re directionless without
their day jobs. Meyer, as long as he’s breathing, is going to
want to be a football coach. So now he just has to do it better.
All coaches need to take the Pete Carroll approach (only
without the gags against inferior conference opponents and minus a
program rife with NCAA violations) and make their practices
competitive, but with a sense that the entire world isn’t
revolving around the next play. A billion Chinese don’t give
a hoot about the opener against Miami University, and only 29
million people watched the 2010 BCS Championship while roughly 750
million will watch the World Cup final this summer. College
football is great, but it doesn’t matter much when
you’re always worrying about whether or not the sport is
going to kill you.
So go ahead, Urban, and coach spring ball. You’re a
coach -- a great one -- and now it’s time to do this at a
high level again while gaining a bit more perspective. Enjoy the
ride more than the results (and if you make a tee-shirt or
motivational poster off that cornball line, I want a cut).
