Urban Meyer Gives Clear Stance on Potential Return to University of Florida

Don't expect to see Meyer roaming the sidelines of Gainesville again if the job opens.

Don't expect Urban Meyer to make a return to coaching at the University of Florida. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Urban Meyer won two national championships as the head coach at the University of Florida from 2005 to '10, but don't expect him to return to Gainesville for a potential second go-around as the leader of the program.

With Florida head coach Billy Napier's seat as hot as it's ever been, the school's potential coaching opening has been of much discussion over the past several months. Florida's 1–2 start to the 2024 season certainly hasn't helped that cause for Napier.

But could Meyer make a return to the sidelines in Gainesville? Don't count on it.

"That ship has sailed," Meyer said on The Triple Option podcast this week. "I want that program to do well so bad. I know so many people there and we gave a big part of our life to that program. But that ship has sailed."

Since leading Florida to multiple national titles, Meyer spent seven seasons at Ohio State and won a national title in Columbus as well. He left the college ranks following the 2018 season to focus on his health, but returned to coaching in 2021 with the Jacksonville Jaguars in what was a disastrous NFL tenure that saw him go 2–11 as coach before being fired before the end of his first season.

But until Meyer outright rejects an interview from Florida, it's hard to take him at his word that the ship has actually sailed. There's plenty of history and success for Meyer at UF, so don't be surprised if his name comes up as a longshot candidate in the event that Napier is let go.

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