University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer resigned unexpectedly on Saturday.  His final game as the head of the Gator Nation will be January 1, 2010 against Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl.

According to reports from ESPN, Meyer released the following statement:

“I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program.  I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to reevaluate my priorities of faith and family.

“After consulting with my family, Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and my doctors, I believe it is in my best interest to step aside and focus on my health and family.”

Following the SEC Championship game against the number 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, Meyer was hospitalized briefly for what was called at the time, “dehydration.”  In the light of this report, there is now speculation that the incident in Atlanta may have been more serious than previously reported.

Meyer achieved an .849 winning percentage (56-10) in his five-year run, highest in Florida school history.

UPDATE (12/28/2009): 

Meyer’s resignation was converted into a “leave of absence,” at least on paper.  Meyer said during a Sunday afternoon press conference at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans that he believes in his gut that he will be coaching the Gators in 2010.

Others are not convinced.

There has been speculation that the rapid reversal was at least in part to prevent any wholesale abandonment by Florida recruits.

With Meyer out and most of the “premium” college coaches already installed in their 2010 positions, a Meyer-less Florida program would be far less appealing to incoming recruits than what they believed they signed on for.

After a somewhat lackluster offensive performance in 2009, installing offensive coordinator Steve Addazio as interim head coach would likely have resulted in some premier recruits taking their skills elsewhere, including to SEC rivals Tennessee and Alabama.

Meyer’s Harvin-esque reversal of field on Sunday will do much to allay the concerns of recruits who might be hearing from Lane Kiffin or Nick Saban (after the recruiting dead period, of course).  The idea that Meyer will be involved in the Florida program with an eye toward returning to the sidelines will certainly give recruits some reassurance that the Florida program in which they’ll participate resembles the one they’ve watched Meyer create in five years in Gainesville.  And it will definitely give them more confidence than turning the reins of one of the nation’s premier programs were handed over to career assistant, Addazio.

All indications are that Meyer’s medical issues are real and a serious threat to his long-term health.  There is also little doubt that the first lady of the Gator Nation, Shelley Meyer, has expressed her concern to her husband.  Any married man who has felt pressure from his better half can recognize this in Meyer’s words.

The only question in my mind is not the veracity of the stated reasons for Meyer’s resignation on Saturday.  It’s the motivation for his Sunday change of course.  Was it really due to the inspiriation provided by the Gators’ players and coaches during Sunday morning’s practice, as Meyer indicated, or was it a concession to the Florida program to stem the bleeding of recruits long enough to get a name head coach in place?

Time will tell but it took a helluva bold move by Meyer to turn the attention of football fans in the state of Florida away from Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden’s final game of his illustrious career on Jan 1.

But “bold moves” are exactly what have typified Meyer’s 24-year coaching career.  And he’s got one more game left to coach.

At least.

More to come.

~Smokey Joe

Joe Mayes Florida, SEC