MIAMI - Florida's reign as national champion was barely an hour old when coach Urban Meyer started pitching for another title.
"You'd have to be out of your friggin' mind not to want to play for the Gators," he said at the post-game press conference at Dolphin Stadium.
How's that for multi-tasking? Meyer can celebrate one national championship and recruit toward another one at the same time.
The next national title is more likely to come sooner than later. That says as much about Meyer as it does about the Gators.
He won one national championship with Ron Zook's recruits. He won another one Thursday night with his own recruits.
As good as Florida was in the 1990s, it's better now under Meyer. What does that tell you?
It tells you he's the best coach in college football. And it's not debatable.
Never mind all that Pete Carroll has accomplished at Southern California, or how quickly Nick Saban has revived Alabama football. How could you take anyone over Meyer?
He has won two national championships in his four seasons at Florida. Before Florida, he went 13-0 at Utah. And he won at Bowling Green before he won at Utah.
It's not just how much Meyer has won. It's how he has won.
He came to the SEC with the reputation of being an "offensive guy." But with the national championship on the line, his Gators have played dominant defense - first, against Ohio State two years ago; then again Thursday night in holding Oklahoma to 40 points below its 54-point per-game average.
He supposedly has a finesse offense. But the star of his offense is a power-running quarterback.
In fact, Meyer isn't about finesse or power, offense or defense. He's about winning.
And there's no end in sight.
So what if quarterback Tim Tebow, wide receiver Percy Harvin and linebacker Brandon Spikes all go pro early. Ten other starters will return on defense, and there are potential stars waiting in the wings.
"We could be very good next year," Meyer said at Friday morning's press conference.
Meyer wasn't so confident after his first national championship. When several juniors opted to go pro, he didn't have comparable players to move into their positions.
"I see a program that's set now," Meyer said. "I didn't feel that way two years ago. … Our recruiting base is solid.
"Two years ago, we had a two-year void in recruiting. It showed last year."
There's no void now. And there are more recruits on the way.
"We only have about four left," Meyer said of his next recruiting class. "We just want to make sure it's the right four.
"I've heard from several of them. This (national championship) will be a tremendous boost."
Just what the Gators need, huh? Another boost.
They have the best program in the best conference in college football. And the head of the program isn't angling for his next job, despite the great affection he has for Notre Dame.
Meyer knows you can't win at Notre Dame the way you can at Florida. He also knows you can't win in the NFL the way you can at Florida.
Florida's winning potential is what attracted Meyer. Now that the Gators are winning more than ever, why should he want to leave?
"I had a dream of what Florida should be like," he said. "It's real close. I love Florida."
With that comment, he wasn't just confirming his allegiance to the Gators. He was recruiting more Gators.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Comments » 186
IPOrange writes:
I'm gonna remember those words, Suburban Meyer, and remind you that you were out of your friggin' mind when you said them.
Witch_Doctor writes:
Oh I see an end. Some call me a dreamer....
1st
Witch_Doctor writes:
dang it!
hodocka writes:
Myer is the most smug overconfident coach I've ever seen. I just hope Kiffin can change that in the near future.
orangecountry21 writes:
if i were meyer i would be smug and overconfident too. whos gonna stop him?
surfmaster writes:
Well hockey-sticks, lets just go ahead and forfeit next seasons game to them, and the next one after that just for good measure. Now that Adams has proclaimed Meyer king of the universe, any attempt to compete with them will obviously prove futile. All hail King Meyer! All hail King Meyer! Better yet, lets just shut down the athletic program alltogether since Meyer will only use his god-like powers to defeat us in basketball, baseball, swimming and all the other div-I sports as well. Maybe if we prostrate ourselves before him and beg his highness mercy, Coach Meyer will allow us to live long enough to see them win another championship.
imw8n4u writes:
I'm not sure who would win between UF and USC, but I sure would love to see that game. I hope that Kiffin can get us back to a competitive level against the top tier of college FB.
JBruce writes:
When you have the rediculous amount of talent that comes out of that state every year, you can make statements like that.
It's easy when you can step into your backyard and find talent.
Kiffin and Company will have to work 10 times harder to get the same results. It can be done, but it won't be easy.
bamacheats writes:
This is how Urban Meyer goes down...
Charlie Strong divorces the white chick...marries a black chick...finally gets a head coaching job...Florida sucks...the end.
orangevolunteer writes:
what a goob..just like tebow his act would not work in the pro game,so he has to do something to bring an nfl style drama around his players,because it is the closest most of them will ever get to the nfl.fastest team to never have any nfl future starters,and yes that includes harvin(major liability due to puffy,but soft body),i hope meyer runs his trap some more,all it does is make him look like a fool for talking like that when they lose three to four games next year.you know why he is so bitter?because he knows that they really are not as good as they appear....
jcherrie#219531 writes:
He means like Nebraska? Sorry bad example. Oh - like Miami's streak? Oh, another bad example. He means like Notre Dame? Another bad one. Hey means like Penn State's dynasty - oh - that ended too. Or does he mean FSU? Like Texas - oh the early 90's were rough. USC -- oh also not so good in the '90s.
Sorry Urban - even the mighty Gators will fall - maybe not in 10 years - not in 15 -- but 1 day they'll suck too.
bls8617#370509 writes:
Its going to be awhile before we are favored to beat Florida again. But that doesn't mean that we won't beat them or eventually turn the tables. Recruits have extremely short memories.
OrangeMagic writes:
"Meyer knows you can't win at Notre Dame the way you can at Florida"
Maybe Charlie Weiss knows that but last I checked, Notre Dame can recruit nationally, including Florida. It wouldn't be so bad if Meyer wasn't so arrogant, just a different, but similar personality to Spurrier. At least Spurrier can be funny.
Overconfidence usually has a way of finding its way to humility, let's hope humiliation for Meyer.
volsrock54 writes:
Florida just won it's second national championship in 3 years, who wouldn't want to come play there? It is gonna be a tough row to hoe in competeing with Myer for the good talent out there. I hate the Gators but I can't argue with what he said. Lets hope Kiffin can get us going again. Go Vols!
99gator writes:
someone explain to me the overconfidence.
isn't the season over? didn't they just win the national title?
is florida not the school that everyone in the premier conference is chasing?
what do you expect a coach to say who just won a championship with a top 10 defense made up mostly of freshman and sophomores?
99gator writes:
here this is from john adams' cousin.....tony barnhardt.
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shar...
Pullingguard writes:
Well, I regret having to concede that the Gators are head and shoulders above anyone else in SEC for the foreseeable future, for the next 2/3 years anyway. Vols are 2/3 years away and that is with good recruiting classes, GA will not be the same next year, neither will Bama/ Who else but the Gators.
cjraney writes:
Overconfident? I'd say he's about the right amount of confident. Seriously, they don't have a single SR on the 2-deep on defense. Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps? True freshmen.
Why do HS players like him? B/c he realizes how good his program is and he's not scared to be confident about it.
Now we need to do the same thing.
tenuscvol writes:
cool...
IPOrange writes:
What goes up must come down.
jcherrie#219531 writes:
tell someone who might care instead of wasting your time here
IPOrange writes:
I remember the ecstasy of the 90s, the 98 championship and more good seasons in the early 2000s. Then the worm turned. It will happen. Nobody stays on top for long. Remember these words, my friend.
cobbwebb writes:
at this point meyer can say pretty much anything he wants! every program in college football is looking up at the gators! you can say what you want about how easy it is to recruit in the state of florida, but you have to do something with it once you get it(talent)! look at TENN. class of 05 was it?
snowvol writes:
Smug? Overconfident? You have got to be kidding. You ARE kidding, right?
I may loathe Florida, but for Heaven's sake, give credit where credit is due. Urban Meyer, at least right now, is the best coach in college football. Period. There can be no debate.
The man has won two national championships in his four years at Florida. He shut down Oklahoma. He shut down Ohio State. And, unfortunately, he not only shuts down our Vols, he embarrasses them.
Smug? Overconfident? No, he's a tough, creative, innovative winner.
I, too, hope Kiffin changes the current power structure in the SEC. But that power structure begins and ends in Gainesville, like it or not.
OrangeMagic writes:
How many seniors did we have on defense this year? This was a defense that gave up only 17 touchdowns all season. How many of those were given up in the "Mustang"?
Just a little help from the offense could have at minimum resulted in a 7-5 season and a bowl game. But then, we wouldn't have the Kiffins and Orgeron and the promise of a bright future. We may surprise some people come signing day.
wittenfaninky writes:
Congratulation, 99 gator. Well deserved national championship. Good defense will always have you contending for titles. I don't see this ending any time soon for UF. Good game for 3 quarters last night. I think OU shot themselves in the foot more than once, but gators definitely deserved to win.
I think Georgia is going to be the least of your worries. Your two biggest threats in the SEC over the next several years will be LSU (immediately) and TN (2 years). It will be interesting to see what Chavis does with those big defensive tackles at LSU.
cobbwebb writes:
agree 100%, without the prevent...uhhmm i mean mustang, and a little offense, we win at ucla, at auburn, and wyoming!
OrangeMagic writes:
my quote:
"This was a defense that gave up only 17 touchdowns all season." My mistake, it was 14. Florida gave up 19 on defense, but they scored 75 TDs to our 22.
volsbandit writes:
hey mr. adams, why don't you go ahead and jump over to gogatorsxtra.com? have you forgot what website you're posting that phooey on? you're pathetic to be saying that phooey on a "vols" website, hense the name goVOLSxtra. please.leave.now.
TommyJack writes:
"You'd have to be out of your friggin' mind not to want to play for the Gators," he said at the post-game press conference at Dolphin Stadium.
Real classy, Urb.
NoogaVol55 writes:
We only scored 22 TD on offense over 12 games???? Take 5 of those TD's away from the UAB game and we only had 17 over 11 games.Holy Sh*t that is depressing...I knew our offense sucked but I didn't think it was that bad. Well, look on the bright side fellas...our O has nowhere to go but up!!!! M. Brown, P. White, P. Patterson,...what more evidence do you need that you will have an opportunity to play EARLY!!!!
FWBVol writes:
I live in Florida and know several Gator fans that admit Meyer is a real jerk, but he's their jerk and they love what he's doing with the program, and like it or not, I can't blame them.
I do take some comfort in the thought that nobody's as good as they look when they are winning or as bad as they look when they are losing. Maybe the turnaround for the Vols isn't too far off under CLK.
NoogaVol55 writes:
Not saying Meyer is classy and not saying that the tables do not eventually turn, but honestly, his he saying anything that isn't true? Like it or not (and I personally do not like it) but the Gators are the team to beat. They have a choke hold on the SEC right now. I fully expect Big Kiff and EO to slow down their offense and given a year or two, I expect CLK and CJC to field an offense that can take advantage of opportunities given to them by the defense and put some points on the board. I am not sure that we beat them next year, but the next time they roll into Knoxville, Meyer & Co. may start quoting the Japaneese Admiral..."I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."
Go Vols!
volfan8 writes:
Just wait one more year. After Charlie Weis tanks another year at ND, the boosters will get sick of him and make Urban an offer no one can refuse, then urban will say so long to Gainsville and hello to his dream job while rolling in 5 mil a year...
dfreeman writes:
John Adams - I see no end to your love of Florida and Tebow either! I bet you oiled yourself up in butter and put lipstick on after that game! You still haven't come down of that high yet have you?
OrangeMagic writes:
I believe the quotes from the Kiffins and Orgeron is that no-one will outwork them. I believe they are making good on that promise.
Hopefully, the coaching staff CLK is building will develop talent and make 4* and 5* recruits out of our 3's until we catch up. A problem with our teams of late has been that they did not develop the talent they had, eg Jerod Mayo was a good, but not great player for TN and he goes out and wins defensive rookie of the year in the NFL. Going back a little farther, look at Eric Parker and now David Martin.
volsrm writes:
The Vols will be at least a 21 point underdog next season when they head down to the swamp. How sweet it will be when UT ends their hopes of consecutive titles and will be the biggest upset of the year in college football!!!
CHS52VOL writes:
Amen! Ever notice that trees don't grow to the sky? There is a limit to their growth. Or have you noticed that the sun doesn't shine on the same puppy dogs tail all the the time? In due time, they all get a turn to warm their tails.
Look out Gators 'cause the Vols' time in the sun is coming once again ...and that right early.
mike_d writes:
I agree that the reign will continue for a couple more years. I just have to imagine that sometime soon "touchdown jesus" will call him home and he will take his shot there. Winning at florida is one thing. If he goes to...and wins at notre dame...his status will be legendary.
volfan8 writes:
Exactly, winning in Florida means a lot to that state, the SEC, and the majority of the South. Winning at ND means a lot to millions of people around the world. If the golden domers come a calling with a blank check, expect Urban to pack his bags and follow his dream
ChuckG writes:
OrangeMagic - "Jerod Mayo was a good, but not great player for TN"
I do not know what you were watching last year, but the Jerod Mayo I saw was the hardest hitting most outstanding linebacker I have seen in my 35 years of watching UT football. He was probably not the leader that Al Wilson was during his time, but he was every bit the player on the field. We do not make it to Atlanta without him. The two previous years he was nicked up off and on. E. Parker played with Peerless and Cedric. I will agree with you on Martin.
givehim6 writes:
Pride usually comes befor a fall. Most people, or groups that claim invncibility find them selves back down to earth with in 2 to 5 years. Look at the gators of the 90's, Steve got all full of him self, then see what happend. If someone better does not come by to knock you down, theres a inter implosion. Never claim a 1,000 year rain.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
You are dead on, Orangevolunteer. What kind of quarterback will Meyer have when Tebow leaves? Do you think the rest of the league will catch on someday? And then our pro style offense will be the bomb!
snafu14u#241639 writes:
Bingo, I was going to post this but you beat me to it. The money from the Irish will be HUGE. He will have to go. Give him two years and that's it at Florida. Bonzaivol
GreenDevilVol writes:
Opps,I guess that Meyer just stepped on Tebows sainthood. I were Tebow I would chastise my coach send him to the far corners of the earth and start performing circumcisions in my name !!
Don't be to over confident there Urb,even the Roman Empire fell and hasnt been back since.
stroker writes:
Right: but like somebody said on here recently "an ape could win at Fl" and they can go a little higher up the food chain than an ape for the next coach. So its going to be tough to beat'em . Hence Hamilton's supreme venture. Hope it works.
Alwaysthinknnextyear writes:
The same clowns that cried because of the so called injustice committed against Fulmer are now crying because our program is so far behind and someone else is on top. At least we won't be going to the gunfight next year armed with a knife. CLK will at least give us a chance. And then maybe the Urban legend will be a little more humble. I guess until then it is us eating the pie.
Waldorf writes:
The difference -
Meyer doesn't seem like the type of person to get complacent after winning. Fat and happy if you will.
He wants to build a program remembered as the greatest dynasty of all time. At least for that part I respect him.
The only way it's coming down anytime soon is if he is doing anything shady and gets caught.
(Or Notre Game ups that offer to $7M.)
volnknox writes:
Doesn't florida have their own sports blog? why do you come on here with your posts, stay at home with your gators man.
vol98 writes:
it's all cyclical.....programs you can't ever imagine going down, go down...see earlier teams mentioned..,I did notice they start 3 srs on the o line... Things happen, recruits don't pan out... A new QB struggles and things get tough. They'll probably always be good, but you be great every year
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