Urban Meyer admits looking back on his departure from Florida is heartbreaking

Now an analyst, Urban Meyer was once one of the best coaches in college football, both with the Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Even with all of his success, though, Meyer’s departure from Florida was a surprise at the time.

Now, with around a decade and a half to reflect on his departure from Florida, Meyer admitted on Another Dooley Noted Podcast that it was heartbreaking for him. However, he had to do it for his health at the time.

“The good thing is that I’m surrounded by a lot of Gators and Gator fans,” Urban Meyer said. “And the way that Urban Meyer left Florida is something that I can’t change. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also my life.”

In December of 2009, Meyer was admitted to the hospital while suffering from chest pains and dehydration. After that, he announced he would resign due to health concerns. That later changed to a leave of absence. He would then return for the 2010 season, which was his worst at Florida by record, before retiring while citing many of the reasons he had the year prior. That came amid some controversy within the Florida program for its culture.

“It is what it is. I look back now, I was not in good shape. I look back now, I had to do that to get myself healthy again because it was awful. I’m also at peace with the fact that as a Gator,” Meyer said.

“If someone wants to come knock on my door and say, ‘Man, Coach. I wish you guys would just work a little harder for Florida.’ You know, that’s a fight you’re not gonna win. That’s going to have a bad ending. If they said, ‘You know, Coach, I wish you would have stayed a few more years.’ I get that. I get that. Or someone says you left the program a mess or something. I heard that, and I’m like, you just told me one of the best rosters they’ve ever had in the Gators was the year after we left. They had great players everywhere.”

Urban Meyer left Florida as one of the school’s best coaches ever. He won two national championships and two SEC Championships. He also had a final record there of 65-15 overall.

“So, I think all of that has kind of moved on. I know it’s certainly moved on in my heart, other than the fact that I look back now,” Meyer said. “And I still have great relationships with a lot of those players. I talk to [Brandon] Spikes all the time, and I’ll never forget those great moments.”

After leaving Florida following the 2010 season, Meyer would return to coaching in 2012 with the Ohio State Buckeyes. There, he’d win another national championship before leaving college coaching following the 2018 season.