Former Utah and current Florida head football coach Urban Meyer is a winner who hates to lose. So much so that he once called his 9-3 Gators team “awful.” So it goes without saying that in order to know Meyer, you have to first understand the man would rather die a thousand painful deaths than lose a single game.

However, in order to know the tricky and sometimes confusing intricacies that encompass a man of Meyer’s stature and his national championships, umpteen BCS bowl appearances and overall sales ability, you have to get to what is at the heart of the matter. Frankly, that’s anyone’s guess if you read the sports pages. Meyer is about as predictable as a newborn male in terms of us knowing when it’s time for him to go.

Urban Meyer is a Cancer. What we do know about Meyer is that he was born in a town called Ashtabula, Ohio on July 10, 1964. No, that doesn’t necessarily mean Meyer is a cancer (though some may differ); it means his birth sign is Cancer, which, according to astrology means Meyer is more “emotionally intense and deeper“ than thought, but “sensitive and understanding” once you get past him on first glance. Calling Meyer sensitive and understanding is probably a stretch, since he has been known for being a ball-buster. Hey, the man has a heart. Who knew?

Urban Meyer spent 13 years as an assistant coach. After playing at Cincinnati as a defensive back from 1983-1986, Meyer coached one year of high school ball as a DB coach before starting his foray into college coaching. At Ohio State as a graduate assistant under Earle Bruce, he then continued a 13-year journey as an assistant coach at Illinois State, Colorado State and at Notre Dame. After spending more than a decade as second fiddle, he then got his first head coaching position at Bowling Green. There he perfected his plan for world (uh, BCS) domination, spending long hours in film rooms and meetings. And, undoubtedly irritated his wife Shelley to no end, going on and on about schemes, defenses and players. Coaches' wives are used to that, however.

Urban Meyer is NOT the godfather of the spread option, as some might assume. It’s easy to think so after Meyer’s teams tore through opposing defenses, using athletic, speedy quarterbacks to the point of no return as they sliced around but mostly through beefy down linemen and into bewildered secondaries. Rather, Meyer borrowed parts of the offense and made his own after viewing several other coaches who ran variations, including but not limited to its innovator, ex-TCU coach Dutch Meyer (no relation), as well as the great Bill Walsh, Michigan (then-West Virginia) coach Rich Rodriguez and then-Louisville head coach John L. Smith, uncle to Alex Smith (who was the former Ute quarterback when Meyer was at the Ute helm.) Meyer’s spread was so successful, he used the offense like a drug at Bowling Green for two years, then at Utah for two more years and now at Florida, where he has been with the Gators going on five years, altogether eclipsing and doubling his previous two head coaching stints. His quarterbacks thrived in it, including but not limited to Florida’s Tim Tebow (video above), the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and Smith, a No. 1 draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers in 2005.

Urban Meyer is a tireless worker. Ashtabula, Ohio, is about as far from Gainesville, Florida as steelworkers are from white, sandy beaches. But Meyer didn’t get to where he is today by being dumb. After graduating with a bachelors’ degree in psychology from Cincinnati in 1986, he received his master’s degree in sports administration in 1988 from Ohio State. He grew up in a middle-class family, and it’s from those Midwest roots where he probably got his work ethic. In fact, Meyer may be the most astute head football coach in college history, and it’s hard to argue with his record, which has to do with his knowledge of not only the game but also its inner workings. But the thing that sets him apart from most coaches is his ability to politic. He used his chutzpah to lobby the stodgy Bowl Championship Series into inviting Utah to the 2004 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, marking the first time any mid-major had been invited to a BCS bowl since the BCS‘ inception in 1998. Also, Meyer has been a tireless campaigner for a college football playoff system, even at Florida where his teams have had BCS success.

Urban Meyer is a salesperson at heart. At every coaching stop, Meyer did one thing better than most: he sold the product he was putting out before it even took the field. Not only did the fans pay attention and pack the stands, so did the media, giving him conference coach of the year honors at his first stop on his head coaching ride, followed by conference and national coaching honors at Utah in successive years. That just doesn’t happen by osmosis. Meyer was the first to say both Bowling Green and Utah needed serious infusions of team and school spirit, and like the frat to which he belonged at Cincy, Meyer muse have known students were key to creating and maintaining that camaraderie. He created a buzz about each school by appearing in numerous advertising campaigns on campus, and went outside that realm to the public, using all forms of media to spread the message. He then implemented new team guidelines, oversaw all facets and delegated responsibilities equally, insuring that all coaches were part of the learning process. He created student cheering sections, such as the MUSS (Mighty Utah Student Section) at Utah, a faction similar in scope to what one might see at Texas A & M. He implored walk-ons to join the team and it was from this philosophy that ex-Ute kicker Louie Sakoda became an All-American.

Urban Meyer is a bounce-back coach. At all three coaching stops, Meyer’s teams started out okay, by his lofty standards. He went 8-3 at Bowling Green, then followed it up going 9-3 before bolting for Utah. At the U, Meyer one-upped his previous personal coaching best in his first season on the Hill, going 10-2 before the Utes’ magical BCS run and a 12-0 record. At Florida, Meyer took the Gators to a 9-3 record in 2005 and then won his first national title the following year. In true bounce-back fashion, however, Meyer’s third year (another personal record if you’re counting at home) saw his Gators miss the BCS bowl and finish 9-3, only to finish with yet another national championship the following year. If history repeats itself, Meyer will again have a disappointing year in 2009. Florida fans certainly hope for different.

Urban Meyer is headed to Notre Dame soon enough. Although press reports say otherwise, Meyer is headed to Notre Dame soon enough, probably after his three kids are grown. At last check, only one, the oldest, was headed out of the roost and so Gator fans can probably breathe a five-year sigh of relief, although it could be sooner. The only advice I can give to Florida fans is to think of a way to reverse the aging effects on the Meyer kids before it’s too late. After all, we Ute fans and followers should know; we were here when Meyer was courted by big name schools flying into Salt Lake International on private jets. Florida might be sunny, but it’s not South Bend and Touchdown Jesus on NBC. Florida has tradition, but it doesn’t have itself etched in people’s memories through Rudy, folklore and Joe, whether we’re talking about Montana or Theismann. Besides, Meyer is making less money than Charlie Weis is at present. That’s reason enough to decide to head back north and become not only a legend, but a football icon heading toward immortality. Floridians should be grateful that they had him for more than twice--and probably three or four times--as long as Utah did.

Career highlights
Overall 83-17
Bowls 5–1
2 National Championships (2006, 2008)
2 SEC Championships (2006, 2008)
2 MWC Championships (2003, 2004)
Awards
The Home Depot Coach of the Year (2004)
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (2004)
Playing career
1983-1986 Cincinnati Position DB
Coaching career
1986 Ohio State (TEs)
1987 Ohio State (WRs)
1988 Illinois State (OLBs)
1989 Illinois State (QBs/WRs)
1990-1995 Colorado State (WRs)
1996-2000 Notre Dame (WRs)
2001-2002 Bowling Green
2003-2004 Utah
2005-present Florida