Within minutes of the shocking announcement that University Of Florida head coach Urban Meyer was stepping down — days before his 12-1 Gators play Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl — the twit/twat/tweetosphere was abuzz with all sorts of tasteless speculation. But enough about my posts, an anonymous source tells the Gainsville Sun’s Pat Dooley that Meyer, “just doesn’t have anything left in the tank”, a December 6 hospital visit under the guise of “dehydration” being sufficient cover for what are now being called “constant chest pains”.
As the Times’ Pete Thamel correctly points out, there’s no obvious in-house successor for Meyer, and barring a complete breakdown in Pete Carroll’s relationship with USC AD Mike Garrett (which couldn’t possibly happen, right?), Florida might need a hand in headhunting. And I’m more than happy to assist — the choice has to be UCF’s George O’Leary. He’s got experience coaching one of the nation’s marquee programs (albeit briefly), and he already knows a thing or two about the brutal training conditions in the Sunshine State. Heck, it’s the holiday season, Gator Nation can have this tip for free.