Urban Meyer Shocks the Football World

So you want to be a successful coach, eh? Job requirements: 16-20 hour days, even in the off season; long stretches on the road away from your family; must face and answer to media, fans, boosters (if you are in college); must always be upbeat and positive; must realize that your health and personal life become secondary in order to be succesful...

In a nutshell, that's what a coach faces. Sure there is more, like game day preparation, the pressures of winning, especially at a program or team that has a history of winning. All this pressure can weigh on one person who carries an entire program, school, or even team on their shoulders. It can lead to burnout and many health issues, most of which get ignored. Urban Meyer, head football coach of the University of Florida Gators, made a tough decision, but one that could potentially save his life.

Meyer, 45, stunned the football world on Saturday night when he announced that after coaching his team in the Sugar Bowl, he would step down as coach of Florida. No one, not even his players, saw it coming. Meyer took the Florida job in 2005, after successful seasons at Bowling Green and turning Utah into a team who is now recognized nationally. He led Florida to two National titles, one in 2006 and one in 2008. All of this coming at a price...his own personal health and well being.

While details are sketchy as of now (Meyer will hold a press conference at 4:30pm today), it has been reported that he has had chest pains and heart attack related symptoms over the last four years. It wasn't until the death of Wake Forest Basketball Coach Skip Prosser, who died of a heart attack in the summer of 2007, that Meyer started to take his health seriously. He started to go in for regular tests. He says his heart is healthy, but after the loss to Alabama in this year's SEC Championship game, he went into the hospital several times for dehydration and chest pains. After a long talk with his doctor's and family, he decided to step down as coach of the most successful college football program of the last decade.

So do you really want to be a coach? While success and National Titles heal a lot, it can also almost kill you. Just ask Urban Meyer.


UPDATE

ESPN's Chris Mortenson reports at 2:01 pm on Dec 27th, that Urban Meyer has changed his mind and will not resign. Instead he will take a leave of absence for all of next season. Assistant Coach Steve Adazzio will take over on an interim basis. 4:30pm press conference still on...