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Meyer A Champion In Paradise

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2009

MIAMI Maybe he'll crank up his sound system and kick back with a little Jimmy Buffett, because that's the only music Urban Meyer listens to. Maybe he'll waste away for 15 or 20 seconds in Margaritaville before getting back to work.

Or maybe he'll just roll the tape of Florida's 24-14 victory over Oklahoma here Thursday night, over and over again. Surely that would that would put him in a state of nirvana, because the public has never seen him flash a happy face the way he did after his Gators clinched their second national championship in the three years with their victory in the BCS Championship Game.

"I'm not sure I enjoyed that last one enough. I'm going to enjoy this one," Meyer said. "You know why? Because I've got a team I can trust."

And so the true essence of Gator football was at last revealed.

It's more than watching Tim Tebow romp all over the field, knocking Oklahoma defenders down like duckpins en route to 109 yards rushing on top of 231 yards passing and two touchdowns.

It's more than watching Percy Harvin prove he really can out-run teams on one leg. There was a wild rumor before the game that Harvin wouldn't play because he had hurt his bad ankle again. Then Mr. Gimpy went out and scorched the Sooners for 125 yards on, gulp, nine carries and a touchdown.

"That was one of the guttiest performances I've ever been around," Meyer said.

And it's more than watching his defense lay havoc to the biggest point-making machine in college football history. Oklahoma hadn't scored fewer than 35 points in any game this season and had put up at least 60 in the five outings prior to this game.

It's all of that, but it's more. This team is greater than the sum of its many vital parts and trust is the reason why.

Trust Showed

Meyer knows what he's going to get from his team and his coaching staff. That's the essence of a championship program, and it was on display all night.

Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen leaves now to take the head coaching job at Mississippi State, but not before devising a scheme that put up 480 yards and nearly a 10-minute edge in time of possession.

"His professionalism and what he did is to be commended. I know players appreciate it, but the University of Florida should really appreciate what he did," Meyer said.

Florida State can tell you how big that is. The last time the Seminoles were in the national championship game, offensive coordinator Mark Richt had accepted the head job at Georgia. The Seminoles fell flat in the title game, also at this stadium, losing 13-2 to Oklahoma to give Coach Bob Stoops his only national title.

Meyer trusted defensive coordinator Charlie Strong to devise a scheme to contain the offense people said couldn't be stopped. They stopped it, holding the Sooners to 363 total yards and largely containing Heisman Trophy quarterback Sam Bradford.

"What a job. Yeah, what a job tonight. I was looking at their stats, and to hold that outfit to whatever, what is it, 14, two touchdowns and 363 yards, that's one of the great coaching jobs of the year and certainly of the last ten years, and he does it -- he's done it many times," Meyer said.

"What a great ambassador for college football and a great ambassador for the University of Florida, Coach Strong."

Twice, the Gators stopped Oklahoma drives that seemed destined for scores – once on downs at the 6, once with an interception at the 3. And with Florida leading 17-14, safety Ahmad Black's interception at the Gators 24 with 9:59 to play was the raised the hammer to drive in the final nail.

Oklahoma didn't get the ball back until Tebow threw a scoring pass – on a jump pass no less – to David Nelson with 3:07 to play.

That was that.

Decisions To Make

The next few days will be of immense interest in Gator Nation, wondering whether Tebow, Harvin and linebacker Brandon Spikes will return or jump to the NFL.

"Some guys are going to make some decisions on their careers here in the next few days. I know one thing, we've got a very, very good team coming back. So we're going to get to work but we're going to enjoy this one. They deserve it," Meyer said.

He is correct.

No matter what happens, three Gators will be loaded again next year. Three championships in four seasons won't be a surprise. In fact, it may be expected. Florida almost certainly will enter next season ranked No. 1 in the land, regardless of what defections they might have.

Meyer was asked if national championships can build upon themselves.

"I think they do. USC was kind of the point school for a while and you admire the way they reloaded their team," he said. "I made the comment to our administration that if we could find a way to put a really good recruiting class together, it's getting close.

"When you play in a great conference against great teams, we have to be on point next year. When you win national championships, the whole country saw that tonight. You've got to be out of your friggin' mind if you don't want to go play for the Gators. I'd go."

Very few people get to actually go where these Gators are now.

In an age of parity in college football, they stand alone astride the planet. Meyer went so far as to say they deserve to be ranked among the all-time greats.

"Just look what they did. Look at their scores, look at the offense, look at the balance, look at the defense, and it's all relative. That of offense that you saw perform put 480 yards statistically faced more top-25 teams, I want to say nine defenses we faced, nine of our opponents finished in the top-25 in defense. That's real important. A lot of people overlook that, who do you play," he said.

"Same thing defensively. Our defense finished in the Top 5 in America playing the schedule with play with Miami and FSU as non-conference opponents. They've got my votes as one of the best teams in history."

And they've got a trophy proving they're national champions.

If that doesn't earn a trip to Margaritaville, nothing will.

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