Well, Urban's gone. This time {I think} for good. Lots of mixed emotion swept across the Gator Nation yesterday afternoon as news leaked out. I'll admit, my first reaction was shock - and a bit of fright. After all, when you are as emotionally invested in Florida Football as some of us {perhaps to our detriment} are, the thought of picturing someone else ruling over the sideline can be a bit upsetting. We felt that way after Steve left. And we'll feel that way come April when a new head coach makes his major debut in the Swamp.
Sentiments varied from the rather harsh - those who thought Urban just couldn't get the job done anymore - to bittersweet and nostalgic. I'd like to think that I fall into the latter category. Steve left after my freshman year {which, had it not been for Darnell Docket/Earnest Graham, would've landed us in the Rose Bowl}, and I begrudgingly suffered through 3 seasons of Ron Zook. I most certainly appreciate that Florida Football has seen darker days than 2002-2004, but for someone who came of age as a Gator during the heydays of the 1990s, I was a bit spoiled.
Urban arrived in Gainesville as the cold, calculating, Bulldog, Seminole and Volunteer-blood thirsty coach we had been waiting for. And he took us on quite a ride. 16 combined victories over our top 3 rivals. Two SEC Championships and two BCS National Championships. Oh, and he successfully recruited Florida's third Heisman Trophy winner, who is arguably the most beloved Gator of all time.
In the end, Urban's leaving is a testament to one of the most endearing qualities those larger-than-life figures don't always exhibit. He's human. He had a health scare last year. He reigned in the intensity a bit this year - and clearly didn't get the results that he wanted. He's a winner. Undoubtedly the criticism of one of the most demanding fan bases in the country grated on him a bit. So, he finally decided that spending time with Shelley, Nicki, Gigi and Nate was not worth the sacrifice. For those of us who struggle on occasion with work/life balance, you can't fault him one bit.
He's built upon the great foundation of Florida Football. Finding a successor won't be too difficult, and all we can do is bid him a fond farewell. The number of Gators cheering for South Carolina last week is testament to the fact that once you become a part of the Gator family, we're not going to let you go. Thank you, Urban, for helping remind us that it's always great to be a Florida Gator!
