Football News - Meyer Signs 7-Year Deal With Gators



Urban Meyer is leaving undefeated Utah to become coach at Florida, where he will quadruple his salary and attempt to turn talent into victories.

Meyer choose Florida over Notre Dame, where he spent five seasons as an assistant. According to Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, Meyer signed a seven-year deal worth $14 million.

"He's got a presence," Foley said of Meyer. "You walk into a room and you can tell he has a little something about him. Obviously you look at the job he's done at programs that have been less than successful. I think he can coach. I think he does a great job with his players and has a tremendous work ethic."

Meyer said he had been discussing the move with Florida officials for weeks, and that a deal already was in place by the time Notre Dame officials approached him about their opening.

"People are making this out to be Notre Dame versus Florida. It was not," said Meyer, who added that he never received an offer from Notre Dame. "At the University of Florida, you have everything in place to make a run at the whole thing, and that was a factor."

Meyer has been a head coach for only four years, spending two seasons at Bowling Green and now Utah, but quickly established himself as a young coach who could turn talent into "Ws". Meyer is 21-2 at Utah, where he has won back-to-back Mountain West Conference titles. This year, Meyer led the Utes to an 11-0 record and could possibly receive a BCS Bowl bid.

Florida went 7-4 this season, with three losses coming in the final minutes. The Gators are slated to play in the Peach Bowl on December 31. It is unclear who will coach Florida at that bowl, but it will not be Meyer. He will be coaching Utah in a bowl of their own.

Florida has scheduled a news conference on Tuesday to introduce Meyer as their new head coach.




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