that's why id lean to atx's assessment as well as yours of UM's. I think what he has done with BG and Utah is extraordinary. The thought of him being able to use UF's talent and adapt his system could be scary. It doesn't lessen Les Miles in any way. As I stated, I feel his hired staff is scary impressive and surrounding yourself with great people is half the battle. I see good things for both programs now and deep in the future.
Donnan is the perfect comparison! What people are missing is the only Steve Spurrier has won big time at Florida. Not Galan Hall, cheatin' Charlie Pell, Doug Dickey, Ray Graves, or Zook was able to win at Florida. The press used to call LSU a graveyard, but until Spurrier, no Florida coach even won the SEC without cheating. If Meyer can win an SEC title, he'll have earned his stripes. Likewise, Les Miles can make the same claim regardless of whose talent he won with. It's keeping the program up to standards that matters. Zook, in fact, did keep Florida at historical levels.
I agree with Stripes its not the level of talent that will make the diff for Meyers its the level of coaching that will show him for what he is. If he is all that some of you say he is he will come in and be the next Spurrior, if not he will be the next Zook.
As much as it hurts to say, Tirk is completely right, Meyer is to offense what Saban was to defense.. he knows how to adapt his spread offense to the players he has and to recruit players to fit his system. The KEY to Florida having success this year is chris leak.. how well will he run the spread option? who knows? did he run any option in high school? Zook didnt leave him with a loaded roster, but it is one of the better ones in the SEC. I dont think Florida will win the east, but they do have a shot.. Tennessee should win, but Georgia is rebuilding, SC has a new coach with questionable desire to coach, and Kentucky and Vandy will be Kentucky and Vandy.
"Utah reminds me of that undefeated Tulane team from the 90's. Yes, they were undefeated but they played such a weak-ass schedule that they weren't truly considered as anything more than a fluke. Tulane's head coach hauled ass after that undefeated season and so did Meyer. Tommy Bowden was supposedly a "genius" based on what he did at Tulane but somehow that "genius" just never seemed to get it done when Bowden went from CUSA to the competition in the ACC. What a coincidence. Now, we have this year's "flavor of the month" in Urban Meyer. The similarities that Meyer has to Tommy Bowden and the Tulane situation are striking. There were those who were claiming that Tommy Bowden was going to take over the ACC with his new offense, etc. but in reality Clemson is still waiting for these predictions to come to pass. It ain't gonna happen." Good point. No, Very Good Point. Also worth noting again is the fact that he hasn't coached against the likes of Richt, Fulmer, spurrier. That being said I think his first year will be a learning curve with some good wins and a couple of losses along the way. After that, I do think he's legit. Not saying he'll dominate the SEC but he'll be a threat down there. Geez, the East has 4 Beasts come to think of it. LSU, AU, and God willing, Bama, will make West competitive.
Re: The claiber of competition DOES matter........ I haven't seen anyway say that success in that league automatically leads to success in the SEC BUT I have seen people saying that the success he had at Utah means nothing when I disagree....it does mean something. He murdered the same A&M team that took OU to the wire and the UNC team that beat Miami. I don't think Meyer wins the East the next two years BUT I do think he has a very bright future ahead of him when he settles down and gets his wide-open system working. That is a very bad comparison. Nick Saban came to LSU with years of 3 wins in '99 and 4 wins in '98 in front of him. He won 8 games in 2000 which was quite an accomplishment. Meyer comes to UF with a team that arguably were 1-2 plays away from winning the East in '02 and '04. The UF team Meyer has is quite talented all around and Saban had really nothing. Phillip Fulmer won 9 games in his first year and Richt won 8 games his first year. It is not out of the question for a new coach to win a good amount of games. Agree. Meyer will be given more time then Zook. Meyer was a favorite of theirs and a young man while Zook was not a favorite nor a real long-term solution for them. I don't see UF coming close to losing anymore then 4 games this year and don't see it happening at all after that. UF is not in that bad of shape.
On the sportsbook I have used for several years, UF is not that high and they are at 20-1. LSU (15-1), Michigan, Ohio State, Texas, Oklahoma, USC and Miami and maybe a few others are all favored more than UF. UF has defensive issues that will prevent them from winning the MNC (or SEC). I am of the belief you do not win titles with soft defenses. Neither Charlie Strong nor Greg Mattison (co-DC's for UF) are known as aggressive defensive coaches, and they have gaps in personnel at LB and DB. I think Miles blew Meyer out of the water with his defensive staff hirings. Urban Meyer and Tommy Bowden situations are very similar, and Meyer has to prove he is not just another coach who went the easier route. IMO its much easier to go into a conference like the one Utah is in and win. Les Miles took a road where big time success was almost impossible to acheive, but he played with the big boys and it will pay off. Miles time with the Dallas Cowboys will be an asset. Meyers time at ND? Is that an asset? they sucked if I remember correctly.... I agree with Stripes, this is Tommy Bowden all over again until proven otherwise. we'll see.... and axd9142.... you have to be joking right??? :geauxtige :crystal:
Puff, puff, give man. Puff, puff, give. Those game you mentioned will results in wins for our glorious gladiators of the gridiron as will all the others. I also hope we meet USuCk in the Rose so we can show them the true meaning of " stomping'em a new mudhole". LSU Football Champion TIGERS 2005
So, looking back on what all of ya'll thought Meyer's offense was going to be in the SEC, what do you feel now?
I know I came into this season scared to death of it. Now...it looks pretty awful, but that could change by next season. At Bowling Green and Utah it took a full season before everyone really got used to it and he found the right guys to run it.
