AP -- With his wife and two of his three children sitting a few feet away, Urban Meyer didn't have to look very far to be reminded why he's leaving one of the premier jobs in college football. It's all about family.
Meyer resigned from Florida on Wednesday , stepping down for the second time in less than a year. His first attempt, which lasted just a day, was for health reasons. This time it's to be a better husband and father. They're both very talented Division I-A volleyball players, so I missed those four years.
I missed two already with one away at college. I can't get that time back. The year-old coach led Florida to two national titles but briefly resigned last December, citing health concerns. He had been hospitalized with chest pains after the Gators lost to Alabama in last season's Southeastern Conference championship game. Meyer called Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley on Saturday to tell him he was contemplating retirement.
They met Tuesday to finalize his intentions. This time, Foley doesn't anticipate another change of heart. He built one at Bowling Green, he built one at Utah, he built one here. It's not just sacrifices here the last six years. That's 10 years of their lives, not to mention what he did before that as an assistant coach. It's his time to step back and spend time with his family.
You're not getting it back. I admire him for that. Foley said the coaching search will begin immediately and hopes to have a new coach before Christmas. Meyer said he planned to be involved in the search, which could make Whittingham and Mullen front-runners.
