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With one major exception.Īlthough the Gators were a dominant power for most of the 1990s, they would only win one National Championship under Spurrier. Meyer benefitted from playing five more games than Spurrier and had a higher win percentage, but overall the success was similar. Both coaches had three seasons with 10 or more wins and each had their worst record – an identical 9-4 – in their third year.
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From 2005-2009, Meyer was 57-10 with three SEC Championship Game appearances, two conferences titles, and three major bowl appearances (where he was 3-0). From 1990 to 1994, Spurrier was 49-12-1 with four SEC Championship Game appearances, three conference titles, and three major bowl appearances (he went 1-2 in those games). Their first five seasons at Florida were surprisingly similar. While those who still revered Spurrier initially thought they could never love another head coach as much, Meyer was quickly becoming the top man in the school’s long football history. In another two, Meyer would take home the title again. It took Meyer only two years to do what Spurrier needed seven to accomplish – win a National Championship. Gator fans, still soured by Zook, weren’t sure what to expect from Meyer, but were more than excited at what the future could bring. Coming off a 12-0 season with the Utes, Meyer had improved his record to 39-8 as a head coach. A shuddering thought, but one I could deal with.Īt the same time, the Gators had moved past the Ron Zook experiment and brought in a young man (Meyer was four years younger when he took over at Florida than when Spurrier did the same) with a brief, but glowing resume. But there was the realization that beginning in 2005, I would have to see him on the opposite sideline once a year. To suddenly begin to despise the man because he took another job we all may not have wanted him to take was out of the question for me. My formative football educational years were during the time he led Florida to new levels. Even when he came back to college to coach a program – South Carolina – that resided not only in the same conference, but the same division as the Gators, I never lost my love for Spurrier.