It’s time to start the debate again.
As Urban Meyer-Steve Spurrier V is set to kickoff Saturday, discussion over who is the best Florida coach will ensue.
At this point, it’s really an argument over what means most to you.
Spurrier built the Florida football program, on and off the field, from 1990-2001. He is the old guard.
On the gridiron during his reign, UF had never-before-seen success.
The Gators won nine games in every one of Spurrier’s 12 seasons (a feat no other SEC school has achieved). They had previously done that only eight times in their first 83 seasons.
Florida is one of only two schools (Nebraska) to finish in the top 15 of the polls during that time period.
The Ol’ Ball Coach won the 1996 national title as well as six SEC titles.
When he had arrived in Gainesville, there were no SEC titles. Zero.
He finished with a 122-27-1 record (.819 win percentage).
He even gave Ben Hill Griffin Stadium its more common nickname, The Swamp.
Now let’s take a look at Meyer’s marks.
In four-plus years, the 45-year-old has won two national titles and might have another this January.
He has two conference championships and will be playing for a third in December.
His current record at UF is 53-9 (.855 win percentage).
He, too, has won nine games in each of his full seasons so far as Florida’s coach. A win Saturday will give him his first 8-0 SEC year, something Spurrier did in 1996.
I know it’s early, and it’s easy to get swept up in the present when comparing it to the past.
But when I sat down to dwell on this topic, two things became clear to me:
If Meyer wins another crystal ball in Pasadena, he will immediately surpass Spurrier.
If Meyer isn’t feeling confetti in January, he will probably still end up passing Spurrier.
What’s the biggest thing holding Meyer back? Time.
Spurrier’s marks are so impressive because he sustained his success, something not very easy in the business of college football coaching.
But while Meyer certainly didn’t have the work ahead of him in 2005 that Spurrier had in 1990, Ron Zook didn’t exactly leave the program in great shape.
And the Gators have won 19 games in a row. One more victory and they’ll tie Auburn’s 1993-94 streak for third-best in the SEC since 1960.
Even more impressive is the fact UF has won 18 of those 19 games by 10 points or more.
That’s a pretty good feather in Meyer’s cap.
Meyer won with defense and special teams in 2006.
He did it with an explosive offense and a clutch defense in 2008.
He’s poised to take it home in 2009 with a strong rushing attack and one of the best defenses ever.
The truth is the debate is already over. Sorry, Steve.
