Urban Meyer is headed to Florida.
At least, in a tidal wave of rumors, that one has the biggest punch. Various sources are reporting that the University of Utah football coach has accepted a seven-year, $14 million offer from the Gators.
Meyer could not be reached for comment locally, but the cross-country rumor mill offered multiple confirmations:
ESPN said he verified the hiring in a telephone conversation with college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit.
In addition, Meyer's father, Bud, confirmed the news to the St. Petersburg Times. "All the reports that are out there are correct," he told the newspaper. "He told me this morning that he was going to tell Florida he was coming." The elder Meyer said the decision to do so was "very family-oriented."
In comments to The Palm Beach Post, Meyer's father said he offered his son this bit of advice: "The climate's better down in Florida. The tradition is better at Notre Dame" — said to be Meyer's professed dream job. But "I told him if he wants to win, go to Florida."
And Meyer's sister, Gigi Escoe, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday night that he had accepted the Gators' offer. "It was a hard decision," she said, according to Cox News Service. "To say no to Notre
Dame was one of the hardest things he's done, but he's really lucky to have an opportunity like this."
On Thursday, coach Meyer told the Utes he had narrowed his options to Florida, Notre Dame and Utah. He's expected to share his final decision with his team prior to practice this morning at the Spence Eccles Field House.
"Whatever decision he makes, it's best for him and his family," said senior captain Morgan Scalley, who noted that Meyer and most of the coaches were out of the office Friday. "We're just going to go about our business. At 7 a.m., if he happens to call us all in, then I guess we'll figure out what's going on."
Still, confusion surrounds Meyer's decision to spurn Notre Dame and leave Utah. Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, who has reportedly been in Salt Lake City since Wednesday, has declined comment. So, too, has Utah athletic director Chris Hill.
The silence spreads all the way back to Gainesville, Fla.
"It looks like we're not going to know anything until next week," Florida spokesman Steve Orlando told the Associated Press. "The coaching search goes on."
Over the past several days, Meyer has met with officials from all three schools. At Florida, he would be reunited with school president Bernie Machen, who held a similar post at the U. when Meyer was hired here.
"I think Urban Meyer did the right thing," said ESPN analyst Trev Alberts.
The Gators went 7-4 with three narrow losses this season under Ron Zook, who was fired and may end up as the new coach at Illinois.
Florida would be the seventh stop in Meyer's coaching career. Prior to two-year head coaching stints at Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah (2003-04), he served as an assistant at Ohio State (1986-87), Illinois State (1988-89), Colorado State (1990-95) and Notre Dame (1996-2000).
Meyer's tenure with the Irish, where he worked under mentors Lou Holtz and Bob Davie, fueled speculation that he'd return to South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame officials, including athletic director Kevin White, flew to Salt Lake City Thursday and met with the Utah coach for several hours.
Meyer has declined to comment on specifics concerning his future. He did, however, provide the Chicago Tribune with some insight.
"It's not about prestige and it's certainly not about money," he said in Thursday's editions. "In today's climate, you don't have time to build a program. Too many coaches are let go before they can build a program.
"If I ever leave Utah, I'm not going because of the town or the place," he added. "I'm going to a place where I think we can really win, because no good can come of losing. Losing is never good."
It's something the Utes haven't experienced in more than a year. They've won 15 straight games under Meyer.