Coaching chaos dominates Sugar Bowl
December 31, 2009
NEW ORLEANS—Call it the Interim Bowl, the Bizarro Bowl or the DistractionBowl.
Any of them would be appropriate.
Between Urban Meyer’s health concerns and uncertain future and Cincinnati’slame-duck staff following the departure of Brian Kelly, the Sugar Bowl has morecoaching chaos than any other postseason matchup. The No. 4 Bearcats (12-0) andfifth-ranked Gators (12-1) will try to restore order—if only for a few hours—Friday night in The Big Easy.
“At least we know what direction our program’s going,” Cincinnaticornerback Brad Jones said. “We have a new coach. He’s been in the backgroundwatching. He hasn’t coached us, but we’re good on our end. Those guys, it’s kindof up in the air with them.”
That could be an understatement.
Meyer resigned Saturday, then rescinded it less than 20 hours later.Instead, he is taking an indefinite leave of absence after the Sugar Bowl inhopes of finding a way to alleviate recurring chest pains. His decision leavesthe Gators in coaching limbo.
Interim coach-in-waiting Steve Addazio will take over next week, and try tosalvage the program’s recruiting class and maintain some continuity. AlthoughMeyer said he expects to be back next fall, several unanswered questions remainabout his absence.
How long will he be gone? Can he really not be involved? What happens if hedecides he can’t return?
Meyer’s health dominated news conferences all week. Sure, there was talkabout Florida wanting to bounce back from a crushing loss to Alabama in theSoutheastern Conference championship game, about quarterback Tim Tebow’s finalcollege game and about defensive end Carlos Dunlap’s return from a one-gamesuspension that was punishment for his drunk driving arrest.
But Florida’s coaching situation overshadowed the undefeated Bearcats andall other story lines, including Meyer facing his alma mater for the first time.Meyer lettered as a defensive back at Cincinnati in 1984, met his wife there andstill has ties to the school. His sister, Gigi, works there as an assistantprovost.
“She’s been avoiding interviews at all costs,” Meyer said.
Details about Meyer’s health have been scarce. He acknowledged Thursday hewanted to hide news about his hospital visit because he didn’t want to alarm hischildren and his players. Meyer also declined to reveal what doctors told himabout his condition or possible treatments.
Players, meanwhile, said the 45-year-old coach was starting to get back tonormal.
“He’s going to be OK,” Tebow said. “It’s tough. Physically is just whatyou worry about, with everything with his heart. But I know emotionally he’ll beOK. He loves his family, so getting away with his family and just recovering andgetting back and not putting as much stress on him will help a lot, help hisheart condition with that.
“That’s honestly our No. 1 worry—his physical body just holding up.Mentally and everything, he’ll be just fine.”
The Gators have had four weeks to regroup from a 32-13 loss to Alabama thatsnapped their school-record, 22-game winning streak and ended any chance ofrepeating as national champions.
Florida insists its Sugar Bowl appearance won’t end up like Alabama’s triphere last year. Undefeated Utah thumped the Crimson Tide 31-17.
“We’ve got to show America that we’re still one of the nation’s best and wejust had a bad day,” safety Ahmad Black said.
Cincinnati may have even more to prove.
The Bearcats are making their second straight appearance in a BCS bowl andare looking for considerably better results than last year’s 20-7 loss toVirginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. Tony Pike threw four interceptions in thatone.
Cincinnati has a chance to complete the program’s first perfect season,which would be a huge starting point for the new coaching staff.
Kelly accepted the Notre Dame job Dec. 10 and chose not to coach Cincinnatiin the Sugar Bowl. Several players lashed out at his decision, but they havecalmed down considerably since. The coaching staff, though, is still unsettled.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn was named interim coach, but has since beennamed the head coach at Buffalo. Central Michigan’s Butch Jones was hired toreplace Kelly. He already has moved into his office, decided to retain just oneassistant from Kelly’s regime and is expected to attend Friday’s game.
“It certainly does impose challenges in a lot of different ways,” Bearcatspassing game coordinator Charley Molnar said. “When you lose General Patton andreplace him with a sergeant, there could certainly be a change in the disciplineamong the troops. … Any time there’s change, there’s always questions.”
Molnar said the assistants have lined up jobs, but none of them has signedcontracts elsewhere. He said some will join Kelly.
“We’re not worried about anyone half-stepping,” Jones said. “They’restill working hard for us and we’re still working hard for them.”
The Gators feel the same way about Meyer. They also believe the “year ofstuff,” as Meyer deemed it, prepared them for everything that happened inrecent weeks.
“We’ve had a crazy, roller-coaster season, so it wouldn’t be the sameunless we had it like this at the end of the season and had something going intothe last game,” receiver David Nelson said. “We’ve been equipped to handleadversity.”
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