The Cost of Winning: A Look Back at Urban Meyer’s Tenure at Florida

Aaron Hernandez stood in a Connecticut courtroom as authorities listed off a detailed timeline of events supporting their allegation that the Patriots tight end was involved in the murder of semi-pro linebacker Odin Lloyd.

The camera panned down and the word “blood” tattooed just above his knuckle and underneath the handcuffs wrapped around his wrists. The camera then zoomed out, Hernandez standing motionless next to his attorney as the proceeding continued listing off the 6 charges facing the 23 year old, including one for 1st degree murder.

TMZ, the celebrity gossip site, then posted a self-taken picture of Hernandez with .45 hand gun during his time at the University of Florida. The next day, another image surface-this time of Hernandez in high school, in which one of the top prep tight ends in the country is clad in red, holding his hands in a position that could be considered a gang sign.

Whether those rumors were known or unknown during the time of his recruitment, Urban Meyer brought the talented star down the coast to Gainesville. There, Hernandez, like many Florida Gators found himself in a little trouble as the program continued to compile victories on the football field.

“I think it’s a little unfair to circle back to start to circle back and point fingers at Urban Meyer now as the Aaron Hernandez stuff plays out” 24/7 Sports National recruiting analyst Barton Simmons said.

“Frankly he did what Florida asked him to do-win football games.”

Meyer not only won football games at the University of Florida, he won championships. Two championships in three seasons, the Gators looked destined to become college football’s next dynasty. He was becoming a star, garnering consideration as the best coach in college football as some wondered if he could go down as one of the best all-time.

Then, little by little, the wheels started to fall off. The dynasty was derailed as the Alabama Crimson Tide took down Florida in the SEC Championship in 2009. Then came Urban Meyer’s health problems as the program started to slip. In 2010, again projected to be one of the top teams in the country, Meyer lost 5 games-the most in his career.

And just like that. He was gone.

“When people look back on the Urban Meyer era what people realize is that he recruited great players, but some of those players were also very entitled” Adam Schick with the Gator Sports Network said.

“There seemingly was a culture of doing what they wanted to do and not having repercussions for it-there was a lot of favoritism” he added.

“Most people believe he got out because he realized he built a very unsustainable model in Gainesville.”

Meyer is a flash in the pan with a reputation for winning games. In fact if all you care about is winning games, that is exactly what you’ll get-a coach concerned with winning games at the expense of the development of student athletes as individuals.

However, you can not sustain long term success and build a program with a win at all cost mentality. I hope Ohio State fans know what they are signing up for.