Person familiar with decision tells AP: Urban Meyer taking indefinite leave and not resigning

AP source: Florida’s Meyer could return as coach

NEW ORLEANS — Less than 24 hours after he resigned, Florida coach Urban Meyer is instead taking an indefinite leave of absence that opens the door for his return to the Gators.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Sunday that Meyer has changed his mind. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school had made no announcement.

Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will run the team during Meyer’s absence, a second person close to the situation told the AP.

Meyer is to speak at a news conference in New Orleans on Sunday. On Saturday night, he shocked college football when he said he was stepping down after five seasons as Gators coach because of health concerns.

After the Southeastern Conference championship game three weeks ago, he spent several hours in a Gainesville, Fla., hospital because of chest pains.

The Independent Florida Alligator, a student-run newspaper at the University of Florida, The New York Times and ESPN.com first reported Meyer’s change of plans.

The person familiar with Meyer’s decision said the coach was with his players at a short practice on campus Sunday and realized he wasn’t quite ready to call it quits.

“There’s no guarantees here,” the person said. “He could still walk away. He’s got some significant concerns about his health and his tank and his family. But instead of cutting the cord, he’s going to take a step back and see how he feels.”

The 45-year-old Meyer will coach No. 5 Florida against Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

He is 56-10 with Florida, including 32-8 in the SEC and a school-record 22-game winning streak that was snapped by the Crimson Tide in the conference title game on Dec. 5.

“I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program,” Meyer said in a statement Saturday. “I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to re-evaluate my priorities of faith and family.”

Florida is one of the most desirable coaching jobs in the country and if athletic director Jeremy Foley had to go searching for a permanent replacement, he likely would have found numerous interested candidates.

Last month, Sports Illustrated chronicled Meyer’s coaching career and reported that he suffered from persistent headaches caused by a cyst that becomes inflamed by stress, rage and excitement.

Meyer told the magazine that since the diagnosis in the early 2000s he has tried to stay composed during games.

A tireless recruiter and creative motivator, Meyer came to Florida from Utah in fall 2004 amid speculation he would end up at Notre Dame.

Meyer brought most of his staff with him — some of whom worked with him at Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah (2003-04). Together, they restored the program to national prominence two years later with the school’s second national championship.

The Gators upset Ohio State 41-14 in Glendale, Ariz.; they won another one last January by beating Oklahoma 24-14 in Miami.

With just about his entire team returning this fall, Meyer spent all season coaching under intense pressure and sky-high expectations. He said he welcomed it all as the defending national champions tried to become just the second team in the last 14 years to repeat.

But the season was far from smooth. Florida dealt with distraction after distraction, prompting Meyer to call it “the year of stuff.”

Meyer is married with three children — the oldest recently started college at Georgia Tech — and has said repeatedly he planned to leave coaching to spend more time with his family.