Urban Meyer's expertise was once questioned in Florida after loss to Steve Spurrier: "They booed me"
Urban Meyer is one of the most decorated coaches in college football history. His rise to college football stardom began when he was the Florida Gators' head coach from 2005 until 2010.
But at the initial stages of his journey with Florida, Meyer wondered whether he was a right fit for the job after the Gators lost to their former coach Steve Spurrier's South Carolina.
Apart from his impressive stats with the Gators, Urban Meyer is also known for patterning up with quarterback Tim Tebow, as the duo left fans mesmerized with their partnership from 2006 to 2009.
And now, in the upcoming Netflix documentary "UNTOLD: Swamp Kings," the decorated college football coach will open up about those early days in his debut season, among other things.
The four-part docuseries will be released on Aug. 22. But 247Sports had early access privileges. According to Brad Crawford, the loss against Spurrier and South Carolina in 2005 was a big hit to Meyer's confidence. He started questioning whether he was the right person to lead Florida and its prestigious history.
In the documentary, Meyer says:
"After that loss at South Carolina, I walk into this restaurant in Gainsville, Florida, and they boo me...they booed me. People started to question me as a leader and to say that I lost my confidence. ... I certainly lost my confidence. I never had that much doubt. I thought there's a decent chance this one's over."
Losing games is a part of the stepping stones to success. But Steve Spurrier led the Gators to their first title in 1996 and was regarded as the brains behind their dominant offense. Fans wanted Spurried back as the coach to lead Florida, so the defeat put Urban Meyer in a more peculiar position early in his career.
Many wondered if the new hiring could revive Florida's glory just like the campaigns they had under Spurrier's spell as HC. But Meyer did not disappoint, as thus started his spectacular career in Florida.
Urban Meyer: Florida stats and wins
The former college football coach enjoyed a successful spell from 2003 to 2004 with the Utah Utes, leading them to a conference championship in his first season, followed by a Fiesta Bowl victory against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the next season.
This led to both Notre Dame and Florida seeking him out and offering him a contract with them.
Urban Meyer decided to go with the Florida Gators. And it turned out to be one of the best decisions he made in his coaching career. Despite the defeat at the hands of the Gamecocks in 2005, the team boasted an undefeated home record and an Outback Bowl victory against Iowa.
The second season started Meyer's actual golden era in Florida, winning against Arkansas to clinch the SEC championship and then the 2006 national championship by defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes.
After Tim Tebow joined in 2006, the year 2008 was the peak for Florida, as the program went on to defeat Nick Saban's top-ranked Crimson Tide for the second SEC championship under Meyer's reign. Not only this but Meyer also clinched his second national championship with the Gators by defeating Oklahoma.
After this, Urban Meyer worked as an analyst for ESPN before returning to college football with Ohio State in 2012, leading the school to a national championship in 2014. Following his short stint in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, he is now back as an analyst for Fox Sports.