Books: Urban's Way

Head football coach Urban Meyer has brought the Gators a lot of success, both this season (the team has clinched a spot in the SEC championship game) and in previous seasons (the 2006 national championship). There are certainly Gator fans around these parts who are interested in what makes the man tick. "Urban's Way," an authorized biography by Buddy Martin, is a good starting point for these folks.

The book includes more information about Meyer's life and coaching career than a non-Gator fan would probably ever want to know; his early football education, his stints at Bowling Green and Utah, and even his decision to come to Florida aren't particularly relevant to a neutral football fan. It does make for breezy reading, but don't come to this book expecting David McCullough.

The parts I liked the best were the breakdowns of how Meyer coaches and strategizes for a football game. Football contains strategy both on and off the field- everything from designing and calling plays to making sure your ace tailback doesn't get arrested for a DUI - and Meyer really breaks it down. If you ever wanted a primer on how to keep 100 young men out of trouble and working hard, Urban might be the one to write it.

Of course, the Xs and Os are there, too. Meyer gives a basic rundown of the spread offense and his "plan to win" (hint: it starts with playing great defense). Meyer's focus has always been on personnel (which is why he's a notoriously persistent recruiter), and his game strategy is sometimes riotously simple: just get the ball to someone who can make a play. There are blow-by-blow accounts of the 2005, 2006, and 2007 seasons, though hardcore Florida fans may not be surprised by anything in here.

For those holding off on the book purchase, here's a video of Urban Meyer dissecting the National Championship game:




Here's a video of Meyer (and some of his players) discussing his coaching methods: