GAINESVILLE — A lunch date in Sarasota last October turned into a smorgasbord of emotions for Urban Meyer and his wife Shelley.

The iconic coach and his spouse were caught off guard when Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin served up some unexpected news: Meyer was headed for the Gators’ Ring of Honor.

The architect of three national titles and seven conference titles was speechless, while Shelley was close to tears.

“Football has been a part of my life as long as I can remember,” Meyer recently told the Orlando Sentinel. “When they came to see us, Shelly actually got emotional. And then, I was like … it’s a surreal moment that’s actually going to happen.”

Meyer led Florida to national championships in 2006 and 2008 during six seasons (2005-10) in Gainesville. The success earned him a place in the Ring of Honor alongside Florida greats like Wilber Marshall, Emmitt Smith, Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel and Jack Youngblood.

Meyer’s sudden retirement in 2010, however, left complicated feelings about the end of his Florida tenure. He went on to coach seven successful seasons at Ohio State (2012-18), winning another national championship and three Big Ten titles, before a brief and tumultuous stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

Now, more than 15 years after leaving Gainesville, Meyer is being welcomed back into the program’s most exclusive fraternity.

The Gators will honor the 62-year-old coach Saturday night when CFP No. 24 Florida (5-3, 3-3 SEC) hosts Oklahoma (4-4, 2-3) at the Swamp. During the induction, his name will be unveiled on an approximately 18-foot-wide, 5-foot-high display atop the stadium’s north end zone.

Coach Jon Sumrall and his players hope for a memorable performance worthy of the program’s legendary coach.

“I feel like this game will kind of be like devoted to him in a way,” defensive tackle Brendan Bett said. “Like, ‘Hey, let’s go put it on for Coach Meyer.'”

Meyer has remained a consistent presence around the Florida program over the past year.

He helped Stricklin evaluate Sumrall during the coaching search and quickly developed a connection with the 44-year-old, whose competitive philosophy and driven approach mirror Meyer’s own.

Along with Spurrier and Wuerffell, Meyer attended Sumrall’s introductory press conference. Since then, he has offered mentorship and support as Sumrall navigates his first season in Gainesville

“I get texts from him almost weekly,” Sumrall said this week. “He’s always very encouraging. He’s always truthful. He never shies away from telling me what he sees, good and bad, and I appreciate that because I’m a realist.

“I’m grateful for the relationship.”

Meyer also spoke to Florida players during the offseason, leaving a lasting impression on the current generation of Gators.

“You could tell he just had an aura about him, a charisma,” defensive end Emmauel Oyebadejo recalled.

Linebacker Aaron Chiles recalls Meyer taking notes as he watched practice.

“Keeps you on your toes,” Chiles said. “When he came and talked to us, that was a special experience.”

After learning about the Ring of Honor selection from Stricklin, Meyer and Shelley attended Florida’s game against Tennessee last November. The university announced the honor before a sellout crowd at The Swamp.

The celebration did not translate into success on the field. Florida was struggling under interim coach Billy Gonzales, a longtime Meyer assistant, and the Gators failed to carry any emotion into a 31-11 loss as the Vols’ ended two-decade drought in Swamp.

On Saturday night, Sumrall, his staff and players aim to put on a good show for the legendary coach.

“Everywhere he went, he won, and that’s what we all strive to do in this profession,” offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said. “Always had tough football teams. He did it with several different schemes, he did it in multiple different places and that’s what great football coaches do.

“He’s someone that a lot of us in the building really admire.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com

Source: Yahoo Sports