Urban's Way: Urban Meyer, the Florida Gators, and His Plan to Win

By Buddy Martin

Book Overview

"Members of the ,Gator Nation' are going to burn the midnight oil turning these pages because Buddy Martin will be boldly taking them where no Florida fan has gone before." - Tony Barnhart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution /CBSTo write the Urban Meyer story, Buddy Martin enjoyed a vantage point rarely afforded authors in constructing the authorized biography of the University of Florida's high-profile coach. Martin takes the reader where no other journalist has gone before as he reports the most intimate details about one of the nation's top college football programs and its coach.During the show-and-tell story of the 2007 Gator season, Martin listened on the headsets in the coaching booth, monitored Meyer's locker room speeches, conducted in-depth interviews with assistant coaches and support personnel, ran on Florida Field with the team prior to the Gators game against Tennessee, and gave Tim Tebow his first Heisman Trophy quiz while having dinner together just weeks before he was named as the winner. Urban's Way, however, is much more than a look at the 2007 season. Martin dug deep into Meyer's background, from his growing-up days in Ashtabula, Ohio, under the strict guidance of his father; to his tumultuous days as a young assistant when he almost quit the profession; to the dynamics of his close relationship with mentors Earle Bruce and Lou Holtz; to the ultimate prize as coach of the 2006 national champion Florida Gators. Readers learn how Meyer was encouraged by his father and his wife, Shelley, to keep going; how his career took off at Notre Dame and then as a head coach at Bowling Green and Utah; how the Falcons came together after their historic "Black Wednesday"; and the impressive manner in which he championed diversity among players in Salt Lake City. Florida fans will be surprised to discover how close Meyer came to choosing the Notre Dame job over the one in Gainesville, despite his yearnings as a small boy to someday coach the Fighting Irish. Through his intense research - and talks with Urban himself - Buddy Martin provides an amazingly detailed look into how a football coach is made.This is not simply the authorized biography of one of college football's top coaches; Buddy Martin also gives fans the inside scoop on the 2006 National Championship. In the chapter "The Joy of Winning It All," players and coaches share their stories of that championship season that produced the middle leg of the "Gator Slam," leading to the good life on the so-called Cul de Sac of Champions, which Urban shares with Gators basketball coach Billy Donovan.It is rare that fans get inside the head of a top coach, but here full disclosure is offered about Urban's personal faith, his Plan to Win, and the inner workings of the Spread offense. Readers are also treated to Meyer's own breakdown of the national championship tape, including his Six Key Plays of the game.Buddy Martin shines a bright light on Urban Meyer, the Florida Gators, and one of the top programs in the country. This is a must-have for Florida Gator football fans and one of the most insightful books ever written on college football.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312384076
• ISBN13: 9780312384074
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Length: 348 Pages
• Weight: 1.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

An excellent book for all coaches

This is one of the best books about the philosophy of football and how to balance family with football and how to maximize what your players can become on and off the field.

great read on leadership

This book gives the reader a tremendous insight into Urban Meyer, his leadership methods, and why Florida has become THE dominant program in college football since Meyer's arrival. Highly recommend

Very good book

Hard to put down, very enjoyable both for football fans, Gator fans, and really gives you a new respect for Urban Meyer.

great book

I loved it!. great isights of how Coach Meyer developed and put together the Plan to Win. I will take a lot of things said and written and apply it to my own coaching philosophy.

Victory, on the Field of Life

This is not one of those typical chronicles of a special season that delves about as deep as speeches at a booster club confab. Author Buddy Martin - in this authorized biography - delves into the life of Urban Meyer and produces an excellent exploration into what may have appeared to be an open-field scamper from the mid-level head coaching ranks to leading one of the most storied programs in the rich history of college football. But a cursory glance of a career hardly tells the real story. With his family roots in a state that is a hotbed for football - Ohio - Meyer was a solid athlete for Saints John & Paul Catholic School in Ashtabula, a defensive back for the Cincinnati Bearcats - graduating in 1986 - and a minor-league prospect in the Atlanta Braves farm system. The real challenge, though, was on the horizon, as Meyer entered the collegiate coaching ranks, spending 1986-2000 in a variety of capacities with Ohio State, Illinois State, Colorado State and Notre Dame. Martin tackles these oftentimes frustrating years for Meyer, where self-doubt and concerns about a stalled career are juxtaposed with mentors like the legendary head coaches Earle Bruce and Lou Holtz. When the door opened in 2001 for a head coaching opportunity at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, though, Meyer placed himself on an amazing fast-track in the rugged profession. Two seasons at BGSU landed him the head coaching post at Utah, where his teams - in 2003-2004 - tallied a 22-2 mark and two bowl victories, including the Fiesta Bowl. And the next logical step was tackling a major program, with several opportunities on the table - including his dream job at Notre Dame - but Meyer accepting the task of bringing glory back to the University of Florida. The exploration of the National Championship season is outstanding and Martin's reporting of 2007 has more important gems than the continued media focus on Meyer's harsh comments concerning "The Celebration." Covering Meyer's game plan for life - personal faith and philosophies - and playbook for the turf wars - the breakdown of the Spread Offense is a must for any fan - Martin shows the continuing growth of a true educator. Meyer is not just achieving victories on Saturday afternoons in "The Swamp," he is a role model to each player on the biggest field of the all....life. Ultimately, that is Urban's Way.