Florida bound?

Urban Meyer is headed to Florida.

At least, in a tidal wave of rumors, that one has the biggest punch. Various sources are reporting that the University of Utah football coach has accepted a seven-year, $14 million offer from the Gators.

Meyer could not be reached for comment locally, but the cross-country rumor mill offered multiple confirmations:

• ESPN said he verified the hiring in a telephone conversation with college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit.
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  Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning News

  University of Utah coach Urban Meyer and wife Shelly acknowledge the crowd after a Ute victory over Colorado State on Nov. 6.

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  From the archive

  • How Florida ended up landing Urban Meyer – Dec. 15, 2004
  • Later, Gator! Award-winner Meyer takes Florida job – Dec. 6, 2004
  • Brad Rock: Florida over Notre Dame? – Dec. 4, 2004
  • Reports: Meyer accepts Florida job – Dec. 3, 2004
  • Meyer to Notre Dame? – Dec. 1, 2004
• In addition, Meyer's father, Bud, confirmed the news to the St. Petersburg Times. "All the reports that are out there are correct," he told the newspaper. "He told me this morning that he was going to tell Florida he was coming." The elder Meyer said the decision to do so was "very family-oriented."

  In comments to The Palm Beach Post, Meyer's father said he offered his son this bit of advice: "The climate's better down in Florida. The tradition is better at Notre Dame" — said to be Meyer's professed dream job. But "I told him if he wants to win, go to Florida."

• And Meyer's sister, Gigi Escoe, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday night that he had accepted the Gators' offer. "It was a hard decision," she said, according to Cox News Service. "To say no to Notre Dame was one of the hardest things he's done, but he's really lucky to have an opportunity like this."

On Thursday, coach Meyer told the Utes he had narrowed his options to Florida, Notre Dame and Utah. He's expected to share his final decision with his team prior to practice this morning at the Spence Eccles Field House.

"Whatever decision he makes, it's best for him and his family," said senior captain Morgan Scalley, who noted that Meyer and most of the coaches were out of the office Friday. "We're just going to go about our business. At 7 a.m., if he happens to call us all in, then I guess we'll figure out what's going on."

Still, confusion surrounds Meyer's decision to spurn Notre Dame and leave Utah. Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley, who has reportedly been in Salt Lake City since Wednesday, has declined comment. So, too, has Utah athletic director Chris Hill.

The silence spreads all the way back to Gainesville, Fla.

"It looks like we're not going to know anything until next week," Florida spokesman Steve Orlando told the Associated Press. "The coaching search goes on."

Over the past several days, Meyer has met with officials from all three schools. At Florida, he would be reunited with school president Bernie Machen, who held a similar post at the U. when Meyer was hired here.

"I think Urban Meyer did the right thing," said ESPN analyst Trev Alberts.

The Gators went 7-4 with three narrow losses this season under Ron Zook, who was fired and may end up as the new coach at Illinois.