Top 5 Gator Coaches by Mike Spain

[deuce]

"Steve Spurrier
Steve Spurrier was a Gators legend long before he coached the team. He won the Heisman Trophy as a quarterback for Florida in his college days. Steve came back to the Gators and won their first football national championship in 1996. In addition to the national championship, he also won six SEC championships and was named SEC Coach of the Year five times. Spurrier has the most coaching wins at Florida with 122. He coached at the school the longest, 12 years. His coaching record for the Gators was 122-27-1.
Urban Meyer
Some folks might consider Urban Meyer the best coach in Florida 's history. His two national championships and two SEC Championships make compelling arguments. However, he only coached seven years for the Gators. His coaching record was 73-20.
Galen Hall
Galen coached in some troubled times for the Gators. He went 8-0 after taking over for Charley Pell in 1984. He finished with a 9-1-1 record in 1985. He then coached three mediocre seasons for the Gators. He was forced out after a 4-1 start in 1989. Hall had a career record of 40-18-1 for Florida .
Ray Graves
Ray Graves coached the Gators for 10 seasons. His 70 wins are third only behind Spurrier and Meyer. Steve Spurrier is the only Gators head coach to coach more games than Ray Graves. He had a record of 70-31-4 with Florida, including three nine-win seasons.
G.E. Pyle
G.E. Pyle was the second head coach at the University of Florida. He coached the team five years and had the third best winning percentage behind Meyer and Spurrier. He had a record of 26-7-3. He led the Gators to their one and only undefeated season in 1911, going 5-0-1."

 

[deuce]

Another article said Urban had 80 victories..

 

[GatorJ]

As far as wins/losses and championships, it's a toss up between Spurrier and Urban. In fact, I may have to even lean toward Urban. But he left the program in a lurch and Spurrier put our program on the map so Spurrier is rightfully number 1. And by a considerable length.

 

[MJMGator]

As far as wins/losses and championships, it's a toss up between Spurrier and Urban. In fact, I may have to even lean toward Urban. But he left the program in a lurch and Spurrier put our program on the map so Spurrier is rightfully number 1. And by a considerable length.

SOS by a mile as greatest Gator football coach. I would also put graves ahead of Hall due to the state of the program and the SEC competition during their eras.

 

[Bernardo de la Paz]

Meyer had more national titles and a better record in rivalry games, but his tenure did coincide with some down years for tenerc and fsu. I think spurrier had the better record against the sec and also lost fewer games in the swamp in 12 years than Meyer lost in 7. Spurrier by a mile.

 

[NavetG8r]

SOS #1, rest are all wanna-bees.

 

[MJMGator]

Meyer had more national titles and a better record in rivalry games, but his tenure did coincide with some down years for tenerc and fsu. I think spurrier had the better record against the sec and also lost fewer games in the swamp in 12 years than Meyer lost in 7. Spurrier by a mile.

SOS is the only reason we where ever able to land a guy like Meyer. Pell did some great things with fundraising and facilities, but SOS tuned UF into a national power.

 

[Thatguy^]

SOS is Gator through and through. Meyer.... although he won big.....is a poisonous nut.

 

[Phineus Maximus]

Spurrier by a mile.

 

[SaltGator]

Spurrier by a mile.

This, Spurrier is the man.

 

[Dugaboy]

In football it has to be Spurrier; he won when we were not suppose to; Urban won when we were suppose to.

 

[TallyGator]

Spurrier made us relevant...every year. He was not perfect, but was also the most entertaining coach ever!

 

[t-gator]

Hell yea things wouldn't be right without a bring the ole ball coach back thread lol. I'm with the popular opinion that SOS is the best we've had by a long shot. But I'm too young to go back any further.

 

[EuroGator]

I agree that Spurrier was the best. I think it will be hard to out do the HBC but, of course, I'd love to see it done. As for SOS's and UM's records, here they are from Wikipedia.

Head Ball Coach: (122-27-1) Winning Percentage: 81.33%




Corch Urban Meyers: (65-15) Winning Percentage: 81.25%



I understand why two National Championships might make some consider Meyer the better head coach. However, I think the choice is clear when you consider...

• Overall winning percentage
• Longevity
• quality of representation during tenure
• state of the program upon departure
• treatment of the program after departure

Spurrier is superior in all of these considerations. That doesn't take into account the fact that Spurrier was our first Heisman Trophy winner. Spurrier is the top Gator football coach by a mile.

 

[MJMGator]

Spurrier made us relevant...every year. He was not perfect, but was also the most entertaining coach ever!

You can say that again. SOS has been a media favorite for 25 years. The guy just tells it like it is and wasn't afraid to let it fly back then.

 

[deuce]

This isn't a SOS vs UM thread... It's just info about the top Coaches in Gator Football History.

 

[8802Gator]

I agree with the top two, but I would move Ray Graves up to 3.

 

[Dugaboy]

Ray Graves? Hear, hear..

 

[Turk182]

Galen Hall? :aaah:

 

[Jax Gator]

Steven Orr Spurrier hands down...