1960

A day after Christmas Urban Meyer gave Florida a present, I'm sure, they were not expecting or at the minimum were ill-prepared for, with him Resigning.


A day later though Meyer changed his mind.

Even as an FSU loyalist I must say what he did at Florida and what he has done his entire coaching career has been very impressive. Who knew that a former DB that played at Cincinnati would have such a profound impact on offense in College Football today. Meyer began his coaching career at Ohio St as a graduate assistant before moving on to Illinois St, then Colorado St, then Notre Dame, before finally getting his first Head Coaching gig at Bowling Green. After going 17-6 there Meyer moved on to Utah. Meyer enjoyed a two-year stint at Utah going 22-2, which included a perfect 12-0 (first since 1930) record and a Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh. His impressive pedigree finally landed him in a BCS conference when he chose to go to Florida over Notre Dame. Meyer since coming to Florida has only went 56-10, won two National Championships, won two SEC Championships, and was crowned 2004 Home Depot and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year.

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Next football season will mark something that has not happened in 50 years, Florida and Florida St. both will have new head football coaches. The last time, and only time, this rare occasion has happened is in 1960.

FSU replaced Perry Moss (who served as HC and AD) after going 4-6 in 1959.

Florida replaced Bob Woodruff, Tennessee Alumnus who had gone 5-4-1 in his final year after a 53-42-6 overall at Florida, with another Tennessee Alumnus.

Florida hired Ray Graves to be HC in 1960. Graves led Florida to 5 Bowl appearances in nine seasons as UF head coach. Graves coached players such as Heisman Award winner, Steve Spurrier, former 1st round Draft selection in RB Larry Smith, and DB Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood. In Graves nine season's he had a career record of 70-31-4. In 1969 Graves stepped down to allow former UF QB Doug Dickey to become Head Coach. Graves stayed on as Athletic Director until 1979. Graves was the all time winning coach in UF history until his former player Steve Spurrier surpassed him in 1996. Graves was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on December 4th, 1990. The athletic office at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium were named after him in 2005. Ray Graves is the coach who invited Dr. Robert Cade, a UF Medical Professor to begin experiments which led to the creation of Gatorade and is now the official drink of the NFL



For the same 1960 season Florida State had a hire to make and they made it in Bill Peterson. Bill Peterson took over an FSU team who was only in their 14th season ever, and deserves much of the credit for making FSU a relevant school on the national scene. Bill Peterson was head coach of the Seminoles for 11 seasons compiling an impressive mark (considering where the program was) of 62-42-11. Peterson coached FSU greats such as Ron Sellers and Fred Biletnikoff. Peterson's best season by far was the 1964 season in which he lead the Seminoles to a 9-1-1 overal record and gave FSU it's first ever Bowl game victory with a 36-19 win over Oklahoma in the Gator Bowl. (FSU's next bowl Win would not come until 1977 under Bowden) Though Peterson enjoyed great success at FSU, Peterson, today, receives great accolades as being THE coaches coach. Some of the assistants who coached under Bill Peterson have been: Don James, Bobby Bowden, Vance Gibson, Al Conover, Gene McDowell, Joe Avezzano, Y.C. McNease, John Coatta, Joe Gibbs, Dan Henning, Bill Parcells, Ken Meyer, Earle Bruce, Kay Stephenson, and Bobby Ross. Bill Peterson has been inducted into the: Ohio City Schools HOF, Ohio Northern HOF, Gator Bowl HOF, Florida Sports HOF, FSU HOF, and Toronto, Ohio HS HOF. After his career at FSU Peterson coached both at Rice, and the Houston Oilers of the NFL making him one of a very select view to be a Head Coach at the High School level, College level, and NFL level. The goal post's at Doak Campbell Stadium are named "Pete's Posts" in honor of Bill Peterson.

“You guys line up alphabetically by height.” - Bill Peterson

For 2010 Jimbo Fisher will be taking over for Bobby Bowden, and Steve Addazio will be taking over, at the moment, for Urban Meyer.

Addazio has been a football coach of some sort since 1985. His previous stops include: Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Indiana, before coming to Florida.

Jimbo Fisher has been coaching since 1991 and has had stops along the way at Auburn, Cincinnati, and LSU, before coming to FSU.

The 1960 hiring's netted College Football: Gatorade, Fred Biletnikoff, a unique version of the English language, Steve Spurrier, Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs, Bobby Ross, and Bobby Bowden. What will 2010 net us?

Both, Fisher and Addazio, have enviable positions though at the same time pressure-filled. Who will come out victorious...

Only time will tell.