Urban Meyer has only one speed—warp, all-out, pedal to the floor, damn the torpedoes.

For the man who called it quits Wednesday as the University of Florida’s football coach, there was no first or second gear, no idle, no stopping for air. His rest-when-you’re-dead style of coaching made intensity a way of life.

It was intensity, 24/7, as he called the demands of his job and his lifestyle as the most visible man in Gator Nation.

He has a coaching resume to envy: 103-23 as a head coach. Florida was an amazing 64-15 during his six seasons. There were two national titles, BCS bowl games galore and that Heisman Trophy winner named Tim Tebow.

It all came with a price.

While he was praised by his bosses Wednesday, his focus was not on them. He was looking at his high-school age daughter Gigi and 12-year-old son Nate. He was looking at two of his four main reasons for quitting with $20 million in guaranteed money still on the table for him.

Daughter Nikki is a volleyball player at Georgia Tech. He’s never seen her play there.

They are the reasons his decision this time is final. He’s gone, done and has paid the price along the way.

His health problems were his wake-up call after last season, and he admitted that.

That’s not surprising for a man as relentless, demanding and driven as Meyer was with the Gator football program.

There were other signs.

He and the program were never the same after the loss to Alabama in the 2009 SEC title game. There was his spring meltdown this year when he vehemently berated a reporter from the Orlando Sentinel for CORRECTLY quoting one of his players, who declared John Brantley “a real quarterback” something Meyer perceived as a stab at his Golden Child, Tim Tebow.

Meyer virtually threatened that writer, Jeremy Fowler. “If that were my son, we’d be doing it right now,” Meyer shouted, “it” meaning a throw-down fight. Meyer called Fowler “a bad man” and threatened to ban him from covering Florida football.

All that for a correct, accurate quote?

Meyer’s grip on the wheel, his grip on the Florida program was way too tight and the stress was taking its toll.

He had the success, the money and the acclaim. He was more respected than loved by Gator Nation. He wasn’t a back-slapping elbow-rubber who enjoyed mixing with booster groups. He tolerated that part of the job. To make those appearances, it meant taking his foot off the pedal and he didn’t like that.

Along with his wins and record, he made those around him successful. He now has 10 head coaches in his lineage. One of those will most likely come back to take over for him. Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen could be the guy. He was the man who designed those dynamite offenses and offense is what ran out of gas this season, along with Meyer.

“Florida deserves our best. I’m not sure we gave ’em our best this year,” was Meyer’s shocking statement Wednesday. Perhaps the Gators didn’t get his best because he was forced to take his foot off the pedal. He stepped away after last season and waited for spring football to jump back in the pool.

Kinder and gentler doesn’t work for guys like Urban Meyer. It’s simply all-in or nothing.

In the end, Meyer became a victim of his own success, his own drive, his own intensity.

The success in his football life translated to neglect in his family life. He wants to make up for that now.

He still has some chores at the office. You can bet he’ll help choose his successor. His office is next door to athletic director Jeremy Foley.

He has the Outback Bowl to coach against Joe Paterno.

And when they face each other on that field in Tampa on Jan 1, there will be the irony or ironies in college football.

Urban Meyer, age 46, is walking away.

Joe Paterno of Penn State, soon to be 84, won’t leave until they carry him away.

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