SEC Talk

It was an odd time to make such a statement, but Urban Meyer had had enough. Almost as soon as he stepped off the plane from a family vacation in the Bahamas, he was hit with “the” question.

Seems Paul Finebaum, that annoying stellar reporter out of Alabama, had said that Meyer was leaving after this season for Notre Dame. Done deal.

The Florida Gators head coach was at the 15th annual Bob Dooley Invitational, which benefits STOP! Children’s Cancer. He was there to kick off the event, and midway through his opening remarks he turned to Bob Dooley, asked to make a statement, then said:

“Here’s a quote for you — I’m not going to Notre Dame.”

Later, he reiterated his position:

“I’m not going to Notre Dame. Ever. I’m going to be the coach at Florida for a long time, as long as they want me.”

He turned to several reporters in attendance, and told them to print it.

Good for him. And I hope he is true to his word… and something tells me he will be.

Sure, a few months back Meyer referred to Notre Dame as his dream job. He was an assistant coach there, and has long been the object of affection for backers of the Irish. Notre Dame likes to bill itself as the Nation’s University. The football program plays as an independent, yet benefits from its own television contract with NBC and its own side deal with the BCS (as long as the Irish finish in the top eight in BCS rankings, the school gets a bid to a BCS bowl).

But it’s doubtful Meyer could replicate the success he is having at Florida in South Bend. Much tougher academic standards, along with no free passes for athletes to gain admission to the University, are a brutal mix. Speaking of brutal, the winters in South Bend aren’t going to lure many recruits. Florida is fertile recruiting ground, and Meyer has sunk his teeth into it. He’s won two of the last three national championships.

Oh, sure. I remember Nick “I’m not going to Alabama” Saban. But there wasn’t a soul alive who didn’t think that Saban’s ego would take him where the money was. Meyer, on the other hand, seems to be a perfect fit for Florida, and vice versa.

And remember, in 2004 Meyer turned down the Irish flat to take the Florida job.

So I have a feeling that Gator fans can relax… and the rest of the SEC is in for a long season.