Meyer hoping to follow good pal Donovan's path
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By BEN WALKER
AP National Writer
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Set to play for the national championship, Florida coach Urban Meyer is fully aware of the fine line between success and skewers in college sports.
Meyer said he recalled driving to work, turning on the radio and hearing a critic put someone on the hot seat.
``He talked about what a lousy basketball coach and he can't win the big game and maybe it's time and all this. And they are talking about some guy named Billy Donovan, who lost three games in a row,'' Meyer said Sunday. ``Then I flipped on Jimmy Buffett and said, 'I'm good.'''
Donovan led Florida to its first national title in hoops last season. Close pals who live two doors apart, Meyer accepted Donovan's invitation and was in Indianapolis as the Gators trounced UCLA 73-57.
``I didn't win it, but I sat in the locker room after the game and that re-energized, refocused, re-everything the passion you had for coaching and trying to reach the pinnacle of college football,'' Meyer said.
``Our players witnessed, they know those players,'' he said. ``I had the basketball players come. We have a 3-on-3 dunk contest. The basketball players were the judges.''
If Meyer's team beats Ohio State on Monday night, Florida will write some serious history.
A win would make Florida the first Division I school to hold the football and basketball national championships at the same time.
``It tells you it can be done. We are in an era where people said it could not happen: You are either a basketball school or a football school,'' Meyer said. ``I don't know if you will see that happen very often.''
Said Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley: ``You can go an entire career and never have a chance to play for either one of those national championships, and we get to do it twice in a nine-month period.''
Ohio State is trying to accomplish the same thing, in the same academic year.
The Buckeyes have been ranked No. 1 in football all season. Their basketball team is currently No. 6 in the ratings; Florida is No. 3 in hoops, and routed Ohio State on Dec. 23.
``Our kids in basketball are very talented, but they're still growing and learning. They had an unbelievable learning experience at Florida,'' athletic director Gene Smith said.
``By the time they get to the tournament, they might have some maturity themselves. It's something special to be a part of and hopefully it comes to fruition,'' he said.
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SETTLE DOWN: Ohio State coach Jim Tressel hopes the Buckeyes get off to a better start than they did several years ago when they beat Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.
``The first play of the national championship game in '02, we went out there with 12 guys on the field and got a penalty,'' he said. ``Then the second play, our running back lined up on the wrong side and we didn't have a receiver where we needed him. After that, it was OK.
``I'm sure we'll have jitters. As much preparation as these kids put in and as much hype as a game like this gets, you can't help but be excited,'' he said. ``But once you get hit a few times and all that stuff, the jitters will go away.''
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NFL DECISIONS: Five Florida juniors have to decide soon after Monday night's game whether to leave school early and declare for the NFL draft.
Receiver Andre Caldwell, defensive end Jarvis Moss, safety Reggie Nelson, linebacker Brandon Siler and cornerback Ryan Smith all sent paperwork to the NFL's draft advisory board, trying to get an idea where they would get picked in April.
The deadline to apply for the draft is Jan. 15.
Caldwell, Moss and Nelson are expected to leave. Siler and Smith, both undersized at their positions, are more likely to return for their final seasons.
``I would be selfish to be thinking about that right now,'' Siler said. ``We're playing on the grandest stage of them all. ... What's going on over and over inside of my head is winning the national championship.''
Caldwell, who has 55 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns this season, said he already has made up his mind about his future. But he declined to reveal his decision until after the game.
Caldwell said the board told him he would be a first-day draft selection. He also said his brother, New England Patriots receiver Reche Caldwell, gave him some advice.
``He told me to worry about that after the game, just focus on this game,'' Andre Caldwell said. ``Don't worry about the future, just focus on the task at hand. You'll be out of sync with what's going on right now. After the game, give that thought. But just play and worry about the championship.''
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TAKE A DAY: Monday has turned into a sort of unofficial holiday throughout Ohio.
Countless government and social clubs have rescheduled meetings to avoid conflicts with the Buckeyes' game against Florida for the national championship.
High schools have shifted starting times of basketball games. Workers are scheduling vacation _ or planning to test flex-time policies.
Not everyone gets a break. At least one cable network has scheduled extra workers to make sure service doesn't get interrupted during the game.
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QUICK-HITTERS: Ohio State players had an 11 p.m. curfew on both Saturday and Sunday nights. ... Ohio State backup linebacker John Kerr was ``banged up,'' Tressel said, and may not be able to play. ... Florida is among the most-penalized teams in the nation, drawing more than eight flags per game. ``I don't buy that aggressive teams still make penalties. Undisciplined teams make penalties,'' Meyer said. ``That's not something we are very proud of.''
