Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis’ future has not been decided yet, but the rumors of the Fighting Irish planning to try to get Florida coach Urban Meyer to replace him have already started swirling.
Notre Dame is 6-5, bringing Weis’ overall record to 35-26, and many believe he will be fired at the end of the season.
Meyer was an assistant coach at Notre Dame from 1996-2000 and was a candidate for the job in 2005 before deciding to come to Gainesville.
He has also said Notre Dame was his dream job.
Meyer was quick to put the rumors to rest when asked about it Monday.
“I’m ready to dispel those,” Meyer said. “I’m going to be the coach at Florida as long as they’ll have me, so I’ll make that clear.”
Senior quarterback Tim Tebow said he did not think Meyer had any interest in leaving Florida.
Meyer’s successor: While Meyer has made it known he plans on staying at UF for a while, he may have already started picking his replacement when he does decide to leave Florida.
He hopes two of the seniors that will be playing in their last games in The Swamp on Saturday will eventually return to coach their alma mater.
“Tebow or (redshirt senior linebacker Ryan) Stamper, I guess, will someday lead this program,” Meyer said. “That’s every coach’s dream to come in, make it a little better and just leave it in good shape and leave it to someone who will carry on.”
He also said junior defensive end Justin Trattou would make a great coach.
Tebow said that future intrigues him, and he would not shut the door on a coaching career.
Remembering Guilford: During Monday’s press conference, Meyer had to pause several times to fight back tears when talking about his departing senior class.
One of his most emotional moments was when former Gator Michael Guilford was brought up.
Guilford, who died in a motorcycle accident on Oct. 12, 2007, would have been a senior this year.
The walk-on was most well known for acting as former Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith on the scout team prior to the 2006 BCS National Championship Game.
Meyer said he will be honored during Senior Day against FSU on Saturday.
“We’re going to invite his family down, and he’s still part of this group,” Meyer said.
New Uniforms: In their last game in The Swamp, the Gators’ seniors will not be wearing the uniforms they have worn for almost every game of their college careers.
Instead, UF will be wearing the Nike Pro Combat uniform, which is being described as the lightest football uniform Nike has ever created.
The new uniforms were unveiled before the FIU game.
Florida joins Clemson, FSU, LSU, Miami, Virginia Tech, Missouri, Ohio State, Oklahoma and TCU in debuting the new Nike uniforms this season.
The Gators’ future jerseys will be made out of the material used in the special uniforms Saturday, but they will reflect the traditional Florida uniforms.
“You love the jersey that you played in your last four years,” Tebow said. “But also you’re going to have a new jersey, and it will be something that’s cool and special to this one game.”
Former Gator James Smith models the new Nike Pro Combat uniform at a news conference in the O’Connell Center, the Gators wore the uniforms in a 2009 game against Florida State.
