Colleges

Meyer, Carr have mutual respect

By ANTONYA ENGLISH, Times Staff Writer
Published January 1, 2008

ORLANDO - When he accepted his first head coaching job at Bowling Green in 2001, one of the first people Urban Meyer called was Michigan coach Lloyd Carr.

Having grown up in Ohio and patterned himself after many of the legendary coaches of the Big Ten, Meyer wanted Carr's advice on how to start his program.

On Monday morning, as they prepared to face each other in the Capital One Bowl today, Meyer and Carr expressed a sincere respect for each other and their respective programs.

"I'm not ashamed to say that I lean on people quite heavily," Meyer said. "Obviously Earle Bruce and Lou Holtz are people that I talk to quite frequently when you have to make hard decisions or when you're faced with certain obstacles that someone else has experienced. And that's how much respect I had for Coach Carr, so I called him back in 2001 and just got some insight. Obviously the way he does things at Michigan I have great admiration for."

Meyer's career is in full-bloom. Carr's will come to an end when the clock ticks down to 0:00 this afternooon. Regardless of the outcome, Carr said he'll continue to hold Meyer in high esteem.

"I think what I respect most, I respect him certainly as a football coach," Carr said. "But I respect him for the way he runs his program. He's one of those guys that I think represents the positive things and the integrity of intercollegiate athletics. I like him and I appreciate him as a coach and as a person."

SENIOR STATEMENT: Thirteen Gators will participate in their final collegiate game today, including starters Drew Miller (center), Carlton Medder (offensive line), Andre Caldwell (receiver), Tony Joiner (safety) and Clint McMillan (defensive tackle).

It is a class looking to become just the second in school history to win three consecutive bowl games (1995). As a group, the class is 38-12 (21-11 in SEC games) and 24-2 in the Swamp.

"I'm doing what I can to have a great game," Miller said. "Just go out, no regrets, and get a win. It is going to be weird, and I'm sure it will be emotional after the game. I am just doing everything I can right now to prepare to win and have my best game as a Gator."

KEEPING PERSPECTIVE: Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is well aware of the so-called Heisman jinx, which has affected several Heisman winners since 1990. He has spoken to former Gator and Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel about how to stay focused on the game amid all the distractions that come with winning the award. Wuerrfel's best advice? Remember who you are, and stick to what got you there.

"A lot of people say will say, how does winning the Heisman change you or how are you going to change or adapt to it?" Tebow said. "You don't change. Plain and simple, you don't change. You are the same person. You go about everything the exact same. You work as hard as you can. You do everything you did before you won it. Maybe other people's perception is different about you but your perception about you and how you do things isn't different at all."

LEAVING HIS LEGACY: During a news conference Monday, Carr was adamant that he doesn't want his players to feel like they are playing this game for him. They are playing to win, period, he said. When asked how he'd like to be remembered, Carr paused for a moment to reflect on his 13 years at the helm at Michigan.

"I've tried to do the best I can do," Carr said. "And I've tried to work hard every day and I've tried to place an emphasis with our players on education first and getting a degree. And I've tried to influence them in there's a way to handle success and winning and there's a way to handle the bad times. ... I've had a lot of fun. I've loved every minute of it.

[Last modified December 31, 2007, 20:11:51]