Meyer picks best of leftovers

Urban Meyer obviously knew what he was doing two years ago when, as the hotshot young Utah coach, he spurned an offer to coach at Notre Dame to take the Florida job.

Better weather, better players, better routing to the national title.

Meyer has been a master at taking over other coaches’ players and pushing them to conference championships. He did it at Bowling Green, Utah and, now, at Florida.

“I’m not real smart, but I am smart enough that before I step into something I do a little research and find out what you are working with,” Meyer said.

Meyer is seeking to become only the seventh coach to win a national title in his second year at a school: Three coaches, though, did it in the last six seasons: Bob Stoops at Oklahoma in 2000, Larry Coker at Miami in 2001 and Jim Tressel at Ohio State in 2002.

*

It’s a good thing it’s not Ohio State versus Fox analyst.

Tressel has a deserved reputation as one of the game’s best big-game coaches. He’s 4-0 in BCS games.

Tressel, however, says he’s not perfect. He notes last year’s home loss against Texas in Columbus and his record against a certain former Wisconsin coach who is now working for Fox.

“I am 1-3 against Barry Alvarez,” Tressel said.

*

Vested interest: OK, Jim, what gives with wearing those sweater vests on the sidelines?

Do you have a closet filled?

How many?

“Gosh, I don’t know,” Tressel said.

One hundred?

“Whatever is in my locker,” Tressel said.

“I don’t know. They put them in and I put them on.”

*

“Not so fast,” as Lee Corso would say: Ohio State junior receiver Ted Ginn Jr. might be the fastest player in college football.

He was a two-time national high school champion in the 110-meter high hurdles and has been timed at 10.5 seconds in the 100-meter dash.

Ginn’s blazing speed is keeping Florida defensive backs awake at night.

But Ginn said last week that, as a kid, he went through an awkward stage.

“Once I started growing, I slowed down,” Ginn said. “I watched other guys start flying past me. I couldn’t understand it.”

Ginn recalled that he was timed at a snail-like 5.2 in the 40-yard dash at one point.

Now, he says he runs 4.2.

Ginn said he realized in high school that he had to work at getting faster through weightlifting and training.

“I got tired of being the slow guy,” Ginn said.

*

Son of Reggie: It’s a little early to start comparing Florida freshman receiver Percy Harvin to former USC star Reggie Bush. But Harvin has quickly become the Gators’ do-everything player and is one of the “X” factors in Monday’s championship game.

Harvin has averaged 12.7 yards when he has touched the ball this season. He has 406 rushing yards and also has 25 catches for 367 yards.

“I’m just one of those guys that creates mismatches for teams,” Harvin said.

*

Heavy heart: Reggie Nelson, Florida’s superstar junior safety, has been a no-show at interview sessions as he mourns the loss of his mother, Mary Lakes, who died Dec. 21 after a long battle with breast cancer.

Nelson has participated in practices all week and will play. He just isn’t ready to share his grief with strangers.

“It really has been a rough week for Reggie,” Florida co-defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said. “I think that what has helped him the most is getting back around his teammates and just going through it. Any time you lose your mama, it doesn’t matter what age you are. You can be 20, 30, 40, still the pain is there.”

*

When Meyer was coach at Bowling Green, he went into Cleveland in pursuit of two of the high school prospects.

“We recruited a guy named Troy Smith and Teddy Ginn,” Meyer said last week. “They were a little better than Bowling Green.”

Smith and Ginn, whatever happened to those guys?

chris.dufresne@latimes.com