Urban Meyer's love/hate for Notre Dame

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - As it turns out, Urban Meyer still has a soft spot for Notre Dame.

For years while he was the head coach at Florida it was rumored that he was going to jump ship and take over the Fighting Irish, where he had served as an assistant coach from 1996-2000 under Bob Davie.

Meyer was asked this week about No. 4 Notre Dame, which, like his sixth-ranked team, is unbeaten.

"I'm a huge Notre Dame fan. I always have been. I'm Irish Catholic. I love that they're doing well, and they're great for college football," Meyer said. "They're really good. I've seen them on tape a little bit, so I'm not surprised."

Meyer was somewhat reluctant to discuss Notre Dame because there is a segment of college football fans who loathe the Fighting Irish. Just mention the school's name and they're apoplectic.

Meyer gets that.

"Love/hate is you're the Yankees and they can't stand you, but they also love you," he said. "You come walking into high school with a (Notre Dame) shirt on, you either get something thrown at you or a big hug."

UP-AND-COMING COACH? During the Big Ten coaches teleconference on Tuesday, Meyer had nice things to say about his former assistant coach, Tim Beckman, who is also in his first year in charge of Illinois (3:30 p.m. Saturday).

"He's a fine coach and even a better dad and better husband. I think a lot of Tim," Meyer said. "He's one of the bright young coaches."

Note: Meyer was born on July 10, 1964; Beckman on Jan. 19, 1965. "One of the bright young coaches" is roughly 6 months younger than Meyer.

TICKETS AVAILABLE: Some tickets are still available for Illinois, starting at $70 apiece.

Fans interested in purchasing them can do so online at OhioStateBuckeyes.com, charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000, in person at the ticket office in the Schottenstein Center, or any Ticketmaster location.

THEY SAID IT: Illinois DT Akeem Spence, comparing current Ohio State QB Braxton Miller with former QB Terrelle Pryor, who now holds a clipboard with the NFL's Oakland Raiders: "I think he (Miller) is a lot better. He gets into the open field and he can make guys miss and he can also outrun a lot of guys."

STEINBERG DEAD AT 90: Don Steinberg, who helped Ohio State win its first national championship in 1942, has died. He was 90.

In a release, the university said Steinberg was in hospice and died of congestive heart failure in Perry Township on Monday.

The 1942 Buckeyes were 9-1 and were voted No. 1 at season's end by The Associated Press. The team, coached by Paul Brown, featured a star-studded backfield of future Heisman Trophy winner Les Horvath, Paul Sarringhaus and Gene Fekete, whose 89-yard touchdown run that year against Pitt still ranks as the longest in school history.

Steinberg, who lettered from 1941-43 and again in 1945, was an end in the Buckeyes' single-wing attack.

Following his graduation in 1946, Steinberg went on to become a surgeon.

Follow Associated Press sports writer Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap