Florida president Machen keeps eye on road ahead

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—First-year University of Florida president Bernie Machen has his hands on a lot of things. Becoming intimately involved in the details of hiring a football coach is no more unusual to him than gripping the handlebars of his gold Harley, or his wireless BlackBerry communicator.

"I do enjoy my Harley but have not been able to get out much," Machen, 60, said by way of the BlackBerry. "The open road clears my head and forces me to think of nothing but what's ahead."

What's ahead for Florida is finding a successor for the fired Ron Zook, and Machen is very much in the saddle in the search posse. This comes as no surprise to those who know him. As president of the University of Utah, Machen took a passionate interest in everything from the hiring of football coach Urban Meyer to enforcing a concealed-weapons ban that angered the state's powerful gun lobby.

"We had a red phone to each other," Utah Athletic Director Chris Hill said. "He relied on me to give him insights, and if he had something to tell me, he would let me know."

Florida Athletic Director Jeremy Foley made the call to hire Zook three years ago, but this decision will come from a two-man vote, Machen and Foley.

The vote will be unanimous, Machen said at the news conference to announce Zook's departure at the end of the season.

Asked what happens if he and Foley disagree, Machen said, "We're not going to."

As far as many Gators fans are concerned, there will not be much to decide if former coach Steve Spurrier is interested. Spurrier certainly has not taken his name out of consideration, but neither has he come straight out and said he is willing to return.

As for whether he is considering Meyer, Machen said, "I was involved in the process to recruit him but we have not spoken since I left last January."

The way Machen sees it, this is just one more decision that comes with the job. He is involved in five searches for job candidates now including academic vice presidents. Before he took the Florida post this year, Machen asked the school's board of trustees whether he would have responsibility for the "docs and jocks."

The medical program and athletics are within the president's authority, board chairman Manny Fernandez told him.