Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin expects defensive back Eric Berry to play in the NFL next season. He is projected as a high first-round pick if he enters the NFL draft and most mock drafts list Berry among the top five picks. RealGM's Jeff Risdon has Berry as the second pick in his latest mock draft. Berry said the draft decision is "kind of made," but that he wants to wait until after Thursday night's Chick-fil-A Bowl to discuss his plans.

Florida coach Urban Meyer changed his mind Sunday and said he was taking an indefinite leave of absence instead of resigning. Despite ongoing concerns with his health, he expects to be on the sideline leading the Gators when next season opens, according to an Associated Press report . ?I do in my gut believe that will happen,? Meyer said at a Sugar Bowl news conference. Offensive coordinator Steve Addazio will run the team during Meyer?s absence, but Meyer will be the coach against Cincinnati on New Year?s Day.

USC junior defensive end Everson Griffen said Saturday night that he will skip his senior season to enter the 2010 NFL Draft. The Trojans defeated Boston College 24-13 in the Emerald Bowl. "I've known for a while," Griffen said. He is viewed in most draft projections as a late-first or early-second round selection. "I'm ready," Griffen told ESPN.com's Joe Schad. "I know it's the right decision because I've talked it over with my coaches. I will bring speed, a pass rush and the ability to stop the run."

Mike Shanahan is widely expected to become the next coach of the Redskins, but an intriguing possibility turned up on Saturday night. Florida Gators coach Urban Meyer stepped down due to health issues, spurring speculation that the school could pursue Shanahan. ProFootballTalk points out that Shanahan was a candidate for the job after Steve Spurrier left for the NFL.

Urban Meyer resigned Saturday as Florida?s coach after five seasons and two national titles because of health concerns that came to light when he suffered chest pains following the SEC championship game earlier this month. The 45-year-old Meyer will coach his final game at the Sugar Bowl against Cincinnati on New Year?s Day, according to an Associated Press report.

Florida coach Urban Meyer is stepping down because of health concerns. Meyer was admitted to a hospital because of chest pains following the Southeastern Conference championship game. The coach resigned Saturday, calling it quits after five seasons in Gainesville and two national titles. He will coach the Gators in the Sugar Bowl before leaving the university. "I have given my heart and soul to coaching college football and mentoring young men for the last 24-plus years and I have dedicated most of my waking moments the last five years to the Gator football program," Meyer said in a statement. "I have ignored my health for years, but recent developments have forced me to reevaluate my priorities of faith and family. "After consulting with my family, Dr. Machen, Jeremy Foley and my doctors, I believe it is in my best interest to step aside and focus on my health and family."

On December 17, 2009, RealGM football analyst Jeff Risdon appeared on Mitchell Clemons's Bowl preview podcast. Along with local fans, they discussed a wide variety of topics, including the Sugar Bowl, the Heisman Trophy and the national title game. They also touched upon Tim Tebow, the Poinsettia Bowl, the concept of the NCAA holding a playoff tournament, and much more.

San Jose State has hired Duke defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre to replace Dick Tomey as football coach. MacIntyre, who assumes his first head job, was formally introduced Thursday. "I grew up a coach's son so today is a great moment for me,'' MacIntyre said. "Coach Tomey is a legend in our field and I've followed him from afar."

Notre Dame isn?t interested in joining the Big Ten if and when the league expands. The Irish turned down an offer in 1999, and athletic director Jack Swarbrick told the Chicago Tribune that the Irish still prefer their independent status that allows them to maintain traditional rivalries. ?Independence is a big part of the tradition of the program and our identity,? Swarbrick told the paper. ?We?d sure like to try to maintain it.? NBC pays Notre Dame $9 million annually to televise its home football games, but they could double that by moving to the Big Ten, according to the Tribune. ?All of this has a lot more to do with our priorities than it does with business issues,? Swarbrick told the paper. ?Our independence is tied up in a lot of the rivalries we have. We play Navy every year and have the tradition of USC weekends. Frankly, it works pretty well to play USC in October at home and in November at their place.?

Jake Locker, the University of Washington quarterback who was projected as the number one overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft by RealGM's Jeff Risdon, has chosen to stay in school for his senior year and will not enter his name into the NFL draft, the school announced Monday. "After a great deal of careful thought and deliberation, I have decided to return to Washington and play my senior year," Locker said in a statement. "I am very excited about this team's opportunities and potential for the upcoming season and I am looking forward to being a part of it."