Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison stays mum on prospects of facing old boss Urban Meyer

Urban Meyer has called Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison the best recruiter in the country, and one of the college game's great defensive minds.

He would know better than most, considering he hired Mattison as his first defensive coordinator at Florida, where they won a national title together in 2006.

Now, the two will coach -- and recruit -- against each other after Meyer accepted the head coaching job at Ohio State.

Mattison declined to discuss the situation on Tuesday.

New Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison was the first assistant he called when he took the Florida job in 2005. They won a national title together in 2006.

Associated Press file photo

"I don't really want to talk about that," said Mattison, talking to the media for the first time since Michigan beat the Buckeyes in its regular-season finale. "He's at Ohio State, he's a good football coach and I had great years with him, but I really don't want to go into the Urban-Ohio State deal. Let's talk about Michigan.

"That's really what we're here for."

Meyer said earlier this year Mattison was the first assistant he called when he took the Florida job in 2005. Mattison, at Notre Dame at the time, agreed to become Meyer's defensive coordinator until departing in 2008 for his three-year sojourn to the NFL.

Mattison returned to the college ranks this past offseason to help friend Brady Hoke turnaround the Michigan program, but now will be faced with matching up against his old boss, Meyer.

They know each other well -- Meyer even shadowed Mattison earlier this year for an ESPN piece on Michigan's defense -- but Mattison declined to talk about how that familiarity would affect the rivalry between the Wolverines and Buckeyes.

"I just said let's talk about Michigan," Mattison said. "OK?"

Ironically, the last game Mattison and Meyer coached together was a loss in the 2008 Capital One Bowl -- against Michigan. It was Lloyd Carr's final game as the Wolverines' head coach.

Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.