ATLANTA  In 1990 when Florida Coach Urban Meyer was the linebackers coach at Illinois State  a bad linebackers coach, he insists  he was looking to return to his native Ohio.

He called Nick Saban, who had recently been hired as Toledo’s coach, to see if he could have a job on his staff. In the days before cellphones, Meyer wrangled a home number for Saban and ended up speaking with his wife, Terry, for about 10 minutes.

“She was sold,” Meyer recalled with a smile. He told his wife, Shelley, “We’re going to Toledo.”

Saban never called. The Meyers went to Colorado State. Terry Saban has not forgotten.

“She was right about that,” Nick Saban said. “And she lets me know from time to time that she was right.”