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The college football coaching merry-go-round shifted into high gear Tuesday.

At Notre Dame, Tyrone Willingham was fired, clearing the way for Utah's Urban Meyer to become the next coach at one of America's most fabled universities.

Meanwhile, BYU administrators called a news conference for noon today, when, The Salt Lake Tribune has learned, embattled Gary Crowton will be relieved of his coaching duties.

Sources said Crowton could be reassigned within the university, but he will not return for the fifth and final year of his original BYU coaching contract.

Lance Reynolds, the Cougars' assistant head coach, will be placed in charge of the program until a new head coach is hired. Reynolds, a BYU graduate, has coached at the school for 22 seasons.

While making its announcement, BYU said neither school administrators nor members of the coaching staff would be available for comment until the Crowton news conference, which it said "will address the state of the football program."

In Salt Lake City, Meyer told a large group of reporters that he had "no comment" on Willingham's firing or its possible impact on his future. Speculation throughout the nation, though, focused squarely on Meyer, who has an out clause in his contract that allows him to pursue the Notre Dame job.

Meyer, who has an Irish Catholic family background, was an assistant at Notre Dame from 1996 to 2000 and has frequently referred to Notre Dame as his ''dream job.''

He left Notre Dame for his first head coaching job, at Bowling Green, and was 17-6 in two seasons before coming to Utah.

''. . . I'm sure this is going to spark a lot of discussion," Meyer said. "But I'm just trying to get a team ready for a bowl game."

Utah finished 11-0 in its second season under Meyer. The Utes are expected to be selected Sunday to play in a $14 million BCS bowl - probably the Fiesta against Pittsburgh.

It was a milestone season for the Utes, who in two years under Meyer have won 21 of their 23 games.

At Notre Dame, Willingham went 21-15 in three years. But the Irish were 11-12 over the past two seasons.

Meyer, a 40-year-old native of Ashtabula, Ohio, insisted he has not talked to Irish athletic director Kevin White, but acknowledged the importance that Notre Dame holds for him.

"I have tremendous respect for that university," Meyer said.

White said during his nationally televised news conference in South Bend that he had not contacted anyone - yet.

"I haven't done a thing," said White, who has spoken glowingly of Meyer in the past. ''. . . I haven't lifted up the phone. That will happen shortly."

There is a sentiment within the college football community that Willingham was fired abruptly because Irish administrators decided they had to move on Meyer, who has emerged as a top candidate for every major college coaching job in the country in the past three weeks.

Florida, Washington and Illinois have all been considered possible destinations for Meyer - at least until the Irish job opened.

This season, Notre Dame finished 6-5, including wins over nationally ranked Michigan and Tennessee. But the Irish suffered a 41-10 loss to top-ranked Southern California in their finale on Saturday, and they also lost to BYU, Pitt and Boston College this year.

"We simply haven't progressed on the field," said White, who noted that "football is very important at this institution."

Notre Dame's decision leaves just two black head coaches among the 117 schools playing Division I-A football. Willingham was the third black, along with San Jose State's Fitz Hill and New Mexico State's Tony Samuel, to lose his job in the past week.