Open door: Kentucky gets permission to talk to Donovan

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Kentucky has begun its pursuit of Florida coach Billy Donovan, receiving permission to talk to him about its coaching vacancy, a person familiar with the search process said Thursday.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley left a voice mail with Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart on Wednesday night, giving Barnhart the OK to talk with Donovan, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

It was unclear when Barnhart would talk to Donovan.

Donovan, who led the Gators to their second national championship Monday night, said Wednesday he hadn't been contacted about the job. However, he acknowledged he would think about it if the Wildcats did come calling.

"If I was contacted by them, that would be something that I would have to think about," Donovan said Wednesday night, when he spoke at a fundraiser at Marshall University. "But I think because I've been going so crazy, haven't dealt with my phone, haven't dealt with that stuff."

Donovan, who was an assistant at Kentucky, has a busy schedule ahead, including an on-campus national championship celebration Friday and a weeklong family vacation in the Dominican Republic, starting Saturday.

He said he doesn't want to rush to a decision.

"I haven't had a lot of time to think about myself or what I want to do," Donovan said. "There'll be a time and place for that. This is not the time and place. This is about Marshall."

Barnhart hasn't spoken publicly about the search since Tubby Smith left the Wildcats to coach Minnesota last month.