ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon says he doesn’t understand the waiver that allows Ohio State to briefly exceed the limit of football coaches on staff after hiring Urban Meyer.

The existing staff, under Luke Fickell, will prepare the Buckeyes on the field up to and including their Gator Bowl game against Florida on Jan. 2. Meyer, the incoming coach, will handle only recruiting while hiring his own assistants.

The NCAA has approved the arrangement, saying it’s not all that rare.

Brandon said in an e-mail to The Associated Press: “It allows more coaching resources to work on the two primary responsibilities of any staff — coaching and recruiting. I am struggling to understand how this relates to the ‘level playing field’ the NCAA claims it is always working to create.”

Ohio State asked for and received NCAA approval to exceed the limit of football coaches on staff through the Buckeyes’ bowl game.

The existing staff, under Luke Fickell, will prepare the Buckeyes on the field in the days leading up to and including their Gator Bowl game against Florida on Jan. 2. Then there is incoming coach Urban Meyer, who will handle only recruiting while hiring his own assistants.

Athletic director Gene Smith said the split staffs were “normal in some transitions.” He added, “We are operating within allowable NCAA and Big Ten rules.”

The waiver specifies that no more than 10 coaches — and no more than seven at any one time — may be involved in recruiting. Ohio State asked for the waiver because otherwise it would have exceeded the maximum number of allowed coaches under NCAA rules.

Later Friday, Illinois introduced new coach Tim Beckman, a former assistant at Ohio State. He revealed that Illinois has also requested a coaches waiver to help during the transition.