Jacksonville Jaguars Hire Urban Meyer as Head Coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars are turning to one of the most successful college coaches to change the course of one of the NFL’s worst franchises.

On Thursday, the Jaguars announced that they have hired Urban Meyer as the sixth head coach in team history, and the fourth in the history of the current ownership. Said team owner Shad Khan:

“This is a great day for Jacksonville and Jaguars fans everywhere. Urban Meyer is who we want and need a leader, winner, and champion who demands excellence and produces results. While Urban already enjoys a legacy in the game of football that few will ever match, his passion for the opportunity in front of him here in Jacksonville is powerful and unmistakable.”

Jaguars owner Shad Khan fired Doug Marrone last Monday, one day after the end of the 2020 NFL season. Jacksonville finished 2020 in last place with a miserable 1-15 record, the worst single-season record in franchise history. Marrone ended his Jaguars tenure with a 23-43 regular season record and a 2-1 postseason mark.

Jacksonville reportedly interviewed five coaches since Marrone’s firing: San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Atlanta Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris, and Meyer. But Meyer was the overwhelming favorite because he has a prior relationship with Khan owing to their Big 10 affiliation.

Impeccable Resume

Meyer brings with him an impeccable resume. He won three national championships and amassed a college coaching record of 187-32 during coaching stints at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, and Ohio State. He won two titles with the Gators in 2006 and 2008 and led the team to a 65-15 record in his six seasons there. Then Meyer led the Buckeyes to the 2014 national championship while compiling n 83-9 record in Columbus.

Since 1998 when the BCS was implemented, there are nine head coaches to lead multiple teams to a BCS or New Year’s Six bowl: https://t.co/hBx8XwsuSB pic.twitter.com/DCLfZ5Yjqd

— Random College Football (@ForeverCfb) August 21, 2019

He began his coaching career at Bowling Green in 2001 where he led the Falcons to a 17-56 record in two seasons before transferring to Utah. He went 22-2 in two seasons with the Utes, Led by 2005 no.1 overall pick Alex Smith, they posted a 12-0 record in 2004 and played in the Fiesta Bowl. Meyer transferred to Florida in 2004 and the Gators took off two years later, winning two titles from 2006-08.

After resigning in 2010, he worked as an analyst for ESPN before returning to coach Ohio State and leading them to a 12-0 record in 2012. Two years later, he led the Buckeyes to a 42-35 upset win over no. 1 Alabama in the CFP semifinals and a 42-20 rout of Oregon in the championship game.

Translate Into NFL Success

The Jacksonville Jaguars hope that Meyer’s coaching success in the collegiate ranks will translate into NFL success. The Jaguars only have one winning season since 2007 and have lost 10 or more games in nine out of the last 10 years. During that 2007 season, the Jaguars went 10-6 and won the AFC South. They hosted their first playoff game since 1999 and made it all the way to the AFC Championship game. Overall, they won 12 games that year but only have a total of 12 wins since then.

#BREAKINg: Legendary college football coach Urban Meyer will become the Jacksonville #Jaguars next head coach.

Trevor Lawrence and Meyer coming to town. Things are looking up in #Duval. #FantasyFootball #NfL #NFLNews #Fantasy pic.twitter.com/6PwdJ8kbJ7

— We Know Fantasy (@weknowfantasy) January 14, 2021

The Jaguars conceded a franchise-record 492 points last season, becoming the fifth team since the NFL expanded the season schedule to 16 games in 1978 to allow at least 20 games in every game. They ranked 28th or worse in yards per game, rushing and scoring. Jacksonville kept falling behind big in games, forcing them to rank 21st in passing.

But the team has the assets to rebuild. They own the no. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL draft, the team’s first-ever. They are expected to use it to draft Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, considered a generational talent. Jacksonville is also expected to have $76.2M in salary cap space this offseason, the most in the NFL. With Meyer at the helm, things are indeed looking up in Duval.