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Urban Meyer

Jaguars, Urban Meyer Finalizing Deal

January 14th, 2021 at 9:32am CST by Zachary Links

It’s not a done deal yet. But it’s close. The Jaguars are closing in on a contract to make Urban Meyer their new head coach, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 

[RELATED: Chargers Interested In Urban Meyer]

Meyer would become the sixth full-time head coach in franchise history. Of course, the Jaguars aren’t going to bank on that until he signs on the bottom line. Meyer was reportedly on the fence about the job as recently as this week. The Chargers — a team that might be better equipped to win in 2021 — have also contacted him.

The former University of Florida and Ohio State coach has a long track record of success. That includes National Championships in 2006, 2008, and 2014. Factoring in his previous stops at Utah and Bowling Green, Meyer has a lifetime 187-32 record in the college ranks. With Ohio State alone, he went 83-9 across seven seasons.

For Meyer, it’s an opportunity to return to the sidelines after a two-year layoff. He’ll also have the opportunity to groom the No. 1 overall pick — probably Clemson star Trevor Lawrence, but possibly Ohio State standout Justin Fields.

Here’s the full look at the Jaguars search, to date, via PFR’s tracker:

Chargers Interested In Urban Meyer

January 13th, 2021 at 10:46am CST by Zachary Links

The Chargers are exploring Urban Meyer as a candidate, according to sources who spoke with Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Meyer has been non-committal in talks with the Jaguars, and that’s partially due to the Bolts’ interest.

Meyer hasn’t had a formal interview with the Chargers yet, but that conversation could be just around the corner. So far, the Chargers’ search has been mostly focused on candidates with NFL experience, as shown in PFR’s 2021 Head Coaching Search Tracker:

The Jaguars have the No. 1 overall pick, but the Chargers may be a more attractive destination for Meyer. They already have a promising young quarterback in Justin Herbert, plus a ton of talent on the other side of the ball. In L.A., Meyer could have safety Derwin James, defensive tackle Linval Joseph, cornerbacks Casey Hayward and Chris Harris, and edge rushers Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa at edge rusher.

Jaguars Frustrated With Urban Meyer?

January 13th, 2021 at 8:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are said to be infatuated with Urban Meyer. Those feelings aren’t exactly being reciprocated. Though Meyer is interested in the Jags, he is still on the fence about coaching in 2020 and making the leap to the pros, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

The Jaguars have also met with Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris, Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Meyer — likely pricier than your average college coach — would make the biggest splash of the bunch. The Jaguars also had interest in Ryan Day, Ohio State’s current head coach, but he’s not ready to turn pro.

For Meyer, the Jaguars would represent a brand new challenge and an opportunity to coach this year’s No. 1 overall pick. Still, it would mean less time with his family, and there may also be health considerations involved.

 

Rapoport hears that some folks in the Jaguars’ front office are growing frustrated with Meyer’s indecisiveness. The former UF and Ohio State coach has flirted with the NFL in the past, only to rebuff inquiries. This time around, Meyer’s camp was proactive in generating buzz and scaring up opportunities. Yet, Meyer still isn’t sure about what he wants to do.

Jaguars To Meet With Urban Meyer

January 8th, 2021 at 9:43am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are set to meet with Urban Meyer on Friday, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Meyer has long been regarded as the frontrunner for the job, but the Jaguars are planning to conduct a thorough search before making their pick. 

The Jaguars have already interviewed Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy and Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris. Then, on Saturday, they’ll chat with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Meyer — who may or may not be seeking $12MM/year in order to jump to the pros — would be an immediate hit in Northern Florida. The former UF and Ohio State coach has a long track record of success, including National Championships in 2006, 2008, and 2014.

For Meyer, it’s an opportunity to return to the sidelines after a two-year layoff. He’ll also have the opportunity to groom the No. 1 overall pick — likely to be Clemson phenom Trevor Lawrence, but possibly Ohio State standout Justin Fields. That process will play out in concert with the Jaguars’ next GM, plus input from owner Shad Khan.

Urban Meyer Not Seeking $12MM/Year?

January 5th, 2021 at 9:17am CST by Zachary Links

On Monday, it was reported that Urban Meyer is seeking $12MM a year to coach in the NFL. However, that figure is not accurate, according to a source who spoke with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). 

The former University of Florida and Ohio State coach has been heavily connected to the Jaguars and is said to have drawn interest from at least one other team. He’s figures to have lots of leverage in talks, so the $12MM/year mark doesn’t seem that outlandish. For reference, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Saints HC Sean Payton are believed to make roughly $15MM per year. Bill Belichick, meanwhile, is the clubhouse leader with $20MM per annum.

Meyer may not have the NFL experience of other candidates, but he does come with a stellar resume, including three national championships. Two of those titles came in Florida, giving him even greater name recognition and drawing power in the Jacksonville area. In the past, Meyer has flirted with the pros only to stay in the college ranks. This time around, teams believe that he’s serious about coming to the NFL. And, of course, the opportunity to develop Clemson superstar Trevor Lawrence is a major plus.

In addition to the 56-year-old Meyer, the Jaguars have also been connected to 38-year-old Titans offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. They’re not alone — all six teams with vacancies are set to talk to him.

Urban Meyer Wants $12MM+ To Coach In NFL?

January 4th, 2021 at 12:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Coaching searches around the league are only just getting started, and the only place where there’s a clear favorite right now is Jacksonville with Urban Meyer. By all accounts, the job appears to be his to lose if he wants it. But if the legendary college coach is going to make the jump to the NFL, he has a baseline amount of compensation he’s seeking.

Meyer is apparently asking for $12MM annually on any deal, a source told Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. That might sound like a lot for a coach but as Florio points out, it’s not that out of sync with the current market. He writes that Matt Rhule got nearly $9MM annually from the Panthers despite being relatively unproven.

In a subsequent tweet discussing his piece, Florio said that Pete Carroll is believed to make over $15MM per year from the Seahawks, that the Saints’ Sean Payton is somewhere around there, and that Bill Belichick is believed to get over $20MM annually from the Patriots.

With the Jags clinching the first overall pick in the draft a couple weeks ago, that job obviously became a lot more attractive. Meyer has reportedly begun lining up a staff for a potential jump, and it now seems more likely than not to happen. Assuming Jaguars owner Shad Khan is willing to meet his financial demands, it wouldn’t be surprising if something came together quickly here.

Jaguars Expected To Fire Doug Marrone, Target Urban Meyer

January 2nd, 2021 at 3:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

After coaching a depleted team that ended up losing 14 straight games — and securing the 2021 No. 1 overall pick — Doug Marrone is expected to be fired. The Jaguars are planning to end Marrone’s four-plus-season tenure after Week 17, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

Although the Jags have not made a final decision, Marrone narrowly avoided an ouster after the 2019 season. The team has since fired GM Dave Caldwell, and seeing a coach hang onto his job after a 14-game losing streak would obviously be quite unusual.

The team appears to be moving fast on Marrone’s replacement, eyeing Urban Meyer. The former Florida and Ohio State coach has already begun lining up a staff, according to Rapoport, who adds the ex-national champion expects to land the Jacksonville job.

At least two teams have reached out to Meyer about a head coaching role; the Jaguars certainly appear to be one of the two. Meyer, who has a history of spurning interest or leaving posts abruptly, has not committed to coaching in 2021, Rapoport adds.

Two of Meyer’s three national championships came in north Florida, when he led the Gators to titles in 2006 and ’08. This would make Jacksonville a logical landing spot. A greater interest has emerged in the Jaguars job due to the expected arrival of Clemson phenom Trevor Lawrence. Meyer has landed on other NFL teams’ radars in the past, but this time his interest in the pros appears genuine. Meyer, 56, stepped down multiple times at Florida and left his Ohio State post — at which he claimed a third national championship — in 2019.

If Meyer again ends up declining a path to the pros, the Jaguars have another option in mind. In this scenario, the Jags, per Rapoport (on Twitter), would target Meyer’s Ohio State successor — Ryan Day. Unlike Meyer, Day has NFL experience. He served as QBs coach for the 2015 Eagles and 2016 49ers. Both those gigs came under Chip Kelly, and those respective organizations cleaned house after each of those campaigns. Day, 41, has been at Ohio State since 2017, rising to their head coaching position in 2019. Day will coach Ohio State in the upcoming national championship game.

Marrone’s first full Jacksonville season went better than just about anyone could have expected. The Blake Bortles-quarterbacked team ventured to the AFC championship game, upsetting the Steelers in Round 2. The Jags nearly pulled off a bigger upset but squandered a late lead against the Patriots. Everything went downhill from there. After an ill-fated Bortles extension backfired, the Jags did not come close to competing for a playoff spot again under Marrone.

The team fired executive VP Tom Coughlin before last season ended, and while ownership kept the Caldwell-Marrone duo in place, the Jaguars purged most of the players from their 2017 squad from the roster. Even after trading the likes of Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Bouye, Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue, the Jags placed many of their new starters on IR. This helped key the 14-game skid that ended up securing the franchise the No. 1 overall pick. Jacksonville holds two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, and a new coach will be in charge of attempting to resurrect a franchise that has not made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since the 1990s.

Coaching Notes: Meyer, Daboll, Gase

December 28th, 2020 at 2:27pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It’s that time of year again. As the NFL regular season starts to wind down, all eyes will turn to the remaining coaching and front office decisions, and the ensuing searches to fill those vacancies. We’ll start things off with Urban Meyer, the extremely accomplished college coach who apparently could be headed to the NFL for the first time. “At least two” NFL teams have reached out to Meyer to gauge his interest, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. He writes that Meyer did not rebuff the overtures and appears to be seriously considering it, noting that the former Ohio State coach plans to make his decision about jumping to the pro ranks within the next week.

To that end, Meyer could “receive serious consideration” from the Jaguars and Lions, sources told Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, so it’s possible those are the two unspecified teams Schefter referred to. The Jags of course still have Doug Marrone leading the team, but his firing following Week 17 is all but guaranteed. La Canfora notes that Jacksonville’s search has been “noticeably quiet, writing that “with several NFL execs and agents” have noted “they have had limited contact with the Khan family” that owns the team. The Jaguars have clinched the top overall pick in April’s draft, most likely landing them Trevor Lawrence, and making them an infinitely more attractive option to coaches and executives. Meyer walked away from Ohio State after the 2018 season, and led them to a national title in 2014. He also won two national championships during his time at Florida.

Here’s more from the coaching ranks:

  • Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has guided Josh Allen to a near MVP-level season, and has rightfully been earning a lot of praise. As such, La Canfora writes that he’s the “hottest coordinator candidate” for head coaching jobs this cycle. It’s not a major surprise, but sources told La Canfora that Daboll “will have no shortage of opportunities to interview for jobs.” La Canfora notes that the Jets, Falcons, and Jaguars could all be suitors for the former Alabama assistant. Daboll of course also spent many years on Bill Belichick’s staff with the Patriots. Still only 45, Daboll has also had a couple of stints as an NFL OC prior to Buffalo with the Browns, Dolphins, and Chiefs. Interestingly La Canfora also connects the dots between the Chargers and Daboll should they fire Anthony Lynn, noting that Los Angeles GM Tom Telesco went to high school with Daboll.
  • It’s been generally assumed that Adam Gase will be fired as Jets coach at the end of the year, but he apparently was almost let go sooner than that. La Canfora tweeted on Saturday that it was “very likely” Gase would’ve been fired today had New York lost to the Browns yesterday. Of course, the Jets pulled off their second upset in a row, buying Gase one more week as the Jets’ coach. The reason they would’ve made the move now instead of just waiting for the end of the season probably has something to do with them wanting to get started on their virtual interviews with candidates, which can’t be done until Gase is out of the building.
  • Most of the attention this cycle has understandably focused on exciting offensive minds, so the DCs out there are flying a bit more under the radar. That doesn’t mean you won’t see one land a job. Ravens defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale is “considered to be one of the top candidates this time around,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tweets. Martindale is in his third season as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, and he previously won Super Bowl XLVII with the team as their linebackers coach. The Ravens once again have one of the league’s best defenses, so the buzz isn’t too shocking. Interestingly, Rapoport notes that his potential staff targets include Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliot, and former NFL head coaches Marvin Lewis and Lovie Smith. Lewis is generating head coaching interest himself, so he might not be available.

Browns Won’t Consider Urban Meyer?

January 2nd, 2020 at 1:49pm CST by Zachary Links

It doesn’t sound like the Browns will hire Urban Meyer to be their next head coach. 

“Right now we’re just focusing on people with NFL coaching experience,” owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters at a press conference on Thursday.

Haslam’s statement could be interpreted one of two ways. Taken at face value, this means the Browns do not have Meyer atop their list of head coaching candidates. It’s also quite possible that Meyer, who figures to have a number of suitors in this cycle, has already rejected overtures from the team.

Either way, the Browns’ head coaching search will – for now – be limited to NFL circles. That head coach will be hired before the GM, Haslam says, with the head coach collaborating on the GM hire. Then, the HC and GM will have roughly equal footing in the organization, with both men reporting directly to Haslam.

Browns Have “Strong Interest” In Urban Meyer

January 2nd, 2020 at 9:42am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have “strong interest” in former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (on Twitter) hears. Meyer retired from coaching one year ago today, citing health issues, but he has been connected to multiple NFL teams in recent months. 

[RELATED: Paul DePodesta To Run Browns’ Coaching Search]

The Cowboys, Redskins, and Browns have all been linked to Meyer. The Redskins job, of course, is already spoken for – former Panthers head coach Ron Rivera inked a deal with the club before the New Year. The Cowboys, meanwhile, still have Jason Garrett as their head coach, as of this writing.

The Browns are casting a wide net in their coaching search but, as far as we know, they have yet to schedule an interview with Meyer, who is currently employed by FOX Sports (as is Feldman). Publicly, Meyer has downplayed the possibility of a return to coaching, but it sure sounds like he wants to make a jump to the pros.

The Browns’ head coaching search will be run by Paul DePodesta, the former baseball exec who serves as the Browns’ chief strategy officer. Today, they’ll chat with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and they might also meet with offensive assistants Mike McDaniel and Mike LaFleur.

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