In his first several months as an NFL head coach, Urban Meyer has certainly brought excitement and attention to a decimated Jacksonville Jaguars franchise.
As one of the most popular college football coaches to make the jump to the professional ranks in several years, Meyer will have a lot of Jaguars and NFL fans wondering whether he can resurrect a team.
Meyer and the front office decided to use a first-round pick to bring in running back Travis Etienne, whom he did not commit to as his feature back.
He also brought in former University of Florida superstar Tim Tebow to help compete for a tight end position on his roster.
Of course, Tebow was a quarterback with the Gators and in the NFL, and has not played a regular season game in nine years.
The Jaguars brought in Meyer to bring credibility back to a team that finished 1-15 in 2020.
While it’s likely that he won’t be expected to compete for a playoff spot in his first year, it will be important for Jacksonville to show improvement and hang in games.
Even if their record doesn’t get markedly better, it will be important for the team to get meaningful fourth quarter snaps for their young players as they try to learn how to win in the NFL.
Even though it seems like he has been in our lives for much longer, Meyer will only be 57 years old when his birthday rolls around in July.
Sharing your story will allow other people to know it’s OK to ask for help. Much respect, @DJChark82! https://t.co/iISCFU3FOu
— Urban Meyer (@CoachUrbanMeyer) May 21, 2021
Meyer Trying To Break A Negative Trend
His massive success at the collegiate level has made him a fixture in the lives of sports fans.
In his most notable years, he spent six seasons coaching the Florida Gators, and then seven campaigns at the helm of the Ohio State Buckeyes operation.
Meyer hasn’t been able to hang on at a school quite in the same way like Nick Saban has at Alabama, but has certainly made his mark on a couple of high-profile programs.
Other high-profile college coaches who made the jump into the NFL haven’t had the longest tenures, to put it mildly.
After a well regarded stint at Stanford, Jim Harbaugh spent four successful seasons running the San Francisco 49ers, before heading back to college to coach the University of Michigan.
Chip Kelly had an impressive run at the University of Oregon, which he parlayed into coaching opportunities with the Philadelphia Eagles and 49ers.
He only spent three years in Philadelphia, and one year in San Francisco.
In 1989, the Dallas Cowboys hired star coach Jimmy Johnson away from the University of Miami.
Johnson went on to win two Super Bowls with the franchise, but only coached there for five seasons.
The Biggest Key To Success
It may seem a little simplistic to say, but the single biggest factor that will determine the length of Meyer’s coaching tenure in Jacksonville is the development of Trevor Lawrence.
If Lawrence truly lives up to the hype as the best quarterback prospect in the last decade, then the Jaguars will be able to build around one of the best players in football for years to come.
If he doesn’t find his footing in the league, and is not able to carry a team, then Meyer’s job security will be tenuous at best.
It would be in Meyer’s best interest to bring Lawrence along slowly early on in the season, before unleashing him in November and December.
Great work by the @jaguars production team! https://t.co/mNqVWbytkI
— Urban Meyer (@CoachUrbanMeyer) May 21, 2021
Considering his prior history, it would be reasonable to think Meyer spends four years coaching the Jaguars.
NEXT: Why Jaguars Signing Tim Tebow Is Not A Big Deal
