The Jaguars are reportedly closing in on a deal to make Urban Meyer the team's next head coach, with ESPN's Adam Schefter writing that the former college coach is "highly interested" and "the two sides are interested in trying to finalize a deal this week."
At this time, it’s Jacksonville as the one and only for Urban Meyer. Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan’s process has led him to Meyer, and Meyer is highly interested, and the two sides are interested in trying to finalize a deal this week. https://t.co/gDpE46pyuG
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2021
Meyer and Jacksonville have been linked together since before the Jaguars fired Doug Marrone, and it looks like that mutual interest has not wavered despite rumors that the Chargers may have also had their eyes on Meyer as a head-coaching candidate. It's no surprise that Jacksonville would like to bring in Meyer to help turn the team into a contender. His track record is nearly impeccable, winning three college football National Championships during his time coaching the Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes.
However, in 2018, Meyer was suspended by Ohio State for three games after it was discovered that he knew about spousal abuse allegations against assistant coach Zach Smith prior to Smith's firing. Meyer stepped down after the season due to health reasons and has not coached since.
Despite their recent struggles, the Jaguars remain an attractive job for Meyer for two major reasons: Trevor Lawrence, who the team is expected to take with the no. 1 pick, and the $77 million of projected cap space Jacksonville is expected to have this offseason. The combination of those two gives Meyer a chance to build the team he actually wants, instead of being forced to inherit a roster full of mediocre, overpaid players.
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