New Jag's HC Urban Meyer's Rise Through College Football

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Urban Meyer as their next head coach on Thursday as the franchise looks to finally get the coaching hire right. Meyer did nothing but win in college, a career 187-32 record, last coaching at Ohio State in 2018, and retiring following the season due to health issues.

While I (and many others) are skeptical if Meyer can translate his success to the NFL, he’s going to get a chance to build the roster around his (presumed) new franchise QB Trevor Lawrence along with 10 draft picks (two firsts and two seconds), and a ton of cap space.

How did Meyer get to this point? Let’s look at Meyer’s rise through college football.

Bowling Green (2001-2002)

Meyer got his head coaching start at Bowling Green all the way back in 2001 after stints at Illinois State, Colorado State, and Notre Dame in assistant roles. The Falcons program really struggled the year prior to Meyer arriving, finishing at 2-9. 

Meyer’s spread scheme flipped the program around, finishing 8-3 in his first season, the biggest turnaround in Division I that year. The rookie HC won Mid-American Conference coach of the year in 2001, and followed that up with a 9-3 season in 2002. 

Utah (2003-2004)

The Utes were quick to poach Meyer from BGSU after his successful two-year run. This is where Meyer jumped into the elite tier of coaches. In his first season in Salt Lake, Meyer went 10-2 and won the Mountain West title, the Utes’ first outright conference title since 1957, and another conference coach of the year honor.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, with the help of future No.1 pick Alex Smith, Meyer led the Utes to an undefeated 12-0 season, claiming a BCS bid in the Fiesta bowl, and crushing Pitt 35-7. The Utes were the first non-BCS team to claim a BCS Bid since its formation in 1998. 

Meyer’s coaching stock was soaring through the roof. He was on to his next challenge after accepting the job at Florida in December of 2004.

Florida (2005-2010)

This is where things really take off for Meyer, he was going to have a real shot at a national championship, and he cashed in. 

After a 9-3 2005 season, Meyer reached the peak of the College football world in 2006, winning his first national championship over No. 1 Ohio State 41-14. 

Meyer’s Florida teams were some of the most talented to ever grace the college football world. His second title team in 2008, which capped off Meyer’s second 13-1 season in Gainesville and the BCS Championship win over Oklahoma, had Tebow, the Pouncey twins, Percy Harvin, Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins, Carlos Dunlap, and some guy named Cam Newton as the third-string QB.

A loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship a year later in 2009 prevented Meyer and Tebow from bringing home their third BCS Championship in four years. The Gators blew out Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl to cap a 13-1 season while Alabama won their first BCS championship under Nick Saban.  

This is where the health problems started popping up for Meyer. He was rushed to the hospital citing chest pains in December, but stayed on as Gators coach for one more season.

After a 7-5 2010 season, Meyer resigned from Florida.

Ohio State (2012-2018)

After spending a year at ESPN, Meyer took the Ohio State job following the 2011 season. Meyer went 12-0 in his first season, but was ineligible for the postseason due to NCAA sanctions.

Following a 12-2 2013 season and a loss in the Orange Bowl, Meyer won another national championship in 2014 in the first year of the College Football Playoff, rebounding from an early-season loss to unranked Virginia Tech with a team featuring Zeke Elliott, Michael Thomas, Joey Bosa, and Cardale Jones.

Most of that core returned for the 2015 season, but offensive inconsistency and a late-season loss to Michigan State knocked Ohio State out of the playoff picture. They would have to settle for a Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame.

Meyer and the Buckeyes returned to the CFP in 2016 at 11-1 despite not even winning their own division or the Big Ten, and were subsequently smacked by Deshaun Watson and Clemson 31-0.

That’s as close as Meyer would get to another national championship. Meyer capped his career with two more 12+ win seasons, winning a Cotton Bowl and a Rose Bowl. Citing more health concerns, Meyer retired again following the 2018 season.

…..Now Meyer’s NFL journey begins.

Writer

-By: TJ Mathewson