Former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer is setting up a coaching staff, including some college assistants, should he decide to become the coach of Jacksonville Jaguars, according to league sources.
Meyer and the Jaguars met Friday night on the boat owned by owner Shad Khan in Florida, but it was not the first time the two sides had been together, as there was regular communication and interaction, according to sources.
A decision by Meyer and the Jaguars is expected this week, according to sources.
Meyer won three national championships and compiled a record 187-32 as a college coach during spells in Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State. He won two of those titles (2006 and 2008) with the Gators, which led to a record of 65-15 in six seasons. He also led the Buckeyes to the 2014 national title and compiled a record 83-9 in seven seasons in Columbus.
Khan fired Doug Marrone on Monday after the Jaguars ended the worst season in franchise history (1-15). Marrone had a record of 25-44 (including playoffs) in four seasons with the Jaguars.
The next Jaguars coach is tasked with transforming one of the league’s worst franchises. The Jaguars lost 15 consecutive games after beating Indianapolis at the opening of the season.
They dropped a franchise record of 492 points, making it only the fifth team since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978 to allow at least 20 points in each game, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Offensively, the Jaguars ranked 28th or worse in yards per game, running and scoring. They took 21st place in passes, which is largely the result of falling behind in games and having to leave the race.
Information from ESPN’s Michael DiRocco was used in this report.