NFL

11 things to know about Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer

Florida Times-Union
1. Urban Meyer has completed two undefeated NCAA seasons, but neither resulted in a national championship. In 2004, he led Utah to a 12-0 record, but the Utes — with still-active Washington quarterback Alex Smith behind center — finished fourth in the Associated Press poll and missed out on the Bowl Championship Series title game. In 2012, he finished 12-0 at Ohio State, but the Buckeyes were ineligible for postseason play under NCAA sanctions imposed for violations committed under his predecessor, Jim Tressel. [Rich Barnes/USA Today Sports/File]
1. Urban Meyer has completed two undefeated NCAA seasons, but neither resulted in a national championship. In 2004, he led Utah to a 12-0 record, but the Utes — with still-active Washington quarterback Alex Smith behind center — finished fourth in the Associated Press poll and missed out on the Bowl Championship Series title game. In 2012, he finished 12-0 at Ohio State, but the Buckeyes were ineligible for postseason play under NCAA sanctions imposed for violations committed under his predecessor, Jim Tressel. [Rich Barnes/USA Today Sports/File]
Rich Barnes-US PRESSWIRE, US PRESSWIRE
2. When was Urban Meyer ' s first experience with sports in Florida? Try 1982. As a 17-year-old, the young infielder was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and assigned to the Braves ' rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate in Sarasota. If Meyer had taken off as a baseball prospect, he could have been promoted to Atlanta ' s Double-A affiliate, the Southern League ' s Greenville Braves, and could have played against the Jacksonville Expos at Wolfson Park. As it turned out, Meyer proved more proficient on the gridiron sidelines than on the baseball diamond; tendinitis hampered his development, concluding his minor league career after a year and a half with a .182 batting average, one home run and 11 RBIs in 44 games. [Cincinnati Enquirer/File]
2. When was Urban Meyer's first experience with sports in Florida? Try 1982. As a 17-year-old, the young infielder was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft and assigned to the Braves' rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate in Sarasota. If Meyer had taken off as a baseball prospect, he could have been promoted to Atlanta's Double-A affiliate, the Southern League's Greenville Braves, and could have played against the Jacksonville Expos at Wolfson Park. As it turned out, Meyer proved more proficient on the gridiron sidelines than on the baseball diamond; tendinitis hampered his development, concluding his minor league career after a year and a half with a .182 batting average, one home run and 11 RBIs in 44 games. [Cincinnati Enquirer/File]
Cincinnati Enquirer/File
3. While Urban Meyer ' s baseball career didn ' t pan out, scouts once thought he had significant talent in the game. He was selected only 66 picks after the St. Louis Cardinals drafted Raines High School ' s Vince Coleman (left), the future National League base-stealing king, and 69 picks before the Oakland A ' s chose slugger Jose Canseco.
3. While Urban Meyer's baseball career didn't pan out, scouts once thought he had significant talent in the game. He was selected only 66 picks after the St. Louis Cardinals drafted Raines High School's Vince Coleman (left), the future National League base-stealing king, and 69 picks before the Oakland A's chose slugger Jose Canseco.
John Swart, AP
4. Urban Meyer ' s first football coaching job came in 1985, as an assistant with the St. Xavier Bombers of the Greater Cincinnati League (roughly comparable to Jacksonville ' s Gateway Conference). His head coach was Steve Rasso, and the Bombers ' roster included starting quarterback Greg Frey. Frey went on to start for three seasons at Ohio State and still ranks fifth all-time in career passing yards for the Buckeyes.
4. Urban Meyer's first football coaching job came in 1985, as an assistant with the St. Xavier Bombers of the Greater Cincinnati League (roughly comparable to Jacksonville's Gateway Conference). His head coach was Steve Rasso, and the Bombers' roster included starting quarterback Greg Frey. Frey went on to start for three seasons at Ohio State and still ranks fifth all-time in career passing yards for the Buckeyes.
RVR Photos, RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
5. It ' s not often that Urban Meyer lost as a college coach, but his first defeat came on Sept. 29, 2001, when he suffered his first setback after winning his first three games at Bowling Green. Marshall rallied from 11 points down to beat Bowling Green 37-31, led by four touchdown passes — the last a game-winner with 2:48 remaining — from future Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich. [Al Goldis/AP Photo/File]
5. It's not often that Urban Meyer lost as a college coach, but his first defeat came on Sept. 29, 2001, when he suffered his first setback after winning his first three games at Bowling Green. Marshall rallied from 11 points down to beat Bowling Green 37-31, led by four touchdown passes — the last a game-winner with 2:48 remaining — from future Jaguars quarterback Byron Leftwich. [Al Goldis/AP Photo/File]
Al Goldis/AP Photo/File
6. In Jacksonville, Urban Meyer is already a winner. During his six-year Gators tenure, he beat Georgia in five of six meetings in the Florida-Georgia game: 14-10 in 2005 (pictured), 21-14 in 2006, 49-10 in 2008, 41-17 in 2009 and 34-31, in overtime, in 2010. His lone loss came in 2007, a 42-30 defeat remembered for the Bulldogs ' mass " Gator Stomp " celebration, swarming the field after Knowshon Moreno ' s opening touchdown.
6. In Jacksonville, Urban Meyer is already a winner. During his six-year Gators tenure, he beat Georgia in five of six meetings in the Florida-Georgia game: 14-10 in 2005 (pictured), 21-14 in 2006, 49-10 in 2008, 41-17 in 2009 and 34-31, in overtime, in 2010. His lone loss came in 2007, a 42-30 defeat remembered for the Bulldogs' mass "Gator Stomp" celebration, swarming the field after Knowshon Moreno's opening touchdown.
Bob Mack/Florida Times-Union/File
7. Longtime Jacksonville football fans need no reminder: Urban Meyer coached a Heisman Trophy winner from the First Coast in Tim Tebow, who starred at Nease before winning the 2007 Heisman Trophy and the 2006 and 2008 national titles (the latter as starting quarterback) with the Gators. But Tebow wasn ' t the only area star to shine under Meyer. Locals playing for the Meyer-era Gators included two St. Augustine All-Americans in returner Brandon James (25) and kicker Caleb Sturgis, along with numerous other significant contributors like linebacker Brandon Hicks (Forrest), linebacker Ryan Stamper (First Coast) and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas (Mandarin).
7. Longtime Jacksonville football fans need no reminder: Urban Meyer coached a Heisman Trophy winner from the First Coast in Tim Tebow, who starred at Nease before winning the 2007 Heisman Trophy and the 2006 and 2008 national titles (the latter as starting quarterback) with the Gators. But Tebow wasn't the only area star to shine under Meyer. Locals playing for the Meyer-era Gators included two St. Augustine All-Americans in returner Brandon James (25) and kicker Caleb Sturgis, along with numerous other significant contributors like linebacker Brandon Hicks (Forrest), linebacker Ryan Stamper (First Coast) and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas (Mandarin).
Rick Wilson/The Times-Union
8. Jacksonville isn ' t the only AFC South location where Meyer has had success. While coaching the Gators, he won three trips to Nashville, home of the Tennessee Titans, in victories over Vanderbilt (in 2006, 2008 and 2010). He ' s also fared well in Indianapolis, winning three of four Big Ten title games at the Colts ' Lucas Oil Stadium. Meyer ' s Buckeyes beat Wisconsin in 2014 (pictured) and 2017 and Northwestern in 2018, but lost 34-24 to Michigan State in 2013.
8. Jacksonville isn't the only AFC South location where Meyer has had success. While coaching the Gators, he won three trips to Nashville, home of the Tennessee Titans, in victories over Vanderbilt (in 2006, 2008 and 2010). He's also fared well in Indianapolis, winning three of four Big Ten title games at the Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium. Meyer's Buckeyes beat Wisconsin in 2014 (pictured) and 2017 and Northwestern in 2018, but lost 34-24 to Michigan State in 2013.
Columbus Dispatch
9. Speaking of the Titans, Urban Meyer came out a victor in his only prior meeting with current Titans star and former Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, owner of the national career high school rushing record at Yulee High School. In the Sugar Bowl on New Year ' s Day in 2015, Henry got his yardage as usual (13 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown, while splitting carries with T.J. Yeldon), but Ohio State used 230 rushing yards from Ezekiel Elliott and exploited three interceptions thrown by Crimson Tide quarterback Blake Sims to beat Alabama 42-35 on the road to Meyer ' s third national championship.
9. Speaking of the Titans, Urban Meyer came out a victor in his only prior meeting with current Titans star and former Alabama Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry, owner of the national career high school rushing record at Yulee High School. In the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day in 2015, Henry got his yardage as usual (13 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown, while splitting carries with T.J. Yeldon), but Ohio State used 230 rushing yards from Ezekiel Elliott and exploited three interceptions thrown by Crimson Tide quarterback Blake Sims to beat Alabama 42-35 on the road to Meyer's third national championship.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
10. Two current players on the Jaguars ' roster previously played under Urban Meyer at Ohio State: Guard Andrew Norwell (pictured) lined up for Meyer ' s Buckeyes in 2012 and 2013, and defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton played for Meyer from 2016 to 2018. [USA Today Sports/File]
10. Two current players on the Jaguars' roster previously played under Urban Meyer at Ohio State: Guard Andrew Norwell (pictured) lined up for Meyer's Buckeyes in 2012 and 2013, and defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton played for Meyer from 2016 to 2018. [USA Today Sports/File]
USA TODAY Sports
11. Urban Meyer was born in Toledo, Ohio, in the same hospital as Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the Buckeyes ' bitter rivals at Michigan (Harbaugh is six and a half months older). On Meyer ' s birthday of July 10, 1964, sports headlines included Tony Lema ' s victory in the British Open at St. Andrews (in what was then a Friday finish, Lema held off a 66-68 charge from Jack Nicklaus); a rare 6-for-6 game for San Francisco Giants right fielder Jesus Alou in a 10-3 win over the Cubs; and speculation, fueled by a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report, that the NFL ' s St. Louis Cardinals were about to announce a move to Atlanta (they didn ' t).
11. Urban Meyer was born in Toledo, Ohio, in the same hospital as Jim Harbaugh, head coach of the Buckeyes' bitter rivals at Michigan (Harbaugh is six and a half months older). On Meyer's birthday of July 10, 1964, sports headlines included Tony Lema's victory in the British Open at St. Andrews (in what was then a Friday finish, Lema held off a 66-68 charge from Jack Nicklaus); a rare 6-for-6 game for San Francisco Giants right fielder Jesus Alou in a 10-3 win over the Cubs; and speculation, fueled by a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report, that the NFL's St. Louis Cardinals were about to announce a move to Atlanta (they didn't).
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