Urban Meyer's coaching career looked to be over when he bid farewell to Ohio State following victory on arguably college football's grandest stage, the Rose Bowl, on New Year's Day in 2019.
It appeared to be the perfect send-off for one of the most successful and influential coaches in the college game.
Yet despite health concerns that forced his apparent retirement, Meyer clearly still had a thirst for a new challenge during his brief stint as a TV analyst.
That has been quenched with a step up to the professional ranks nobody had seen coming, Meyer on Wednesday appointed the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It is a splash move from the Jaguars that comes with a clear risk, with Meyer never having coached in the NFL during his storied career.
His first job at the highest level will likely see him get the chance to coach Trevor Lawrence, the Clemson quarterback considered a lock for the number one overall pick, who is widely regarded as the best prospect at the sport's most important position since Andrew Luck.
But will Meyer be able to get the best out of Lawrence and overcome his lack of NFL experience to succeed in turning the Jaguars around? There's a lot of evidence to suggest his achievements in college should translate to the pros.
A natural winner
Though all Meyer's experience has come in college, the first obvious sign for Jaguars fans is his track record of success.
In 17 seasons in the college ranks, Meyer never had a losing season.
His career record of 187-32 puts him third all-time in winning percentage (.854), with only Knute Rockne (.881) and Frank Leahy (.864) ahead of him.
Meyer's two-season stint at Utah ended with the Utes ranked as a top-five team, while he won two National Championships at Florida.
A third national title came during his time with Ohio State, the Buckeyes consistently excelling under Meyer on the back of some excellent recruiting.
Constructing success
The Jaguars have a nice collection of talent at receiver and some intriguing young pieces on defense but, after a 1-15 season, the Jacksonville job is one that will largely require building from the ground up.
Thankfully in Meyer, they have hired a renowned program builder, whose talent for having his colleges near the top of the high school recruiting rankings was crucial to his consistency at that level.
Indeed, only once in his tenure at Ohio State did the Buckeyes fail to have a recruiting class in the top five in the country.
The challenge of luring free agents and drafting players is a very different one and the Jaguars still need to hire a general manager who will likely oversee most of those duties.
But Meyer will unquestionably have some influence on those proceedings and, having regularly lured the best high school athletes to Columbus, there is reason to believe those skills will translate and he will prosper at evaluating draft prospects and convincing free agents to join the Jags.
Tailor-made for Lawrence?
Before last season's College Football Playoff, Meyer labelled Lawrence the best college quarterback ever.
The expectation is he will now get to work with Lawrence, but will he get the best out of the Clemson phenom?
Judging Meyer by what he did in the college ranks, the indication is he will.
Meyer had a top-five offense at least once in each of his stops at Bowling Green State, Utah, Florida and Ohio State.
At Utah, his option-based attack had the Utes ranked third in total offense in 2004, and helped Alex Smith blossom into a prospect picked first overall in the 2005 draft.
His two National Championships at Florida saw him turn Chris Leak, who never played an NFL snap, into MVP of the 2007 title game before he then built the offense around the athletic abilities of Tim Tebow, whose deficiencies as a signal-caller were exposed at the highest level.
Meyer's lone National Championship triumph at Ohio State came with Cardale Jones replacing an injured J.T. Barrett at quarterback for the final three games. Both Barrett and Jones failed to make the grade in the NFL.
The Buckeyes were eighth in total offense in 2018, Meyer's final year, with Dwayne Haskins at quarterback. Haskins was picked in the first round but was cut by the Washington Football Team this season.
In other words, Meyer has consistently gotten excellent production out of quarterbacks nowhere close to Lawrence's level.
It will be a very different challenge in the NFL, where the speed of the game and the standard of defense is significantly higher and there is much greater parity than in the college ranks.
Yet Meyer's acumen as a talent developer is illustrated by the fact Ohio State had multiple players taken as first-round picks in all but one draft from 2014 to 2019. They had three in 2020 after successor Ryan Day's first season as coach.
Meyer has proven himself an outstanding coach who can attract players to his teams, get the best out of his players and tailor systems around the strengths of his quarterbacks.
There are few areas that are not considered strengths for Lawrence. There may be growing pains for both Meyer and Lawrence, however, the combination of their respective talents should win out as they adapt to the increased level of competition. Meyer is a risk, but he has what it takes to turn the Jags into a force in the AFC.
Travis Etienne keen to ‘put on great show’ on Jacksonville Jaguars’ London trip
Star running back Travis Etienne wants to “put on a great show” as the Jacksonville Jaguars make NFL history by playing back-to-back games in London.
The UK has long been a home away from home for the Florida franchise, who are breaking new ground by becoming the first team to play two regular season games outside of the United States.
The Jaguars kick off the 2023 International Games on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley – their 10th game in England as part of a multi-year commitment to play in the region.
Doug Pederson’s side remain in London to face the Buffalo Bills at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next weekend as part of an unprecedented 10-day stay that the talented Etienne is relishing.
View this post on Instagram“I feel this could be a time for us to rally together and just kind of grow, continue to build and just come together as a team,” the 24-year-old running back told the PA news agency.
“When we leave there, I want them to know the Jaguars were here, and we put on a great show and they can’t wait to see us again.
“I feel like it’s going to be an exciting time in London.”
It is a decade since the Jags first played in England and owner Shahid Khan told PA last year that the “goal is for London and the UK to always be a part of the Jacksonville Jaguars identity”.
Khan also said “we’ve been clear in our commitment to play a home game in London every year”, with Etienne getting his first taste of it in last October’s Wembley loss to the Denver Broncos.
“I really became aware of that (fanaticism) last year when I took my first trip out there to play the game,” he said of the 21-17 defeat in which he scored a touchdown.
“It was a tremendous experience for me just being in London for the first time and having a chance to go out there and showcase my skillset to the world.
“I took a loss on my first trip, so this trip I want to leave win a win.
“It’ll make me feel so much better and then have an opportunity to get two wins is going to be awesome.”
Last year’s London loss came during a five-game losing streak – the lowest point in a season that ended with the AFC South crown and stunning wild-card comeback win in a playoff run that ended in the divisional round.
It was quite the turnaround for a team that had recorded the NFL’s worst regular season record in the previous two seasons and led to heightened expectations this time around.
The Jags have begun 2023 sluggishly and are hoping to get back in the groove in London following losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and, more alarmingly, the unfancied Houston Texans.
“This was only week three and we have 14 more games ahead of us, so we can’t let this bleed into other games,” Etienne said.
“We have to understand that this is not last season. We have to put last season to bed.
“We have to focus on this season because the reality of the situation is we’re 1-2 right now and we haven’t been very good this season.
“Last season means nothing. If anything, last year put a target on our back so we’re going to get everybody’s best shot, so we have to go out there and give everybody our best shot each and every day we step on that field.”
David Montgomery hat-trick lifts Detroit Lions over Green Bay Packers
Three touchdowns from running back David Montgomery lifted the Detroit Lions to a 34-20 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Montgomery found the endzone twice in the first half and again in the fourth quarter to clinch the visitors’ third win of the season.
The Packers were able to impact the scoreboard early, gaining a 3-0 lead with a field goal from their opening drive.
However, they had to wait a long time between drinks from there, as the Lions hit back with three touchdowns and two field goals to take a 27-3 lead into half-time.
Green Bay were able to stem the tide in the third quarter, holding Detroit to nil while picking up a touchdown through wide receiver Christian Watson.
They inched closer at the start of the fourth thanks to a nine-yard touchdown run from quarterback Jordan Love, but their comeback bid was officially ended when Montgomery picked up his third touchdown with six minutes remaining.
Love finished with 246 passing yards to go along with a touchdown and two interceptions, while Detroit quarterback Jared Goff threw for 210 yards, a touchdown and an interception of his own.
Bucks confident of returning to the top after Lillard trade
Damian Lillard will be tasked with helping the Milwaukee Bucks return to the top of the NBA after his trade from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Star guard Lillard signed for the Bucks on Wednesday in a three-way trade – which also included the Phoenix Suns – that saw Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara on the move too.
Lillard leaves Portland after 11 years with the Trail Blazers. He is a seven-time All-Star and enjoyed a career-best season in 2022-23, averaging 32.2 points and 7.3 assists, though he did sit out the final month of the season due to injury.
Now, the Bucks – the 2021 NBA Champions – will be hoping that Lillard can combine with two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to push them towards another title, following a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in last season's playoffs.
Fast Fact
Despite missing the last 10 games of the season, Lillard (1,866) was Portland's highest points scorer last term by over 500, with Anfernee Simons next best for the Trail Blazers with 1,306.
Lillard a difference-maker
"His character, competitiveness, talent and experience complement our group and gives us the best chance to win at the very highest level as we create new memories together," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said of Lillard.
So, does Lillard have what it takes to make the difference for the Bucks?
Lillard leaves Portland as a franchise great. He ranks first in team history in points and three-pointers and second in assists. Including the playoffs, he had 17 games with 50+ points for the Blazers. All other players in franchise history have only combined for seven 50-point games. He is a big-game player, and he should help ease the burden on Antetokounmpo.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
