If the Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions or any other NFL team is able to lure Urban Meyer out of retirement, one of Meyer’s former players said they will be getting “one of the best (coaches) to ever do it.”
“Playing in his organization developed me into the player to be able to play in the NFL,” Lions left tackle Taylor Decker said. “So I think he does a phenomenal job of developing talent and I think he does a great job of (building) culture, the culture that permeates throughout the entire building, the entire team that people take ownership of.
“Obviously, I’m pretty far removed from when I played for him in college, but those are the big things that I remember. And he was phenomenal at it.”
[ Call me crazy but Lions have several reasons for hope entering uncertain future ]
Meyer is reportedly considering a return to coaching after sitting out the last two seasons.
He won two national championships at Florida, in 2006 and 2008, retired briefly after the 2010 season for health reasons, then returned to lead Ohio State to one national title in 2014 and another undefeated season in 2012.
Meyer, who currently works as an analyst at Fox, has never coached in the NFL, but he is the biggest name and most proven coach available in this hiring cycle, and the Jaguars, in particular, could have what it takes to entice him back to the sideline.
RELATED:Here’s what Jeff Okudah said about possible Lions’ draft pick Justin Fields
MORE:Detroit Lions’ upcoming GM, head coach interview schedule revealed
Jacksonville, coming off a 1-15 season, has the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft, where it is a foregone conclusion they take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The Jaguars also have more than $80 million in projected cap room, an extra first-round pick (plus two second-rounders), a patient owner and an opening at general manager, which Meyer would theoretically have input in hiring.
Asked how Meyer would be as an NFL coach, Decker, who played at Ohio State in 2012-15, said, “I don’t know what that transition would be like, cause you see some coaches transition from college to the NFL and do really well and you see others not necessarily. But obviously, he’s one of the best to ever do it.”
College coaches have a mixed track record in the NFL.
Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl after successful stops at Stanford and San Diego, though he was an assistant with the Oakland Raiders and former NFL quarterback.
Alabama’s Nick Saban flamed out in two seasons with the Miami Dolphins, former USC coach Pete Carroll won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, and ex-Baylor coach Matt Rhule went 5-11 in his first season with the Carolina Panthers in 2020.
Like Harbaugh, Carroll and Rhule had previous NFL coaching experience before taking their current jobs.
“I don’t know if there’s any legs to the rumors or not,” Decker said. “I feel like I see rumors about Urban Meyer all the time because he’s obviously a very desirable coach because he’s one of the best at what he does. So ultimately I’m not going to give my two cents on who I think should be a head coach because, honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know enough about the candidates or any of that. But obviously I’ve played for him for four years and we saw a ton of success and he’s fantastic.”
Contact Dave Birkett at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
