Urban Meyer’s professional debut did not go according to plan.
Despite a lot of hype and excitement about what he and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence were bringing to the table this year, Meyer’s Jacksonville Jaguars lost in embarrassing fashion to a terrible Houston Texans team 37-21 on Sunday.
Coaching appeared to be a very serious issue. Jacksonville had trouble lining up and making sure they had the right number of guys in the huddle, earned four holding penalties, threw three picks and dropped six passes.
It was a rough showing across the board by the Jaguars, and it has led to immediate questions about Meyer’s longevity.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Meyer’s attitude and way of doing things is rubbing both staff members and players the wrong way.
“There have been repeated issues with other coaches on staff, with Meyer’s temper and lack of familiarity with the ebbs and flows of the NFL calendar rubbing the Jacksonville Jaguars staff and players the wrong way,” team sources told La Canfora.
“There is a disconnect at times between the members of the staff with extensive pro experience and those who lack it, and morale has suffered as the outbursts have continued. His fiery remarks to players and coaches after games have already struck many as bizarre.”
Meyer’s temper, in particular, appears to be a sticking point.
“He has everyone looking over their shoulders already,” another source said. “He becomes unhinged way too easily, and he doesn’t know how to handle losing, even in the preseason. He loses it and wants to take over the drills himself. It’s not good.”
Dak Prescott stays winning. https://t.co/WN2voiN8k7
— Game 7 (@game7__) September 11, 2021
This isn’t the first time in recent months this issue has arisen. Reports just a few weeks ago suggested that players were already turning on him.
Obviously Meyer will be given some room to prove himself, so he isn’t fully on the hot seat yet. But if the Jaguars continue to look the way they did in Week 1, expect the inevitable Nick Saban-Miami Dolphins comparisons to start getting brought up sooner rather than later.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
