Category: Urban Meyer

Quinton Ganther discusses his role on Jags’ staff, relationship with Urban Meyer

Quinton Ganther is the latest coach to reportedly be named to the Jags’ staff. He’ll have no issues fitting in as he and Meyer go way back.

While Urban Meyer’s staff is coming along a little slower than others, he’s done a good job getting a mix of personnel with knowledge on the college and NFL side of things. His latest hire involved a former player of his from Utah in Quinton Ganther, who revealed he will be an offensive assistant for the Jags this weekend to KSL Sports.

“My position will be as an offensive assistant, so with my position, it comes with and it entails a lot of detail. I have to know the offense inside and out at all positions, and I also have to know the opponent’s defense inside and out because I will be presenting it to the staff every week.”

Many fans are well aware that Meyer does a good job of keeping tabs with some of his former players, which was the case with Ganther. Even while he was retired, Meyer told Ganther a while ago that he would like his former running back to join him as an assistant one day — that is, if he ever got back into the coaching realm.

“The funny thing is that me and Urban have talked a lot over the last two years. We’ve communicated a lot. He’s a guy that I have so much respect for, and anything he says to me is golden,” Ganther said.

“[Over the last two years] he wasn’t even coaching and I wasn’t looking for a job or a favor. I was just looking to let him know I appreciate him and he would hit me up sometime. We would just talk about former players, we would talk about days at Utah, and he was like ‘Dang, you keep in touch with everyone.’ I had contact with all the former guys and we just kept it going. Then he said ‘Hey, if I come out of retirement one day let’s talk.’

“That’s pretty much how it was. Then he came out of retirement and we talked.”

Meyer’s conversations with Ganther further proves that the Jags may have the right guy when it comes to getting players to buy in to the ultimate goal. That also could be the case with his staff, as he has close relationships with others like Charlie Strong and Chris Ash, amongst notables. His assistants who don’t quite have the same familiarity could end up growing closer to Meyer, too, as Ganther’s praise of him is an indication.

It’s unknown when Meyer’s process of putting a staff together will be complete, but it should be soon as the 2020 season is officially over with the Super Bowl concluding Sunday. Regardless of the timeline, it appears the new staff could have a strong bond because of Meyer, and as we’ve seen with staffs like the Tampa Bay Bucs, that can lead to a lot of success.

https://youtu.be/rZIg6R5nyuU

Podcast: Breaking down Urban Meyer’s pending Jaguars staff

Jags Wire’s James Johnson breaks down what Urban Meyer’s coordinators bring to the table in the latest episode of Bleav in the Jags.

Another week of the offseason is in the books, and with that came another episode of Bleav in the Jags.

On this week’s episode, Jags Wire’s James Johnson broke down the reported hires the Jags have made to their coaching staff assembled by Urban Meyer. With a wide range of different experience now in the staff, James also discussed what the top assistants bring to the table for the organization.

Episode 57 and the rest of our archived episodes can be heard below in the media player and links provided.

Click here for archived episodes of Bleav in the Jags and feel free to subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or Spotify.

Weber State RB coach Quinton Ganther to join Urban Meyer, Jags’ staff

The Jags will have a former player of Urban Meyer’s on their coaching staff in Quinton Ganther, who will be coming from Weber State.

After a rather busy week for Urban Meyer, it appears he’s succeeded in getting another assistant in joining his coaching staff with the Jacksonville Jaguars. According to the official Twitter account of Weber State University, running backs coach Quinton Ganther will be leaving their staff to join Meyer, who was his coach at the University of Utah.

Ganther, 36, joined Weber State’s staff and coach Jay Hill in 2013. Prior to joining them, he accepted a coaching internship with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks in 2012, where he aided in coaching their running backs.

After his run in college with the Utes, Ganther was a seventh-round selection (No. 246 overall) for the Tennessee Titans. He spent three seasons there and also spent time with The Washington Football Team, Seahawks, and Buffalo Bills. After appearing in 36 career games (five were starts), Ganther exited the NFL with 80 carries for 280 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

As a collegiate player, his first year (2004) was Meyer’s last with the Utes. During that season, he was able to accumulate 654 yards and two touchdowns. However, even after moving on, Meyer seemingly kept in touch with Ganther just as he does with a lot of his players who make it to the NFL.

There hasn’t been any word on who will be the Jags’ running backs coach, so it very well could be Ganther’s job. Once everything is official, Ganther will join an offensive staff led by offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who he worked with during his internship in Seattle. Ganther will also join offensive assistants Sanjay Lal, Brian Schottenheimer, George Warhop, and Tyler Bowen amongst notables.

If named the Jags’ running backs coach, Ganther will also be tasked with working with ascending star running back James Robinson, who was fifth in the league in rushing in 2020 with 1,040 rushing yards.

Calais Campbell excited to see Jags’ direction under Urban Meyer, Joe Cullen

The Jags have new leadership in the building and former team captain Calais Campbell is optimistic about the changes made.

While he may not be with the team anymore, Calais Campbell has kept tabs on the Jacksonville Jaguars even since joining the Baltimore Ravens. As one of the league’s more likable faces, he still has several friends on the roster, especially on the defensive side.

When the Jags return to their training facility, Campbell will also have one of his former coaches from Baltimore in the building, Joe Cullen, who is now the team’s defensive coordinator. On Thursday, Campbell was asked about the Jags’ outlook on The Jake Asman Show and expressed that he was excited to see where the Jags go heading forward.

“Yeah, you know, I’m excited for them. I mean, the defensive coordinator [Cullen] was my D-line coach this year, so I’m happy to see my coach get some love, and end up in a place where I know I’m familiar with the guys,” Campbell said this week.

“He has some beasts like Myles Jack and Josh Allen. I mean, those are two of my best friends and guys I have a lot of respect for, so I can’t wait to see them have some success and go out there and create a standard of excellence in Jacksonville that I tried to get going when I was there during my time.”

While 2021 will mark Cullen’s first year as a defensive coordinator, it won’t be his first with the Jags. He was once their defensive line coach under Jack Del Rio from 2010-12. However, after bouncing around the league and settling in Baltimore, he’s finally earned a defensive coordinator job with Jacksonville and many fans are eager to see the changes he brings.

As for Myles Jack and Josh Allen, they made a lot of history with Campbell when he was a Jag. Jack was apart of a 2017 “Sacksonville” unit with Campbell which was one of the most ferocious units in the last decade and garnered 55 sacks. In 2019, Campbell took Allen under his wing and aided him to a Pro Bowl season where he registered 10.5 sacks, a rookie-high for Jacksonville.

Campbell also discussed the Jags’ acquisition of coach Urban Meyer and told Asman that he was one of the most respected names in football. Afterward, Campbell discussed Trevor Lawrence, who is expected to come in and be the Jags’ future in April.

“I enjoy watching [Lawrence]. He can make every throw. He just has a very special arm, and he makes plays in big moments,” Campbell said.

“But, for me, he’s still gonna be a rookie and I gotta see him develop because to me, you can hype anybody up, but when you got to get on that field and play on Sundays and lead the team. You got to earn that respect, so I’m not gonna give him too much love just yet. But I think he has a chance to be special, but I gotta see him earn it.”

If Lawrence is the player most have projected him to be, it would be the blessing Jags fans have long needed. A successful beginning in the NFL could also put Lawrence in a situation where he eventually crosses paths with Campbell, as the Ravens have been a consistently good team for quite some time.

Football Team’s Chase Young raves about Urban Meyer’s desire to win

Chase Young is one of many players who Urban Meyer coached at OSU, and now that he’s in the NFL, Young believes he has what it takes to win.

With Urban Meyer now in the NFL and coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars, he will have the opportunity to take on some of his former players from Ohio State and even Florida. None of them may be better than 2020 second overall pick Chase Young, who was a second-team All-Big Ten player under Meyer.

In an interview with renowned radio host Dan Patrick, Young was asked about his time in college with the three-time national champion. Unsurprisingly, Meyer’s desire to win was the first thing that came to Young’s mind as he stated that the former Buckeyes coach did a great job of tapping into his potential.

“Coach Meyer, he’s a winner,” Young said to Dan Patrick. “He’s a winner, and he hates losing. I look back now and just realize how great of a coach he was and how he pushed me, and I didn’t even know. I feel like, going to the league, he does not want to lose. He wants to win, so I know he’s going to do everything he can to win. Whatever that’s doing, I know he’s going to take care of it. I’m definitely excited to watch him on the next level. I believe we might play them this upcoming season.”

https://youtu.be/UwiqIOSe0MA

That’s certainly music to the ears of Jags fans because there hasn’t been a lot of winning for the Cardiac Cats. The only winning season they’ve had since 2010 was in 2017 when they went to the AFC Championship but fell to the New England Patriots.

Meanwhile, Meyer accumulated a 187–32 record (12–3 in bowl games) in college, which was good for a .854 win percentage. As for Young’s comments about Meyer’s ability to translate, it’s been said that he keeps in touch with his old players to see what works on the NFL level, so the young pass-rusher may be right.

After years of rumors, Meyer has finally reached the highest level there is in the football realm and the competition level will be significantly greater. Despite that, it appears some of the best he’s coached believes he has what it takes to be successful, and if that’s the case, Jags fans could begin to pile up the wins they deserve sooner rather than later.

Jimmy Johnson discusses what advice he’s given Urban Meyer about the NFL so far

Urban Meyer was named the Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach this month and the decision has come with many supporters. It’s come with many doubters, too, as Meyer has never coached in the NFL. Of course, one example of the past that has been brought …

Urban Meyer was named the Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach this month and the decision has come with many supporters. It’s come with many doubters, too, as Meyer has never coached in the NFL.

Of course, one example of the past that has been brought up is Meyer’s former co-worker at Fox Sports, Jimmy Johnson, who made the same transition successfully in the 90s. In Meyer’s first press conference, he told the media that he would rely on Johnson’s advice often. Meyer also revealed that he already had a few phone calls with Johnson since he was on the Jags’ radar. 

This week, Johnson revealed some of the key advice discussed in those conversations, which hopefully will help Meyer on his journey.

“There are two things, really,” Johnson told USA TODAY Sports personality Mackenzie Salmon. “Number one: bring in the right coaches obviously. And him not having pro experience, he is going to have to bring in coaches with professional experience. Number two: bring in talent, and utilize the information that he has got.”

Well, it’s safe to say Meyer has listened to Johnson so far. While his staff hasn’t been made official, he’s brought in several coaches with NFL experience, especially for his main roles.

Darrell Bevell is going to be the Jags’ offensive coordinator, Joe Cullen will be the defensive coordinator assistants, and Brian Schneider will coach the special teams group. Between the three, there are over 40 years of NFL coaching experience. That doesn’t include the years of NFL experience that assistants Sanjay Lal, George Warhop, and other assistants will bring to the mix.

As for bringing in talent, that will come later. The Jags are projected to have over $73 million, which would be a league high. They also have 11 draft picks in April’s draft. Of course, that includes the No. 1 overall pick, which is expected to be spent on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

While serving as a coach on the collegiate level at Ohio State, Meyer recruited and coached some of the players who are in the NFL, or with the Jags right now. That’s exactly the type of knowledge that helped Johnson and could aid Meyer in adding to the Jags’ roster.

A prime example Johnson used was his knowledge of Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin through his days as a college coach and recruiter for Miami. As fans are aware, both were key contributors for Johnson while with the Dallas Cowboys and the trio won two Super Bowls together.

“He knows all of the great players around the country,” Johnson added. “So utilize that expertise to bring in talent. So if he brings in the right coaches and he brings in the right talent he is going to be successful.”

Of course, Meyer will have to ultimately prove himself through his results on the field. However, his ability to add proven NFL assistants from great franchises and his use of the resources he has should make fans confident about his chances to succeed.

Report: Jags, Meyer view Ravens DL coach Joe Cullen as a ‘top target’ for DC job

The Jags are weighing their options for a defensive coordinator and it appears Joe Cullen is one of the top candidates.

Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen is a top target to join the Jacksonville Jaguars’ staff under Urban Meyer as a defensive coordinator. The news comes after Meyer was named the Jags’ coach Thursday evening and introduce to the Jacksonville media Friday.

Cullen, 53, is a name many Jags fans will remember from the Jack Del Rio era as he was the Jags’ defensive line coach from 2010-12. During that time, the Jags ranked No. 28, No. 6, and No. 30, respectively, in total defense.

Cullen, who as been the Ravens’ defensive line coach since 2016, is a highly-respected name in the NFL coaching industry and would bring a high-energy member to Meyer’s staff. Since he’s been with Baltimore, they’ve ranked seventh, twelfth, first, fourth, and seventh in total defense. Cullen also helped develop defensive lineman Michael Pierce, Brandon Williams, and Timmy Jernigan and aided them in becoming a strong unit against the rush.

If Cullen is named the Jags’ lead defensive coach, it would be his first time  he’s held an NFL coordinator role, but many feel he’s ready. His potential addition to the staff could possibly lead to the Jags utilizing the 3-4 more, though he’s coached some 4-3 units, too. Cullen bring 14 years of NFL coaching experience to the table after making stops in Detroit, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Baltimore.

Cullen could have some of Meyer’s college assistants working alongside him in Charlie Strong and Chris Ash, who are expected to land jobs on the Jags’ staff as defensive assistants, too. Texans defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has also been labeled as a name to watch as he was a graduate assistant under Meyer in 2010.

Another name to watch for the Jags’ defensive coordinator job is Raheem Morris, who the Jags interviewed for their head coaching vacancy. Due to his time serving as the Atlanta Falcons’ interim and his time as the Bucs’ head coach, he’ll have several offers on the table to choose from, though.

6 takeaways from Urban Meyer’s introductory press conference

The Jacksonville Jaguars introduced their new coach, Urban Meyer, to the football community Friday as the team fired Doug Marrone on Jan. 4. In his opening presser, both Meyer and owner Shad Khan addressed the media for about 30 minutes, laying out …

The Jacksonville Jaguars introduced their new coach, Urban Meyer, to the football community Friday as the team fired Doug Marrone on Jan. 4. In his opening presser, both Meyer and owner Shad Khan addressed the media for about 30 minutes, laying out their vision for the team heading forward.

As a legend in the area and three-time national champion who has won the ultimate college game with Ohio State and Florida, there was a lot of excitement surrounding Meyer’s introduction. Of course, he gave the media plenty to talk about with him speaking for half an hour. However, we took out the five biggest takeaways in which fans should keep in mind.

Report: Former Gators LB Ryan Stamper joining Jags as a director of player assessment

Urban Meyer will be bringing a former player of his from Florida to be a part of the Jags’ staff.

Urban Meyer’s staff is in the early stages of development, but fans should expect it to fill up over the next week. There have been many names in which we’ve discuss will/ could join the Jacksonville Jaguars — and it appears he’ll at least have one of his former players onboard.

That former player will be former Gators linebacker and Ohio State athletic director of player development: Ryan Stamper.

Stamper, a Jacksonville native who went to First Coast High, will be taking on a new role in which the Jags previously didn’t have: director of player assessment. While it’s unknown what his exact duties will be, it’s clear he’ll be making player evaluations for his former coach to some degree.

While in Gainesville, Stamper was a two-time captain for Meyer and was on the team from 2006-09. He was able to accumulate 148 total tackles (13.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, and two picks during his time in blue and orange.

Stamper was with Ohio State’s staff for eight years. According to their site, his role was to be an administrative resource for players in all areas of their development.

Report: Scott Linehan viewed as a top contender for Jags’ OC job

Urban Meyer seems to have his eyes on a mentor of his to be the Jags’ offensive coordinator.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made it official with Urban Meyer. However, there is still work to be done in terms of filling out his staff.

The addition that will arguably be the most important will be at offensive coordinator — and Meyer has a former mentor in mind for the job. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is a prime candidate for the job. 

Linehan, 57, spent 2020 as a passing game coordinator with Louisiana State University. He parted ways with the program last month after replacing current Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady, who was the Tigers’ passing game coordinator in 2019. 

Linehan is someone who Meyer has often credited for mentoring him back in the 90s and early 2000s when he was an assistant for Notre Dame and eventual head coach at Bowling Green. As a result, some of Linehan’s advice (along with others) helped Meyer create an offensive philosophy.

Linehan also makes a lot of sense for Meyer because he brings NFL head coach and coordinator experience to the table, which is huge for a coach learning the ways of the NFL. He spent 2002-18 in the league as a coach making notable stops in Minnesota, St. Louis (as the head coach), Detroit, and Dallas, to name a few places.

While in Dallas, Linehan coached Dak Prescott from his rookie season through the 2018 season. However, he parted ways with the Cowboys on Jan. 19.

Jags fans may remember Linehan’s name from the 2020 offseason. The reason for that is because he was one of a few coaches interviewed for the Jags’ offensive coordinator vacancy. 

While serving as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator (2015-18), Linehan’s units were ranked 20th, 26th, and 23rd in terms of passing. Those aren’t impressive figures, but it’s worth noting that Dallas was second (twice), then tenth in his last season as a rushing unit. That might be music to James Robinson’s ears, though fans may be concerned about the pass.