After hiring Urban Meyer as their head coach, the Jacksonville Jaguars started revamping their coaching staff and have just made a couple of additions. They have agreed to terms with Brian Schottenheimer to be their passing game coordinator, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, while Chris Ash will become their secondary coach, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Schottenheimer was the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator the last two seasons and oversaw an offense that ranked eighth in points scored in 2020 and ninth the year before. He will the second former Seahawks offensive coordinator the Jaguars will have in their staff this year, as Darrell Bevell held that position from 2011 to 2017.
Meanwhile, Ash was Meyer’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Ohio State from 2014 to 2015. He was Texas defensive coordinator last season and will take over a unit that was marred by injuries last season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ coaching staff is taking shape.
So far, Meyer isn’t keeping any of the assistants from the previous regime and is bringing in his own coaches. During his introductory press conference, the former Ohio State and Florida head coach talked about hiring the best possible assistants, and although it’s too early to grade the additions, it seems like he’s been given the freedom to assemble his staff however he sees fit.
Bevell had a top offense for most of his tenure in as the Seahawks offensive coordinator and quarterback Russell Wilson vouched for Schottenheimer, which shows how important he was for his success. Meanwhile, Joe Cullen got the most out of the Baltimore Ravens’ front four during his time as the defensive line coordinator and should be able to do the same with the help of Ash for a Jaguars defense that ranked 31st in points allowed and total yards last season.
It will be interesting to see how Jacksonville’s coaching staff gels, but based on their 1-15 record last year, there’s nowhere to go but up.