Jaguars legend weighs in on Urban Meyer’s transition to NFL

When it comes to the greatest players in Jacksonville Jaguars’ history, former left tackle Tony Boselli should be at the top of the list. Sure, you could bring up wide receiver Jimmy Smith and running back Fred Taylor, they are both worthy candidates. But the three-time First-Team All-Pro may be the best to don the Black and Teal. That’s why his voice carries a lot of weight when it comes to things related to the Jags.

Boselli recently appeared on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. He touched on several topics, including Urban Meyer. Cowherd pointed out that several head coaches have tried to make the transition from college to the pros but just a handful have succeeded. He wonders if Meyer’s collegiate background should be a cause of concern. Boselli doesn’t think it will be, he believes it’s a matter of “leadership”.

"Every great organization in this world has great leadership and the NFL is no different. And one thing that Urban has proven throughout his career, at multiple places, be a college, he’s a great leader. He’s not, you know he’s not an offensive mastermind, he’s not a defensive mastermind, never been a coordinator at the college level. He’s just a leader, and I think you see that, he’s come in from Day One of him taking charge and saying, “this is who we’re going to be this is how we’re going to do things”, and he has instant credibility because remember, this is a super young team."

Boselli went on to say that Meyer has a plan in place and you can see it the way the team has practiced this summer. On the other hand, the five-time Pro Bowl left tackle acknowledges that the Jags haven’t played a game that counts.

Should the Jacksonville Jaguars be concerned about Meyer’s lack of experience?

If the Jaguars didn’t feel comfortable with Meyer, they wouldn’t have hired him. They had arguably the top head coaching vacancy in the NFL, and they could have landed whoever candidate they wished, including Robert Saleh and Eric Bieniemy. After all, the Jags had the most cap space in the league, and a vast amount of draft selections, including the top overall pick. Nevertheless, they zeroed in on Meyer early in the process.

Now, Meyer has made a few mistakes in his short tenure, including the hire of Chris Doyle. But he has the team trending in the right direction. He and general manager Trent Baalke spent the offseason making upgrades to the roster. Furthermore, the Ohio native has put an emphasis on sports performance, strength training. nutrition, and recovery. Both players and coaches have reacted positively to his coaching style. Observers have also described the tempo of practices under Meyer as fast.

On the other hand, Boselli is right. Meyer will be ultimate judged on his ability to win football games. If he helps the Jaguars turn things around in a relatively short amount, he will (rightfully) get credit for it. On the other hand, if he doesn’t show tangible improvement, he will (rightfully) be questioned.

In his favor, the former Ohio State head coach may have some leeway in his first year in the NFL. The Jags are coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise talent and inherited a roster that lacked playmakers. Then again, Meyer says that he expects this to be a one-year rebuild. Based on the changes the Jags have made, there’s a good chance they will show significant progress in 2021.