The deal is done. The Jacksonville Jaguars have their next head coach. And his name is Urban Meyer. Hours after reports indicated the former Ohio State coach was finalizing a deal to fill the Jaguars' vacancy, the team has announced Meyer is officially onboard, with owner Shad Khan saying Thursday that the longtime college coach is "who we want and need."
"This is a great day for Jacksonville and Jaguars fans everywhere," Khan said in a team statement. "Urban Meyer is who we want and need, a leader, winner and champion who demands excellence and produces results. While Urban already enjoys a legacy in the game of football that few will ever match, his passion for the opportunity in front of him here in Jacksonville is powerful and unmistakable. I am proud to name Urban Meyer the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars."
The 56-year-old Meyer has served as a head coach at four different colleges over the course of his career, most recently at Ohio State, where he went 83-9 -- and also won a national championship -- from 2012-2018. Prior to that, he served as the head coach at Florida (2005-2010), Utah (2003-2004) and Bowling Green (2001-2002), going a combined 104-23.
As CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo notes, Meyer's college football success was rivaled only by Alabama's Nick Saban and Clemson's Dabo Swinney. Meyer won 85.4% of his games during that span, the third-best winning percentage in FBS history. One of just three coaches to win a national title at two different schools, Meyer is the only coach in major college history to have four win streaks of at least 20 games.
"I'm ready to coach the Jacksonville Jaguars," Meyer said Thursday. "Jacksonville has an enthusiastic fan base, and the fans deserve a winning team. With upcoming opportunities in the NFL Draft, and strong support from ownership, the Jaguars are well-positioned to become competitive. I've analyzed this decision from every angle -- the time is right in Jacksonville, and the time is right for me to return to coaching. I'm excited about the future of this organization and our long term prospect for success."
Meyer, who's spent the last few seasons serving an administrative role for Ohio State's football program, becomes the eighth full-time head coach in Jaguars history, succeeding Doug Marrone after the latter went 23-43 in just over four seasons.