Dec 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; FOX Sports analyst Urban Meyer before the Big Ten Championship between the Michigan Wolverines and the Purdue Boilermakers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Urban Meyer denies link to Michigan State vacancy

Three-time national champion Urban Meyer denied reports linking him to the Michigan State coaching vacancy.

Meyer told The Athletic on Wednesday that there is zero truth to the story and that he remains happy at Fox Sports.

The Spartans (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) fired Mel Tucker last month after an investigation into sexual harassment allegations.

Michigan State has lost all three games since elevating defensive backs coach Harlon Barnett to interim head coach.

Meyer, 59, compiled a 187-32 record in 17 seasons at Bowling Green (2001-02), Utah (2003-04), Florida (2005-10) and Ohio State (2012-18). He led the Gators to national titles in 2006 and 2008 and took the Buckeyes to the top in 2014.

He retired from Ohio State after the 2018 season but returned as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. He was fired after a 2-11 start and a rocky tenure that included a viral video of Meyer groping a woman in a bar.

–Field Level Media

Dec 3, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; FOX Sports analyst Urban Meyer before the Big Ten Championship between the Michigan Wolverines and the Purdue Boilermakers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Urban Meyer says ‘book closed’ on coaching career

Three-time collegiate national champion and former NFL coach Urban Meyer reiterated that he won’t be returning to the sidelines.

“That book’s closed,” Meyer said of his coaching career Thursday at an Ohio State coaching clinic, according to The Columbus Dispatch. “It’s going to be TV and grandfather.”

Meyer, 58, rejoined the Fox Sports broadcasting team in August 2022 after being fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars in December 2021 just 13 games into his tenure.

His name has been linked to multiple openings since, and he reportedly was a candidate to replace Scott Frost last September at Nebraska.

Meyer compiled a 187-32 record at Ohio State, Florida, Utah and Bowling Green. He won national championships with the Gators in 2006 and 2008 and the Buckeyes in 2014.

He retired at Ohio State following the 2018 season and joined Fox Sports as a college football analyst in 2019.

–Field Level Media

As time almost expires, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer looks on to the clock during the fourth quarter at TIAA Bank Field Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the San Francisco 49ers during a regular season NFL game. The 49ers defeated the Jaguars 30-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

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Report: Nebraska not expected to pursue Urban Meyer

Despite the apparent wishes of some fans, Nebraska isn’t expected to talk with Urban Meyer about its head coaching vacancy.

ESPN reported Sunday that Nebraska officials haven’t had any contact with Meyer, who is working as a FOX Sports analyst. ESPN said Meyer isn’t expected to pursue any coaching jobs.

His most recent job, as head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, ended disastrously when he was fired in his first season amid a 2-11 record, player dissatisfaction and off-field issues.

Nebraska fired coach Scott Frost a week ago following a 1-2 start and a 16-31 record in his fifth season.

On Saturday, in the first game of the post-Frost era, Nebraska was throttled by No. 6 Oklahoma, 49-14. Frost assistant Mickey Joseph is serving as interim coach.

Meyer was in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday as part of the FOX kickoff show, and the fans broke out in a “We Want Urban” chant. While he didn’t have a response to that, he had a compliment during the show for Huskers nation.

“Regardless of the score, regardless of the record, this is the best fan base I’ve ever coached against,” Meyer, 58, said.

In his 17 years of college coaching, Meyer won two national championships at Florida and one at Ohio State. He has a 187-32 college career record, which also includes stops at Bowling Green and Utah.

–Field Level Media

Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer

Syndication The Columbus Dispatch

Report: Nebraska contacts Urban Meyer in coach search

Nebraska has contacted Urban Meyer during its search for a new head coach, CBS Sports reported Saturday.

Meyer was in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday as part of the Fox broadcast team during No. 6 Oklahoma’s 49-14 blowout of the Cornhuskers (1-3).

Nebraska parted ways with Scott Frost last Sunday and named Mickey Joseph as the interim head coach.

Athletic director Trev Alberts cautioned earlier this week that many names that surface in connection with the job search are not necessarily candidates for the position.

“You’re gonna hear about a lot of names. That’s good,” Alberts said. “That means we’re going to talk to a lot of people because we’re going to clearly define what our values are, and we’re not going to hire coaches who don’t believe in what we believe in.”

Meyer, 58, was fired by the Jacksonville Jaguars just 13 games into his tenure last season.

Meyer compiled a 187-32 record as a collegiate head coach with Ohio State, Florida, Utah and Bowling Green. He won national championships with the Gators in 2006 and 2008 and the Buckeyes in 2014.

–Field Level Media

As time almost expires, Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer looks on to the clock during the fourth quarter at TIAA Bank Field Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021 in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the San Francisco 49ers during a regular season NFL game. The 49ers defeated the Jaguars 30-10. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

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Urban Meyer returns to Fox’s college football pregame show

After a forgettable 11-month stint in the NFL, former college head coach Urban Meyer is returning to one of his old gigs.

Fox announced Friday that Meyer will be back with the “Big Noon Kickoff” Saturday morning show for the 2022 college football season, joining Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and host Matt Stone.

Meyer appeared on the show in 2019 and 2020 before taking the head coaching post with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars fired Meyer on Dec. 16 after a series of behavioral blunders off the field. After a last-second loss in a “Thursday Night Football” game at the Cincinnati Bengals, Meyer — who is married — didn’t fly back home with the team and was later seen on video with a woman closely dancing on him in a bar in Columbus, Ohio.

Meyer denied reports that he called his coaching staff losers and demanded they “defend” their resumes to him. On Dec. 15, the Tampa Bay Times reported that Meyer kicked former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo in the leg during a pregame stretch in the preseason.

In a report published Dec. 15, Lambo said he responded to Meyer’s kick with “Don’t you ever f–king kick me again!” And his response was, “I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the f–k I want.”

The report soon led to Meyer’s firing. The Jaguars were 2-11 at the time.

Before Jacksonville, Meyer was best known as a college head coach who won three national championships, two at Florida (2006, 2008) and Ohio State (2014).

Off-the-field controversies did crop up during his college career, though, the most serious coming in 2018 when it was reported Meyer turned a blind eye to domestic violence allegations against one of his assistant coaches. Ohio State placed Meyer on administrative leave and eventually suspended him for three games.

Meyer cited personal health reasons when he retired from both Florida in 2010 and Ohio State in 2018.

He said on a podcast appearance in April that he planned to return to “Big Noon Kickoff.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 26, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;  Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo (4) kicks the ball in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Report: K Josh Lambo sues Jaguars over Urban Meyer’s work environment

Former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo is suing the Jacksonville Jaguars, alleging that disgraced coach Urban Meyer created a hostile work environment that contributed to Lambo’s on-field performance suffering, the Tampa Bay Times reported Tuesday.

Lambo alleged that Meyer kicked him and swore at him while he was working out last August before the Jaguars’ preseason finale. Lambo’s accusation becoming public in December was the final straw for Meyer, as Jacksonville fired him the same day, 13 games into his first season with the team.

“I’m in a lunge position. Left leg forward, right leg back,” Lambo told the Tampa Bay Times. “… Urban Meyer, while I’m in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, ‘Hey Dips–t, make your f–king kicks!’ And kicks me in the leg.”

Now Lambo is seeking his $3.5 million salary for 2021, with interest, plus damages for emotional distress.

Lambo’s lawsuit claims that he reported the incident to the Jaguars’ legal counsel via his agent. He was released from the team in October, which Lambo claims violated a Florida law protecting whistleblowers in the private sector.

The Jaguars told the Tampa Bay Times that their legal counsel offered to meet with Lambo over the incident, but Lambo said that wasn’t true.

Currently a free agent, Lambo played in 78 games across seven NFL seasons with the then-San Diego Chargers (2015-16) and Jaguars (2017-21). His career mark of 87.1 percent on field goal attempts ranks sixth in league history.

Meyer has not caught on with another NFL or college team since his ouster from Jacksonville. Reports late last month said that he was deep in negotiations to return to a broadcasting role with Fox.

–Field Level Media

Feb 4, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy after a victory against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jaguars interviewing Doug Pederson on Thursday

The Jacksonville Jaguars will interview former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson on Thursday, NFL Network reported Wednesday.

Pederson, who guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl LII championship, will be the first candidate interviewed for the vacancy since Urban Meyer was fired on Dec. 16.

Pederson, 53, reached the playoffs three times in five seasons with the Eagles and posted a 42-37-1 overall record before being fired on Jan. 11, 2021.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles are among other reported candidates for the job, as are Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Jaguars interim coach Darrell Bevell is reportedly also under consideration.

Jacksonville (2-13) brings a seven-game losing streak into Sunday’s game at the New England Patriots (9-6).

–Field Level Media

Dec 12, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;  Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer on the sidelines against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Urban Meyer apologizes to Jacksonville

In his first public comments since being fired, former Jaguars coach Urban Meyer apologized to the city of Jacksonville, Fla., adding that it was “heartbreaking.”

In an interview with NFL Network, Meyer said he was “devastated” how his short tenure ended after a 2-11 record. In its story published Saturday, NFL Network said the interview took place Friday.

“I just apologize to Jacksonville,” Meyer told NFL Network. “I love Jacksonville. It’s one of the reasons I took the job. I still think Shad’s a great owner. It’s heartbreaking. I just had a dream of it becoming a destination place with a new facility he agreed to build and some day to walk into that stadium where it’s standing room only. Because I know how bad the people of Jacksonville want it. So, I’m just heartbroken that we weren’t able to do that. I still believe it’s going to be done. It’s too good of a place.”

The interview aired several hours after a report that the Jaguars fired Meyer for cause and don’t plan on paying him the remainder of his contract. It is believed Meyer signed a five-year deal worth $10 million to $12 million annually.

It is possible the two sides could try to negotiate a contract settlement.

Meyer was fired early Thursday in the aftermath of former kicker Josh Lambo saying Meyer kicked him in August. But the Jaguars said Friday that owner Shad Khan had already decided to fire Meyer before the Lambo story came out.

It was one of many missteps that landed Meyer on the wrong side of the headlines, especially his decision not to travel back with the team after a Thursday night loss in October. He was later caught on video in a bar with a woman who is not his wife.

Meyer pushed back on reported dustups with Lambo and wide receiver Marvin Jones, among others, and tried to explain his decision to bench star running back James Robinson during his interview.

Regardless, his NFL debut goes down as an epic failure.

“I tell people, losing eats away at your soul,” Meyer said. “Once you start losing, it’s hard on everybody. I thought at one point, when we won two out of three, there was some momentum, great energy, the defense was really playing well. We were running the ball and then when that dried up on us, then we started turning the ball over. We had that bye week and then James Robinson gets hurt.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 12, 2021; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;  Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer walks from the field after the game as quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) follows against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Jaguars don’t plan to pay Urban Meyer’s contract

The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t plan to pay fired coach Urban Meyer for the four years left on his contract, ESPN reported Saturday.

The Jaguars contend they fired Meyer for cause, 13 games into a tumultuous first season that saw the team win just two games, combined with a number of off-field incidents that left both Meyer and the franchise with a black eye.

Meyer, who won three national championships as head coach at Florida and Ohio State, was lured out of coaching retirement in January by the Jaguars. While financial terms were not revealed, it is believed he signed a five-year deal worth $10 million to $12 million annually.

It is possible the two sides could try to negotiate a contract settlement.

ESPN said there wasn’t one specific incident that led Jaguars owner Shad Khan to fire Meyer late Wednesday, but rather a collection of embarrassing off-field incidents that gave Khan cause to dismiss Meyer, 57. The decision to fire Meyer reportedly had been made after Jacksonville’s 20-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans last Sunday, though Khan wasn’t ready to make the announcement.

That changed Wednesday, when former Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo told the Tampa Bay Times that Meyer berated and kicked him during a workout in August. That was days after reports emerged that Meyer had run-ins with players and called his assistant coaches “losers.”

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will lead the team for the rest of the season. The Jaguars host the Houston Texans on Sunday in a matchup of 2-11 teams.

–Field Level Media

Sep 26, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;  Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Lambo (4) kicks the ball in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Ex-Jags K Josh Lambo says Urban Meyer kicked him

Former Jacksonville Jaguars All-Pro kicker Josh Lambo alleges coach Urban Meyer kicked him in the leg during a preseason workout session.

In an interview published Wednesday in the Tampa Bay Times, Lambo said he was working out in August before the final preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys when Meyer walked his way, then addressed him without using his name — customary, apparently, for Meyer when talking to the specialists.

“It was ‘Kicker, Punter, Long snapper,’” Lambo said. “Or S–tbag, Dips–t or whatever the hell it was.”

As Lambo went through stretches, Meyer kicked him, he said.

“I’m in a lunge position. Left leg forward, right leg back,” Lambo said. “… Urban Meyer, while I’m in that stretch position, comes up to me and says, ‘Hey Dips–t, make your f–king kicks!’ And kicks me in the leg.”

Lambo had missed two preseason field goals before the alleged incident.

“It certainly wasn’t as hard as he could’ve done it, but it certainly wasn’t a love tap,” Lambo, 31, said. “Truthfully, I’d register it as a five (out of 10). Which in the workplace, I don’t care if it’s football or not, the boss can’t strike an employee. And for a second, I couldn’t believe it actually happened. Pardon my vulgarity, I said, ‘Don’t you ever f–king kick me again!’ And his response was, ‘I’m the head ball coach, I’ll kick you whenever the f–k I want.’”

The Jaguars released Lambo Oct. 19 as his slump continued.

It’s the latest black mark for Meyer, with reports surfacing in the past week that he got into a shouting match with wide receiver Marvin Jones after criticizing the receivers group and called members of his coaching staff “losers.”

This follows an incident in October when he was seen on videotape with a young woman, who wasn’t his wife, dancing close to him. A second video, released later, appeared to show him touching her bottom.

After Sunday’s 20-0 loss to the Tennessee Titans, Meyer denied calling his coaches losers, and he downplayed the incident with Jones. He said anyone who was leaking information would be fired.

Jones himself told reporters Wednesday that the run-in with Meyer was in the past.

“I would just say this: There was something that was brought to my attention I didn’t like too well,” Jones said, per Jaguar Report. “I approached him about it, and we talked. And we handled it like grown men. That’s I have to say about that.”

The veteran Jones, who is in his first season with the Jaguars, added: “We have a lot of conversations, me and (Meyer) about this team. I’m the old head, I’m the voice of the locker room.”

It’s been a frustrating season for Meyer. The Jaguars are 2-11, losing more games than Meyer dropped in seven seasons at Ohio State, where he was 83-9 from 2012-18.

Meyer told the Tampa Bay Times that Lambo’s allegations were false.

“Josh’s characterization of me and this incident is completely inaccurate, and there are eyewitnesses to refute his account,” Meyer, 57, said. “(General manager) Trent (Baalke) and I met with him on multiple occasions to encourage his performance, and this was never brought up. I was fully supportive of Josh during his time with the team and wish him nothing but the best.”

Lambo said his agent reported the alleged kicking incident to the Jaguars legal team. In a statement to the Tampa Bay Times, the Jaguars said Lambo was offered a chance to speak with team lawyers. Lambo said he has “no recollection of being able to speak with the Jags’ legal team.”

Lambo, who began his career with the Chargers in 2015, joined the Jaguars before the 2017 season. He missed five kicks in Jacksonville’s first three games: three field goals and two extra points.

Lambo was successful on 76 of 80 field-goal attempts (95 percent) in parts of four seasons with Jacksonville prior to Meyer’s arrival.

Now a free agent, Lambo said he is speaking out now out of loyalty to those in the organization.

“There’s been a lot of turnover, but those are still my people,” he said. “Some of those dudes are my dudes, and the staff members I have grown into amazing relationships with over the last five seasons. He threatened all of them for speaking the truth. And that’s a bully, and people need to speak up against bullies.”

–Field Level Media