JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After 11 months of missteps, mistakes, embarrassing moments, anonymous reports of strife within the coaching staff and between head coach Urban Meyer and players, the Jacksonville Jaguars just want a little peace and quiet for the rest of the year.
That’s why quarterback Trevor Lawrence and cornerback Shaq Griffin are happy that the team named offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as the interim head coach after firing Meyer early Thursday morning. Bevell is the perfect antidote to the chaos that has gripped the franchise almost since the moment Meyer was hired in January.
“He’s very even keel,” Lawrence said of Bevell, who also served as the Detroit Lions’ interim head coach for the final five games of the 2020 season. “Always the same person never gets too high or too low. That’s something that I respect and that I can level with.
“So I’d say that’s the biggest thing that we need right now. Someone that’s consistent and just to move forward and push past it.”
There’s certainly a lot to push past: The hiring of strength coach Chris Doyle, who was accused of making racist remarks and bullying Black players at Iowa.
Videos of Meyer behaving inappropriately with a woman that was not his wife in a Columbus, Ohio, restaurant/bar.
The failed Tim Tebow tight end experiment.
The NFL fining the Jaguars $200,000 and Meyer $100,000 for excessive contact during a June 1 organized team activity.
Reports of Meyer calling his assistant coaches losers, receiver Marvin Jones leaving the facility for a bit because he was upset with Meyer, former kicker Josh Lambo alleging that Meyer kicked him during warmups — all of which happened within the last week.
And so much more.
Lawrence and owner Shad Khan both characterized it as drama and it undoubtedly had an impact on the morale inside the building and the performance on the field. The Jaguars are 2-11 and are coming off a 20-0 loss at Tennessee, the fourth shutout loss in franchise history.
“I wouldn’t believe…
Source : espn
