Jump to content

That ain't Shelley, Urban...


SarkAfterDark

Recommended Posts

10 hours ago, 52-80 said:

Ah, yes, you were so clairvoyant.

You knew Tom Herman was a bad choice before the Memphis game.  Not because his then-record of 22-3, with a 6-0 record over ranked teams (including FSU, Oklahoma, and Lousiville), was not impressive enough... but because he didn't want to confirm leaving his team while still in the regulator season. 

Where do you think the Dow Jones index will finish this year?

    Like the man said, some of us were calling it a bullshit hire before he ever stepped on campus. Why? Houston, after a rough start in 2014, started Greg Ward Jr for the first time in the Memphis game and went 6-2 down the stretch. It was clear they were already a good team before Herman got there, and with the addition of that manchild Ed Oliver they were even better across the D-line. They lost that head scratcher to Uconn his first year, then Navy, SMU, the next. Why? Because that offense requires so much from the QB, and any off day as a QB or from the defense and you can get beat. You aren't going to run away from teams too many times. That is why Urban Meyer, despite being willing to stoop to any recruiting tactics, and literally having an easy pathway to the CFB playoff every year at OSU, won only 1 title.

  The offense was a bad fit for this conference. We had 0 idea if Herman could recruit. The guy showed his teams lacked focus on a week to week basis at Houston, which is a huge problem at a school like Texas with the bullseye it has on its back.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, 52-80 said:

Ah, yes, you were so clairvoyant.

You knew Tom Herman was a bad choice before the Memphis game.  Not because his then-record of 22-3, with a 6-0 record over ranked teams (including FSU, Oklahoma, and Lousiville), was not impressive enough... but because he didn't want to confirm leaving his team while still in the regulator season. 

Where do you think the Dow Jones index will finish this year?

Just saw this because another guy responded as well and I wanted to pile on.

It didn't take ESP to understand that Herman wasn't going to work out at Texas. I was around to see and hear about a lot of his nonsense in Houston and Bellaire. The guy, in person, is a fucking idiot. There were problems causing things to start to fray inside of UH due to his behaviors.

Darrell Wyatt, on his staff and connected at Texas, was asked for specific thoughts about him as a candidate. Wyatt gave them legitimate information that should have given them pause, but the admin pushed forward anyway. They also told Herman about what was said, after asking Wyatt for fucking help, and Herman cut Wyatt loose and didn't bring him back to Texas. Instead we were graced with the wonderful experience of having Drew Fucking Mehringer embarrass the program as the WRC for several years. 

Tom Herman's tenure at Texas wasn't a surprise and shouldn't have been to anyone here, even if the aforementioned information wasn't known. All you had to do was look at his inaugural staff and realize that, immediately, his tenure was fucked. He brought in one of the worst, least defensible P5 staffs of the last decade, surpassed perhaps only by the abject idiocy of his boy Chris Ash's first staff at Rutgers. Not coincidentally, both included the pure imbecile, Drew Fuckhead Mehringer.

  • Hook 'Em 6
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Just saw this because another guy responded as well and I wanted to pile on.

It didn't take ESP to understand that Herman wasn't going to work out at Texas. I was around to see and hear about a lot of his nonsense in Houston and Bellaire. The guy, in person, is a fucking idiot. There were problems causing things to start to fray inside of UH due to his behaviors.

Darrell Wyatt, on his staff and connected at Texas, was asked for specific thoughts about him as a candidate. Wyatt gave them legitimate information that should have given them pause, but the admin pushed forward anyway. They also told Herman about what was said, after asking Wyatt for fucking help, and Herman cut Wyatt loose and didn't bring him back to Texas. Instead we were graced with the wonderful experience of having Drew Fucking Mehringer embarrass the program as the WRC for several years. 

Tom Herman's tenure at Texas wasn't a surprise and shouldn't have been to anyone here, even if the aforementioned information wasn't known. All you had to do was look at his inaugural staff and realize that, immediately, his tenure was fucked. He brought in one of the worst, least defensible P5 staffs of the last decade, surpassed perhaps only by the abject idiocy of his boy Chris Ash's first staff at Rutgers. Not coincidentally, both included the pure imbecile, Drew Fuckhead Mehringer.

1. Can you share details on the bolded?  Herm's long gone, so I'd love to hear about all the bullshit.

2. Darrell Wyatt sounds monumentally naive.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Just saw this because another guy responded as well and I wanted to pile on.

It didn't take ESP to understand that Herman wasn't going to work out at Texas. I was around to see and hear about a lot of his nonsense in Houston and Bellaire. The guy, in person, is a fucking idiot. There were problems causing things to start to fray inside of UH due to his behaviors.

Darrell Wyatt, on his staff and connected at Texas, was asked for specific thoughts about him as a candidate. Wyatt gave them legitimate information that should have given them pause, but the admin pushed forward anyway. They also told Herman about what was said, after asking Wyatt for fucking help, and Herman cut Wyatt loose and didn't bring him back to Texas. Instead we were graced with the wonderful experience of having Drew Fucking Mehringer embarrass the program as the WRC for several years. 

Tom Herman's tenure at Texas wasn't a surprise and shouldn't have been to anyone here, even if the aforementioned information wasn't known. All you had to do was look at his inaugural staff and realize that, immediately, his tenure was fucked. He brought in one of the worst, least defensible P5 staffs of the last decade, surpassed perhaps only by the abject idiocy of his boy Chris Ash's first staff at Rutgers. Not coincidentally, both included the pure imbecile, Drew Fuckhead Mehringer.

I'll respond specifically the parts bolded.  Depending on what you mean "anyone here", but you can't possibly speak for surlyhorns here-here.

I dont know you personally, but can infer you're deeply devoted and connected to the program.  This is the 9.95 reading Rivals scouting Recruit tweeting subset of the fanbase.  So I 100% believe you and some others foresaw that Herman was a disastrous hire with disastrous results. 

But to be bold and speak on behalf of the *majority* of the fanbase -- the ones who can't pick Darrell Wyatt out of a photo lineup for $1M -- I would say they were pretty ecstatic to have landed Herman, and the 1000pg or so thread on surly/shaggy during the Next Coaching Hire would attest to that.

 

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, bschoolprof said:

1. Can you share details on the bolded?  Herm's long gone, so I'd love to hear about all the bullshit.

 

I don't know what their point was but maybe I can add:

At the end of last season (before he was fired) I met a lovely young lady in Rhode Island. She was wearing a UH hat so we started talking about Texas and how each of us ended up there. She had been an assistant in the athletic department during Herman's tenure. She asked me what I thought of Tom and she rolled her eyes. Apparently he approached the athletic department like he ran it. Nobody was spared his criticism. If he didn't like the sound of your keyboard he would berate you until you bought a new one. If he didn't like your shirt he would tell you to go change. Keep in mind these were other people working in the athletic department not directly with the football program. There was no rhyme or reason, he was just a straight up prick.  

 

She wanted to leave so badly she took a job in RHODE ISLAND. 

 

Edited by SlingeroGuitaro
  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, bschoolprof said:

1. Can you share details on the bolded?  Herm's long gone, so I'd love to hear about all the bullshit.

2. Darrell Wyatt sounds monumentally naive.   

Substance abuse stuff. I despise Herman but I’ll just leave it at that and the fact that he spent part of 2020 quietly in rehab, allegedly. 

Before anyone feels super shocked and pious about Texas ignoring such matters, suffice it to say that I don’t believe the new AD learned anything from other prior mistakes. Again, I’m leaving it at that, so please don’t push any further. 

17 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

I'll respond specifically the parts bolded.  Depending on what you mean "anyone here", but you can't possibly speak for surlyhorns here-here.

I dont know you personally, but can infer you're deeply devoted and connected to the program.  This is the 9.95 reading Rivals scouting Recruit tweeting subset of the fanbase.  So I 100% believe you and some others foresaw that Herman was a disastrous hire with disastrous results. 

But to be bold and speak on behalf of the *majority* of the fanbase -- the ones who can't pick Darrell Wyatt out of a photo lineup for $1M -- I would say they were pretty ecstatic to have landed Herman, and the 1000pg or so thread on surly/shaggy during the Next Coaching Hire would attest to that.

 

Fair. I will add that it’s not like I or others actually know shit from shinola anyway. I wanted Justin Fuente at the time. Begged for him to be a candidate in my prayers and such. Whoops. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

Substance abuse stuff. I despise Herman but I’ll just leave it at that and the fact that he spent part of 2020 quietly in rehab, allegedly. 

Before anyone feels super shocked and pious about Texas ignoring such matters, suffice it to say that I don’t believe the new AD learned anything from other prior mistakes. Again, I’m leaving it at that, so please don’t push any further. 

Fair. I will add that it’s not like I or others actually know shit from shinola anyway. I wanted Justin Fuente at the time. Begged for him to be a candidate in my prayers and such. Whoops. 

I said during more than a few pressers that either he was snorting or he had some terrible allergies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

Just saw this because another guy responded as well and I wanted to pile on.

It didn't take ESP to understand that Herman wasn't going to work out at Texas. I was around to see and hear about a lot of his nonsense in Houston and Bellaire. The guy, in person, is a fucking idiot. There were problems causing things to start to fray inside of UH due to his behaviors.

Darrell Wyatt, on his staff and connected at Texas, was asked for specific thoughts about him as a candidate. Wyatt gave them legitimate information that should have given them pause, but the admin pushed forward anyway. They also told Herman about what was said, after asking Wyatt for fucking help, and Herman cut Wyatt loose and didn't bring him back to Texas. Instead we were graced with the wonderful experience of having Drew Fucking Mehringer embarrass the program as the WRC for several years. 

Tom Herman's tenure at Texas wasn't a surprise and shouldn't have been to anyone here, even if the aforementioned information wasn't known. All you had to do was look at his inaugural staff and realize that, immediately, his tenure was fucked. He brought in one of the worst, least defensible P5 staffs of the last decade, surpassed perhaps only by the abject idiocy of his boy Chris Ash's first staff at Rutgers. Not coincidentally, both included the pure imbecile, Drew Fuckhead Mehringer.

Am I wrong in my assumption the Houston money bullied the interim AD into that hire without ever running a search?

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wanted Urban (obviously) and if not him I was hoping for Luke Fickell. There I said it. Amazing how the last two hires for Baylor have been really good ones. Like on kid's Santa wish list good ones. I am always glad to hear gossipy shit though because I never liked the Herman hire. Thanks for the gossipy stuff. 

Pineapples, Flamingos and ankle bracelets...Swingers. Lmao. 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 52-80 said:

But to be bold and speak on behalf of the *majority* of the fanbase -- the ones who can't pick Darrell Wyatt out of a photo lineup for $1M -- I would say they were pretty ecstatic to have landed Herman, and the 1000pg or so thread on surly/shaggy during the Next Coaching Hire would attest to that.

 

I was happy about the Herman hire for the following 3 reasons:

1. Strong lost to Kansas

2. It made my UH friends/relatives angry.

3.   I know next to nothing about football other than Big 12 refs suck ass.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, hornian said:

She posted this tonight:

 

What a fucking cock tease this chick is. You can't promise all this dirt then say well maybe later. I bet Zach Smith had a constant case of the blueballs with her. No wonder he went unhinged. It all makes sense. 

Edited by PassiveAggressiveCoach
  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Haha 1
  • Fuck You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, PassiveAggressiveCoach said:

What a fucking cock tease this chick is. You can't promise all this dirt then say well maybe later. I bet Zach Smith had a constant case of the blueballs with her. No wonder he went unhinged. It all makes sense. 

Username checks out 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, PassiveAggressiveCoach said:

What a fucking cock tease this chick is. You can't promise all this dirt then say well maybe later. I bet Zach Smith had a constant case of the blueballs with her. No wonder he went unhinged. It all makes sense. 

Regardless of what she knows there is likely no real payout for her. I think we all have an idea of what Zach and her marriage was like by now. Whatever they know about Urban and his marriage won't really matter at this point. Just a curiosity deal. I'd say bring it on bc I am legit working towards honoring my bet. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Drool 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Nicole44 said:

Regardless of what she knows there is likely no real payout for her. I think we all have an idea of what Zach and her marriage was like by now. Whatever they know about Urban and his marriage won't really matter at this point. Just a curiosity deal. I'd say bring it on bc I am legit working towards honoring my bet. 

I forgot. What was the bet? 

  • Haha 1
  • Fuck You 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Nicole44 said:

Regardless of what she knows there is likely no real payout for her. I think we all have an idea of what Zach and her marriage was like by now. Whatever they know about Urban and his marriage won't really matter at this point. Just a curiosity deal. I'd say bring it on bc I am legit working towards honoring my bet. 

Here We Go Eye Roll GIF
 

Derka 2.0 is about to go cray cray again. 

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

Before anyone feels super shocked and pious about Texas ignoring such matters, suffice it to say that I don’t believe the new AD learned anything from other prior mistakes. Again, I’m leaving it at that, so please don’t push any further. 

For cause clause

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/21/2021 at 6:43 AM, 52-80 said:

and they won their next 3 games, including beating 1-loss #5 Louisville that had been in top 10 since September.  Charlie is 5-6 waiting to be whooped by Patterson.  Herman now sits at 9-2...

...and the week after, they announced Charlie and Herman swapping seats. 

 

Your magic crystal ball at that time said that was wrong?

 

Had you ever seen or listened to Tom Herman prior to his hire? Everything about him screams fraudulent douchebag. I was at that SMU game and I texted a buddy right before kickoff I’m about to watch our next coach choke against SMU

 

Did Carlie need to go of course but the signs were there re Herman. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Bump.

 

New Jacksonville/Urban article at The Athletic.  What a piece of shit:

 

https://theathletic.com/3190484/2022/03/21/the-most-toxic-environment-ive-ever-been-a-part-of-inside-urban-meyers-disastrous-year-with-jaguars/

 

Quote

Urban Meyer burst into a room full of players at the Jaguars’ facility. He was furious.

One of his players had missed an assignment during a preseason game, leading to a busted play. Meyer was enraged when it happened. A day later, he was still fuming. If the mistake ever happened again, Meyer warned, he would cut every single one of them.

“And do you know what would happen if I cut you guys?” Meyer said, according to four people in the room. “You couldn’t get a job paying more than $15 an hour.”

 

Quote

The implication that his players were capable of little more than playing football left some angry, others offended. “I lost all respect for him after that,” a veteran player in the room said.

Meyer arrived in Jacksonville with a mixed resume. He had won national championships at Florida and Ohio State, but he brought plenty of baggage, ranging from harsh treatment of players and staff to mishandling domestic-abuse allegations levied against one of his longest-tenured assistants, Zach Smit

 

Quote

Friends and family over the years have labeled Meyer a control freak and perfectionist, and as he climbed the ranks he developed a reputation as a tough, obsessive win-at-all-costs coach who, by his own admission, was “addicted” to victory. But according to coaches, players and staff in Jacksonville, Meyer crossed the line from tough and demanding to belittling, demeaning and leading by fear.

“The most toxic environment I’ve ever been a part of,” a veteran member of the football operations staff said. “By far. Not even close.”

 

Spoiler

Receiver D.J. Chark, who signed with the Lions last week after spending the first four years of his career with the Jaguars, said Meyer routinely threatened to fire coaches and cut players. “He feels like threats are what motivates,” Chark said. “I know he would come up to us and tell us if the receivers weren’t doing good, he wasn’t going to fire us, he was going to fire our coach. He would usually say that when the coach was around.”

Kicker Josh Lambo said last year Meyer kicked him during warmups — a fact Meyer’s lawyers reportedly conceded to Rick Stroud, the reporter who broke the story for the Tampa Bay Times. Lambo believed Meyer’s kick was an act of “intimidation,” a theme echoed by several people in the organization. One player described the year with Meyer as “mentally exhausting.”

The Jaguars replaced Meyer with former Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson in early February, but some who experienced Meyer’s brand of leadership want a fuller public accounting of his tenure. Meyer’s attorney said his client would not comment for this story.

 

Signs of dysfunction were apparent early on. Several sources said Meyer stepped into the job as if he had all the answers, even though he had never coached in the NFL.

Meyer said he conducted a six-month deep dive on the NFL that included interviews with his former Florida and Ohio State players as well as a study of the salary cap. But multiple sources said Meyer was unfamiliar with star players around the league, including 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel, Seahawks safety Jamal Adams and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year.

“Who’s this 99 guy on the Rams?” Meyer asked one staffer during the season, according to a source. “I’m hearing he might be a problem for us.”

In his first staff meeting, Meyer criticized the way NFL teams operate, noting specifically that coaches failed to take proper care of players’ health. And then, according to multiple sources in the meeting, Meyer said: “I hate scouts. Scouts are lazy.” It was an especially jarring comment given that scouts were also in the room.

Chark said the year began with optimism; Jacksonville’s players turned out in high numbers for voluntary workouts, eager for the new season under Meyer. “But the way he was running the ship, it was impossible to succeed,” Chark said.

In training camp, Meyer pushed for live contact drills despite objections from veteran coaches. One of those drills fell on what Meyer called “Winner and Loser” days; two players would compete, and the winner would be announced over the loudspeaker. After one blocking drill, Meyer insisted Chark do extra reps; the receiver suffered a broken finger, underwent surgery and missed the preseason.

Meyer also forbade players from speaking with opponents on the field before games, once claimed the Jaguars lost because they dressed sloppily and told offensive players he wanted them to dunk the ball over the goalpost after touchdowns even though doing so would draw a fine from the league. But more than Meyer’s coaching quirks, the way he treated people particularly troubled some in the organization.

Not long after veteran receiver John Brown signed with the Jaguars as a free agent, he ran the wrong route in practice. To correct the mistake, Brown, who is from Florida, and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence ran through the route again after practice. Meyer walked up to the pair.

“Hey, Trevor, you’ve got to slow it down for him,” Meyer said, according to sources. “These boys from the South, their transcripts ain’t right.”

Another time, during a meeting that also included members of the coaching and personnel staffs, Meyer berated a player so harshly that the player cried. According to two sources, Meyer slammed the door after departing the meeting, leaving others to console the player. The next day, one of the other staff members present confronted Meyer about the incident in what one source described as a tense exchange.

Sources said Meyer repeatedly belittled his staff to its members’ faces. He told his assistants he was a winner and they were losers, then demanded they defend their resumes. One player said it was coaches often looked “drained” whenever they left staff meetings with Meyer.

“The players got it bad when it came to him talking to us,” a veteran player said, “but I believe the coaches got it worse.”

“You’ve got players in fear that they’re going to lose their jobs,” Chark said. “You’ve got coaches who he belittled in front of us, and I can only imagine what he was doing behind closed doors. I’m surprised he lasted that long, to be honest with you.”

 

 

The most notorious incident of Meyer’s tenure came in late September when Jacksonville played a Thursday night game in Cincinnati. The Jaguars lost to the Bengals, 24-21, their fourth straight defeat. After the season opener, Meyer had confidently told his team he had never lost two in a row. But after the Cincinnati loss, one source said Meyer looked “shellshocked” in the locker room. He told players he had nothing to say.

Neither coaches nor players, however, realized that Meyer didn’t board the team flight that night. It wasn’t until a video emerged over the weekend showing Meyer dancing with a young woman in his Ohio steakhouse that players and coaches learned he had stayed behind. Multiple sources said Meyer went from position group to position group telling players that the woman in the video tried to lure him onto the dance floor despite Meyer’s refusal. But according to two sources, soon after he left one position group, a second, more provocative video became public, throwing everything Meyer said in doubt.

In late November, Meyer told reporters that receivers were running the wrong routes. As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported, the comment so enraged veteran receiver Marvin Jones that Jones left the team facility. He eventually confronted Meyer at practice but was diplomatic when he spoke to reporters about the incident.

“I’ll just say this: There was something that was brought to my attention that I didn’t like too well,” Jones said.

Once again, Meyer met with players and denied he made the comment about the receivers, even though, according to a source, a player in the room had video of Meyer’s press conference pulled up on his phone.

Meyer’s grip on the team continued to slip. In a December game against the Rams, second-year running back James Robinson fumbled on the opening possession, the second straight week in which he had fumbled.

“Get him out,” Meyer told his coaches during the game, according to two sources. “He’s done. Put Carlos Hyde in. He’s not playing anymore.”

Robinson did not touch the ball again for 26 plays but late in the game was put back in for three carries in garbage time despite the Jaguars trailing by 30 points.

“I’m not sure what the point of that was,” Robinson, who was dealing with injuries in the week leading up to the game, said later.

The decision also confused Lawrence, the 2021 No. 1 pick, who said he discussed the situation with Meyer and the coaching staff. “Bottom line is James is one of our best players, and he’s got to be on the field and we addressed it,” Lawrence said.

Behind the scenes, the Robinson situation was even more divisive. After the game, Meyer told reporters he wasn’t aware of Robinson’s extended absence and put the benching on Robinson’s position coach, Bernie Parmalee.

“You’d have to ask Bernie,” Meyer said. “I don’t get too involved. I don’t micromanage that.”

In a staff meeting the next morning, according to multiple sources, Meyer denied ever telling his coaches to bench Robinson. He said his assistants had misinterpreted him.

“I feel like he put us in very bad positions and, when the questions came, he deferred the responsibility, which made it look like we were just out there being the worst team in the league,” Chark said. “But we weren’t put in position (to succeed).”

Chark and others agreed that Meyer hampered players, most notably Lawrence. “Trevor is a great quarterback,” Chark said. “He was not put in good positions.

“He told us from day one that he was going to maximize our value,” Chark added. “And I truly can’t tell you one player that maximized their value on the Jags this year.”

Meyer was fired for cause on Dec. 15, shortly after Lambo, the Jaguars kicker, accused Meyer of kicking him during warmups and saying, “Hey dipshit, make your fucking kicks.” Meyer admitted in an interview with Dan Dakich that he made contact with Lambo but denied kicking him.

Meyer, who still had four years left on his contract, seemed to blame his behavior on losing. It “eats away at your soul,” he told Dakich and said he “went through that whole depression thing to where I’d stare at the ceilings.”

On the day Meyer was fired, a veteran player on the Jaguars said the mood around the team was strange. Instead of the disappointment or concern that often accompanies a coach losing his job, the player sensed something else: relief.

 

  • Like 3
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/22/2021 at 9:28 AM, 6th Street said:

I knew Herman sucked during that first Maryland game when he got lit up by a bunch of scrubs

Herman failed because he lacked the maturity to realize he wasn't anywhere close to being the smartest person in the room and that he was going to have to both out work and out think opposing coaching staffs to have any level of success.

Meyer failed because he is an asshole of a person.

Anyone who was pushing to have Urban take over the UT football program needs to be eliminated from future involvement in picking coaches, administrators, and even graduate assistants.

  • Hook 'Em 4
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

Bump.

 

New Jacksonville/Urban article at The Athletic.  What a piece of shit:

 

https://theathletic.com/3190484/2022/03/21/the-most-toxic-environment-ive-ever-been-a-part-of-inside-urban-meyers-disastrous-year-with-jaguars/

 

 

 

 

  Hide contents

Receiver D.J. Chark, who signed with the Lions last week after spending the first four years of his career with the Jaguars, said Meyer routinely threatened to fire coaches and cut players. “He feels like threats are what motivates,” Chark said. “I know he would come up to us and tell us if the receivers weren’t doing good, he wasn’t going to fire us, he was going to fire our coach. He would usually say that when the coach was around.”

Kicker Josh Lambo said last year Meyer kicked him during warmups — a fact Meyer’s lawyers reportedly conceded to Rick Stroud, the reporter who broke the story for the Tampa Bay Times. Lambo believed Meyer’s kick was an act of “intimidation,” a theme echoed by several people in the organization. One player described the year with Meyer as “mentally exhausting.”

The Jaguars replaced Meyer with former Super Bowl-winning head coach Doug Pederson in early February, but some who experienced Meyer’s brand of leadership want a fuller public accounting of his tenure. Meyer’s attorney said his client would not comment for this story.

 

Signs of dysfunction were apparent early on. Several sources said Meyer stepped into the job as if he had all the answers, even though he had never coached in the NFL.

Meyer said he conducted a six-month deep dive on the NFL that included interviews with his former Florida and Ohio State players as well as a study of the salary cap. But multiple sources said Meyer was unfamiliar with star players around the league, including 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel, Seahawks safety Jamal Adams and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, a three-time NFL defensive player of the year.

“Who’s this 99 guy on the Rams?” Meyer asked one staffer during the season, according to a source. “I’m hearing he might be a problem for us.”

In his first staff meeting, Meyer criticized the way NFL teams operate, noting specifically that coaches failed to take proper care of players’ health. And then, according to multiple sources in the meeting, Meyer said: “I hate scouts. Scouts are lazy.” It was an especially jarring comment given that scouts were also in the room.

Chark said the year began with optimism; Jacksonville’s players turned out in high numbers for voluntary workouts, eager for the new season under Meyer. “But the way he was running the ship, it was impossible to succeed,” Chark said.

In training camp, Meyer pushed for live contact drills despite objections from veteran coaches. One of those drills fell on what Meyer called “Winner and Loser” days; two players would compete, and the winner would be announced over the loudspeaker. After one blocking drill, Meyer insisted Chark do extra reps; the receiver suffered a broken finger, underwent surgery and missed the preseason.

Meyer also forbade players from speaking with opponents on the field before games, once claimed the Jaguars lost because they dressed sloppily and told offensive players he wanted them to dunk the ball over the goalpost after touchdowns even though doing so would draw a fine from the league. But more than Meyer’s coaching quirks, the way he treated people particularly troubled some in the organization.

Not long after veteran receiver John Brown signed with the Jaguars as a free agent, he ran the wrong route in practice. To correct the mistake, Brown, who is from Florida, and rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence ran through the route again after practice. Meyer walked up to the pair.

“Hey, Trevor, you’ve got to slow it down for him,” Meyer said, according to sources. “These boys from the South, their transcripts ain’t right.”

Another time, during a meeting that also included members of the coaching and personnel staffs, Meyer berated a player so harshly that the player cried. According to two sources, Meyer slammed the door after departing the meeting, leaving others to console the player. The next day, one of the other staff members present confronted Meyer about the incident in what one source described as a tense exchange.

Sources said Meyer repeatedly belittled his staff to its members’ faces. He told his assistants he was a winner and they were losers, then demanded they defend their resumes. One player said it was coaches often looked “drained” whenever they left staff meetings with Meyer.

“The players got it bad when it came to him talking to us,” a veteran player said, “but I believe the coaches got it worse.”

“You’ve got players in fear that they’re going to lose their jobs,” Chark said. “You’ve got coaches who he belittled in front of us, and I can only imagine what he was doing behind closed doors. I’m surprised he lasted that long, to be honest with you.”

 

 

The most notorious incident of Meyer’s tenure came in late September when Jacksonville played a Thursday night game in Cincinnati. The Jaguars lost to the Bengals, 24-21, their fourth straight defeat. After the season opener, Meyer had confidently told his team he had never lost two in a row. But after the Cincinnati loss, one source said Meyer looked “shellshocked” in the locker room. He told players he had nothing to say.

Neither coaches nor players, however, realized that Meyer didn’t board the team flight that night. It wasn’t until a video emerged over the weekend showing Meyer dancing with a young woman in his Ohio steakhouse that players and coaches learned he had stayed behind. Multiple sources said Meyer went from position group to position group telling players that the woman in the video tried to lure him onto the dance floor despite Meyer’s refusal. But according to two sources, soon after he left one position group, a second, more provocative video became public, throwing everything Meyer said in doubt.

In late November, Meyer told reporters that receivers were running the wrong routes. As NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported, the comment so enraged veteran receiver Marvin Jones that Jones left the team facility. He eventually confronted Meyer at practice but was diplomatic when he spoke to reporters about the incident.

“I’ll just say this: There was something that was brought to my attention that I didn’t like too well,” Jones said.

Once again, Meyer met with players and denied he made the comment about the receivers, even though, according to a source, a player in the room had video of Meyer’s press conference pulled up on his phone.

Meyer’s grip on the team continued to slip. In a December game against the Rams, second-year running back James Robinson fumbled on the opening possession, the second straight week in which he had fumbled.

“Get him out,” Meyer told his coaches during the game, according to two sources. “He’s done. Put Carlos Hyde in. He’s not playing anymore.”

Robinson did not touch the ball again for 26 plays but late in the game was put back in for three carries in garbage time despite the Jaguars trailing by 30 points.

“I’m not sure what the point of that was,” Robinson, who was dealing with injuries in the week leading up to the game, said later.

The decision also confused Lawrence, the 2021 No. 1 pick, who said he discussed the situation with Meyer and the coaching staff. “Bottom line is James is one of our best players, and he’s got to be on the field and we addressed it,” Lawrence said.

Behind the scenes, the Robinson situation was even more divisive. After the game, Meyer told reporters he wasn’t aware of Robinson’s extended absence and put the benching on Robinson’s position coach, Bernie Parmalee.

“You’d have to ask Bernie,” Meyer said. “I don’t get too involved. I don’t micromanage that.”

In a staff meeting the next morning, according to multiple sources, Meyer denied ever telling his coaches to bench Robinson. He said his assistants had misinterpreted him.

“I feel like he put us in very bad positions and, when the questions came, he deferred the responsibility, which made it look like we were just out there being the worst team in the league,” Chark said. “But we weren’t put in position (to succeed).”

Chark and others agreed that Meyer hampered players, most notably Lawrence. “Trevor is a great quarterback,” Chark said. “He was not put in good positions.

“He told us from day one that he was going to maximize our value,” Chark added. “And I truly can’t tell you one player that maximized their value on the Jags this year.”

Meyer was fired for cause on Dec. 15, shortly after Lambo, the Jaguars kicker, accused Meyer of kicking him during warmups and saying, “Hey dipshit, make your fucking kicks.” Meyer admitted in an interview with Dan Dakich that he made contact with Lambo but denied kicking him.

Meyer, who still had four years left on his contract, seemed to blame his behavior on losing. It “eats away at your soul,” he told Dakich and said he “went through that whole depression thing to where I’d stare at the ceilings.”

On the day Meyer was fired, a veteran player on the Jaguars said the mood around the team was strange. Instead of the disappointment or concern that often accompanies a coach losing his job, the player sensed something else: relief.

 

There is so much of this that feels similar to that first Herman offseason. Belittling players, winners and losers, personnel decisions based on being a dick. How about we just never hire anyone again from the Meyer coaching tree. What a miserable piece of shit, can you imagine if Meyer had to endure this past season with our guys? Over half of them would be in the portal right now.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

Dodged a howitzer.  The fact that this behavior was tolerated at OSU tells you how morally bankrupt that place is.  

Lulz. Even before his time in Jacksonville, there was plenty of evidence that Urban was a shitbag. The vast majority of our fanbase, who used to ridicule Urban when we weren't in the market for a coach, quickly dropped any objections as soon as there was a chance he might coach in Austin. An awful lot will get "tolerated" when you win more than everyone else. Presumably Texas was earnest in its pursuit of Meyer, so this university was fully prepared to tolerate his bs here. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Blotto said:

Lulz. Even before his time in Jacksonville, there was plenty of evidence that Urban was a shitbag. The vast majority of our fanbase, who used to ridicule Urban when we weren't in the market for a coach, quickly dropped any objections as soon as there was a chance he might coach in Austin. An awful lot will get "tolerated" when you win more than everyone else. Presumably Texas was earnest in its pursuit of Meyer, so this university was fully prepared to tolerate his bs here. 

His BS works in the college environment. Period. I have no doubt in my mind he made the wrong decision in picking the Jags over Texas. I was one of those who had gotten to the point where I was ready to bring in a complete shit-bag of a human because PTSD from end days of Mack and Strong/Herman back-to-back. Believe me, I'd much rather win with any other coach than Urban, but I do want to win. At any rate, I knew this would be a colossal failure -- never in a million years would I think he'd basically be dead man walking in September of his first season, and he was. Let me be perfectly clear -- I'm glad Urban is not our HC today, tomorrow or at any point in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel zero shame about being excited about the possibility of him coming to Texas. None.

He would've won a lot of games. I don't care if he cheats on his wife; not in the slightest. I'd prefer a nicer guy, but I wouldn't really care that much if we were winning a lot. No shame at all.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I try to give benefit of the doubt to a new coach, but my first strongly negative impression of Herman was the story that he drove his UH provided car to Austin and told them to come pick it up. Low rent move.

I've known a number of successful guys in life, but the ones that STAY successful have all had integrity. You can say you don't care about it, and that's your right, but a guy without integrity won't stay on top forever. 

  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, 927 E. 41st said:

I try to give benefit of the doubt to a new coach, but my first strongly negative impression of Herman was the story that he drove his UH provided car to Austin and told them to come pick it up. Low rent move.

I've known a number of successful guys in life, but the ones that STAY successful have all had integrity. You can say you don't care about it, and that's your right, but a guy without integrity won't stay on top forever. 

Which is probably why he never really lasts very long at any of his stops. He comes in, wins a shit-ton of games running a low-integrity program and then gets out before all the bills come due.

  • Hook 'Em 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

“Who’s this 99 guy (Aaron Donald) on the Rams? I’m hearing he might be a problem for us.” LOLZ what an idiot. Hilarious how ignorant he was of professional football.

To Kicker Lambo: “Hey dipshit! Make your kicks!”  No problem with this though. The dipshit should have made his kicks. 

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Which is probably why he never really lasts very long at any of his stops. He comes in, wins a shit-ton of games running a low-integrity program and then gets out before all the bills come due.

At Florida, sure, but not anywhere else. Ohio State just kept rolling rolling rolling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, bad_teammate said:

At Florida, sure, but not anywhere else. Ohio State just kept rolling rolling rolling.

We can go back-and-forth on why-and-how he left Ohio State but he only lasted one more season with the Buckeyes than he did with Florida. The program rot hadn't really started like it did at Florida so perhaps he learned a few things from his time in Gainesville.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Murfdogg21 said:

“Who’s this 99 guy (Aaron Donald) on the Rams? I’m hearing he might be a problem for us.” LOLZ what an idiot. Hilarious how ignorant he was of professional football.

To Kicker Lambo: “Hey dipshit! Make your kicks!”  No problem with this though. The dipshit should have made his kicks. 

th?id=OIP.fRYSjNduDm6Jjhz15yQCLQHaEK%26p

 

  • Haha 2
  • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Urban was obviously successful in college but I don't think it would transfer as well today. Portals, NIL, grad transfers. All that has really changed the landscape. Guys just don't have to put up with all that bullshit anymore. 

I am sure Saban is an asshole but there is a point to it and I think in the end his players respect him and what he is trying to do. Don't know if same about UM. 

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...