When the Jaguars hired Urban Meyer as their head coach, some observers immediately speculated that he’d be like Bobby Petrino, a former college coach who simply didn’t fit in the NFL. That comparison proved to be very accurate.
Meyer, who was fired late Wednesday night, is the first NFL head coach since Petrino to leave before finishing his first season on the job.
Petrino quit the Falcons after 13 games with a 3-10 record to become head coach at Arkansas.
Meyer is fired by the Jaguars after 13 games with a 2-11 record. Meyer does not have a college coaching job waiting for him.
Petrino had success at Arkansas on the field but was fired for personal misconduct involving a woman he had an affair with. He is now the head coach at Missouri State.
Meyer may find himself another college job and may find success again: He’s one of the most successful coaches in college football history. But it’s safe to say that, like Petrino, he’s done in the NFL after 13 games. Meyer’s tactics simply didn’t work on grown men, and he’s done coaching professionals.