New Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer is no stranger to success as a sideline general, but the professional game brings with it a whole host of considerations and problems that don’t exist at the college level. Perhaps as a result of that, Meyer is eyeing a former NFL head coach for his defensive coordinator post.
As Albert Breer of SI.com reports (via Twitter), Raheem Morris will interview for the Jacksonville DC job this week. Morris actually interviewed for the team’s HC gig after he finished out the 2020 campaign as the Falcons’ interim head coach, and he of course served as the Buccaneers’ HC from 2009-11. In total, Morris has a 21-38 head coaching record.
Despite that less-than-impressive mark, Morris remains well-respected both as a coach and as a defensive mind. He got the Falcons to show some signs of life this year after Dan Quinn‘s dismissal, and he did get an interview for Atlanta’s full-time HC position, which ultimately went to Arthur Smith. He was also a potential candidate for the Raiders’ DC job, though Vegas opted for Gus Bradley instead.
Morris will have a lot of work to do if he joins the Jags. The club has some talent on the defensive side of the ball, but it did finish towards the bottom of the pack in terms of total defense this year.
Breer notes that Meyer was considering Quinn for the DC position — Quinn recently accepted the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator job — and that Meyer is a big fan of the type of scheme that Quinn ran in Seattle earlier this decade. After having worked for Quinn for six years in Atlanta, Morris would presumably bring some of those same concepts in addition to his own defensive acumen.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com first reported (via Twitter) that Morris and Meyer were in contact about the defensive coordinator position.