Urban Meyer formally announces Jaguars’ 30-person coaching staff

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer formally announced his 30-person staff Thursday, wrapping up nearly a month of work to surround himself with assistants who can help him make a successful transition from college to the NFL.

The group includes Darrell Bevell as offensive coordinator, Joe Cullen as defensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer as passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach, and Brian Schneider as special teams coordinator.

Meyer made most of the hires weeks ago, but waited to announce them until after each one signed a contract.

Meyer also made former Louisville, Texas and South Florida coach Charlie Strong his assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach. Strong was one of three key hires who had no previous NFL experience, along with tight ends coach Tyler Bowen and safeties coach Chris Ash. Strong spent the better part of the last four decades in the college ranks.

But Meyer kept seven holdovers from fired coach Doug Marrone’s staff: veteran offensive line coach George Warhop; cornerbacks coach Tim Walton; nickel cornerbacks coach Joe Danna; assistant linebackers coach Tony Gilbert; assistant strength coach Cedric Scott; assistant to the head coach ElizaBeth Mayers; and administrative assistant Tyler Wolf.

The rest of Meyer’s new crew: receivers coach Sanjay Lal; running backs coach Bernie Parmalee; defensive line coach Tosh Lupoi; outside linebackers coach Zach Orr; and senior defensive assistant Bob Sutton.

Anthony Schlegel will serve as Meyer’s strength and conditioning coordinator, and Chris Doyle will be the team’s director of sports performance.

Meyer also hired several other position assistants: Will Harriger (offense); Sterling Lucas (defensive line); Chris Polk (special teams); Quinton Ganther (offensive quality control); Patrick Reilly (defensive quality control); Todd Washington (offensive line); Brandon Ireland (strength); and Adam Potts (strength).

Fernando Lovo will serve as Meyer’s chief of staff.

Meyer insisted when he took the job in mid-January that he would build a “great staff” with plenty of NFL experience, and his main four coordinators have a combined 67 years of pro experience.

Bevell has been coaching in the NFL since 2000 and coordinated offenses in 14 of the past 15 years. He enjoyed his most success in Seattle with quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson made the Pro Bowl in five of six seasons under Bevell, and they won a Super Bowl together in February 2014 as well as consecutive NFC championships. Bevell spent the last two seasons in Detroit with Matthew Stafford.

Cullen spent 14 of the last 15 years as an NFL D-line coach, including a three-year stint in Jacksonville (2010-12) and the last five in Baltimore.

Schottenheimer has 21 years of NFL experience, including the last three as Seattle’s offensive coordinator. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll fired him in January following the team’s wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Despite some late-season struggles, Seattle set a franchise record for points scored (459) in 2020.

Schneider had been in Seattle since 2010, but he left the team indefinitely last season for personal reasons.