BroBible
College football and the NFL are becoming more and more similar by the day. NCAA programs are beginning to mirror the professional model as the sport’s landscape continues to change.
Players are now paid. Many have a say in recruiting outlook. The transfer portal has become an outlet of unrestricted free agency.
As a result, many college coaches are beginning to make the jump to the NFL. There is a more defined structure at the professional level. Rules are in place to navigate the difficulties of roster management.
College, meanwhile, has become the Wild West with no true guidelines.
With all of that being said, the two are still not equal. Talent levels are different. Management styles, while growing more comparable, still differ.
A number of successful NCAA leaders have taken their swings in the NFL. Many have failed, even those considered the greatest of all time in terms of college production.
Here, we’ll take a look back at nine notable failed stints from college coaches making the jump to the pros. We’ll start with one of the most recent.
Meyer won two national titles with the Florida Gators in 2006 and 2008. He then left the program before accepting the head coaching job at Ohio State.
With the Buckeyes, he added another championship to his resume. He then gave it a brief run in the NFL.
Meyer coached the Jacksonville Jaguars for one season. He was fired before it ended after posting a 2-11 overall record.
Controversy surrounded his stay in Duval County. His lack of success represented a stark contrast to his college tenure. Over 17 seasons at Utah, Florida, and Ohio State, Meyer owned a 187-32 mark.
He won 15% of his pro games, making him a perfect candidate for this list of failures.
Another Florida Gators coaching legend comes in next on the list. Steve Spurrier led the Gators to a national championship in 1997. He then took an open NFL job with Washington.
Spurrier lasted just two seasons with the franchise, posting a 12-20 overall record. The team went 7-9 in Year 1 before falling to 5-11 the next campaign. He later quipped that there are “no Vanderbilts in the NFL.”
Spurrier eventually returned to college to coach at South Carolina where he led the Gamecocks to their first SEC Championship Game appearance. Over 26 seasons at Duke, Florida, and South Carolina, he posted a 228-89-2 mark.
He is the all-time winningest coach at two SEC programs. He couldn’t cut it in the NFL.
Lou Holtz played a role in getting Spurrier to South Carolina following the failed stint in Washington. Spurrier might’ve appreciated some advice on the difficulty of transitioning to the NFL.
Holtz coached at William and Mary before moving onto North Carolina State in the 1970s. Following a successful stint in Raleigh, he made the jump to the New York Jets.
That marriage lasted just...
