Urban Meyer’s Honest Admission After Trevor Lawrence’s Big Hit

Trevor Lawrence’s competitive nature was on full display during Monday night’s preseason showdown between the Jaguars and Saints. Urban Meyer would like to see his rookie tone it down, though.

Lawrence took a few big hits on Monday Night Football (preseason edition), one of which was avoidable. In the second quarter, Lawrence showed off his wheels on third down by escaping the pocket and going downhill for a first down. He, in the process of picking up the first, took a big hit from a Saints defender.

Luckily, Lawrence walked away uninjured. But it proved to be a valuable teaching moment for the rookie, who must stay healthy if the Jaguars want to ascend from the NFL’s basement.

Meyer had one message for Lawrence following Monday’s game: protect yourself. He doesn’t want to see his quarterback take on big hits at any point during the regular season. If it’s the playoffs or Super Bowl, on the other hand, Meyer would love to see his quarterback put his body on the line to try and win a football game.

“I’d like to see that,” Meyer said when asked whether he’d prefer that Lawrence would protect himself, via Pro Football Talk. “I didn’t have a chance to talk to him yet. I will. But I know what kind of competitor he is, and he was gonna get that first down. Obviously, you’d like to see him get down.”

Trevor Lawrence admitted after the game that the only reason he didn’t slide was to try and pick up the first down, which he did. Something tells us he’s going to have a tough time sliding if a first down is within reach during the regular season.

“It was third down, that’s the only reason I did it,” Lawrence said. “I thought about it right there. There was a little pocket to slide, but they mark you back from where you start your slide so I wouldn’t have got the first down. Third and fourth down you got to go get it.”

Lawrence, Meyer and the Jaguars wrap up their preseason schedule this Sunday, Aug. 29 against the Dallas Cowboys.

The post Urban Meyer’s Honest Admission After Trevor Lawrence’s Big Hit appeared first on The Spun.