JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Mike Mularkey is far from a splashy hire.

The Jacksonville Jaguars know it, and everyone around the league seems to be talking about it.

New owner Shahid Khan said he spoke with some big-name candidates, and then decided to make the "smart" choice by hiring Mularkey. The former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator was introduced as the franchise's fourth head coach Wednesday and did little to alter his reputation as a colorless coach.

The Jaguars didn't seem to mind.

Although there were some who thought Khan would spend big for a well-known coach, he questioned whether those guys would be successful "after the splash." He believes Mularkey will.

"When you start sobering up, how does it feel?" Khan said. "That's the key issue. After the binge, how do you feel? ... A wonderful thing about football is everybody looks great until the ball is snapped. Once the ball is snapped, results speak for themselves and we know in September how good a job he is doing preparing, strategizing, (assembling) the staff. It will all come out. By that time, the buzz, the splash, is going to be history."

Mularkey, meanwhile, said he expects to be a better coach than his brief stint in Buffalo. Mularkey learned a lot from his days with the Bills (2004-05), including that he shouldn't call plays. So the longtime coordinator will give up play-calling duties and hire an offensive guru.

"Some guys are very good at managing the game and calling plays. I'm not one of them," Mularkey said. "Any one mistake can be the difference in the game. I don't want to be that guy that thinks he can do it all. If I can't do it, I'm not going to do it. Hopefully I'll put it in the right hands. That's what my job is, to get that guy in here, get the right guy in here to do it."

Mularkey also plans to meet with former defensive coordinator and interim head coach Mel Tucker on Thursday, and likely will offer him his old job back. Tucker interviewed for the same position in Minnesota, and will have to decide whether to swallow his pride and remain in Jacksonville.

"I don't know if you want to call it an interview or just talk to him," Mularkey said. "I want to really just have a chance to sit down and talk to him. I've spoken to him already, prior to this going down. We really have a pretty good relationship, so hopefully it works out."