JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
Friday, October 9, 2020
(On if expectations from the offensive line is being met so far) “I do, Gene. I think that especially in the situations that are when you kind of get behind and people are pinning their ears back, I think they’ve done a better job there. And I think during the course of the game, when you look at just a couple of things; penalties are down from where they’ve been in the past with this group. I’ve seen more technique-oriented, I see better blocking, both in the run and pass. So, I think—not to say that, hey, we’re where we want to be, we’re obviously not—but to say that there’s been an improvement over the last year, I would say ‘Yes, definitely.’
(On expectations on the pass rush and for DE Josh Allen to play on Sunday) “I feel like, obviously, it’s 50-50, we’re just going to try to see where he’s at tomorrow. That’s how I have him listed. And then, obviously if he’s not, then we’ve got to be able to—you know, it’s a tough challenge. I mean, they’ve got some crafty veteran receivers out there, they’ve got a quarterback that can do a lot of things: scramble, run. So, I think it’s going to be a great challenge for us. But make no mistake, we’ve got to get some guys obviously getting to the quarterback and getting him off rhythm.”
(On relationship with Texans Interim Head Coach Romeo Crennel “RAC” and his NFL career) “I know RAC real well. I’ve spent time with him. I can’t say enough about him. You talk about—I think it’s easy to see and evaluate what he’s done from a coaching perspective. I mean, he’s been outstanding, probably one of the best that has ever done what he’s done; as far as defensive coordinator and then before that, the defensive line and what he brings to that defense. But I think the greatest thing about him –you know, we spent a couple days together one time at a clinic in Fayetteville and he was just really open and really helped me. You know, I was a younger coach at that time, I was an offensive line coach, I think, with the New York Jets, or maybe I was with the Saints—I can’t recall the exact year. And just him opening up and being able to help me with his experience and what he’s gone through. He made me a better coach and I tell a lot of people about that story, those couple of days we spent together and what it meant to me. And since then, obviously every time I see him, I mean, he’s such a great man. People see the coach, but what a great family man, great person. I can’t say enough about him.”
(On characteristics of a Romeo Crennel defense) “Yeah, I think when he was a defensive coordinator, you knew a couple things. You knew that he was going to isolate some guys and take your strengths away and having to go to maybe some secondary things or things you weren’t as strong in. I think always upfront, they were going to play aggressive, they were going to play downhill, they’re very disciplined. And then obviously, there [are] some things that he liked—with the players that he had, playing to their strengths or what they did coverage wise. So, just a very, very sound and going to take away your strengths. And prior to that, you’d always have to worry about something different. Each week, they change up their front mechanics and sometimes you’d spend the week and you’d try to guess what you’re going to play against and what you’re going to practice against. Sometimes you’d guess right, going into those games and sometimes you guess wrong. And it just felt like maybe you didn’t get the most of what you could’ve gotten during that week. So, that’s when he was a defensive coordinator and I think Anthony Weaver is the coordinator now. And I think RAC is just going to help those guys get better to help him and help those guys on defense—and now, he’s got all three phases. So, very fundamental guy, very big in technique, very big in discipline. So, I mean, that’s what I know about RAC.”
(On confidence in LB Myles Jack telling him he can do on Sunday) “He can go. Yeah, I think, my deal with players, my philosophy has always been that I’m going to—obviously after they get cleared by the doctors and trainers, I’m going to listen to that player until he shows me something differently. A lot of times in the past, I’d ask the player, because they want to play, they want to play for their teammates. And I’ll just say, ‘Listen, if you play, I’ve got to get a half. I’ve got to get at least a half.’ You know, guys that have been injured during the week. But that’s how I dealt with it personally when I was an assistant coach. I think as a head coach, I’m not around them all the time and I just kind of talked to them, just kind of like how Laviska [Shenault Jr.] was last week. I said, “Look, I haven’t been around you a lot, where are you? Do you feel like you can go out there and play?’ He said, ‘I can play.’ I said, ‘Well, that’s great.’ I said, ‘Listen, I trust you until you show me something that I can’t trust you.’ Myles [Jack] has always been one that I’ve trusted, so I have no issue with that.”
(On the challenges with the kicker position going into Sunday) “Yeah, I think you’re right. I think what we’ve seen in these past couple weeks is unprecedented. I’ve never seen that before. It’s almost like, every day you’re wondering who’s going to be out there. I think my first thought when I think about it, I think how much I appreciate Logan Cooke. You know, that I know he’s going to be out there all the time and being able to do it. And then, we’re fortunate that he can also be able to kick off, which will at least give us a little bit more options of what we need to do. So, I don’t know if the transaction is out there, but I think we’ll be moving [Aldrick] Rosas to practice squad/IR and signing Jon Brown to our practice squad, just to make sure that we’re covered from that case. I think—and I look at what they do during the week in practice, Mark. So, you’ve kind of got to go week-by-week to what you see. Whereas a guy like [Josh] Lambo—not that he’s ever really done it, but let’s say if he missed a couple, I’m like, he’ll be fine, he’ll get back on it. And Lambo, once you get a feel for him, there’s a lot of communication between the kicker and the head coach about how he feels and of what’s going on. So, Lambo and I have always had that communication. Whereas now, it’s kind of trying to get to learn the different guys and seeing where they are and trying to get a read on how they’re feeling or what they’re doing. I think those are the things that go on. But at the same point, what I try to do is I try to put that as a very small part of a really, really large thing of what we’re doing from a team standpoint. So, I don’t let it overcome me with anxiety that it starts to affect what my thought process on offense and defense and all the rest of the things have to get done for a game.”
JAGUARS WR LAVISKA SHENAULT JR.
(On the growth in his relationship with QB Gardner Minshew II) “I feel like it starts in practice. We just have to get that bond in practice and you just keep working on it, working on it. At the end of the day, it’s all about just the timing and can we complete a pass and that’s really all it’s about. It’s going well. We’re getting better with each other every day.”
(On what he’s learned from Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell) “[He’s] just teaching me how to use my body. I have a very unique body, body style, so he’s just trying to teach me to use it in the right way. For example, I don’t have to be making so many moves. I’m a bigger guy, so just get there, do what you have to do, go and it’ll work out. It’s the same as if I would’ve made some moves.”
(On Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell’s personality) “He’s bi-polar when it comes to the meeting rooms. I mean he can be fun one time, he can be serious, he can be all types of stuff, but fun dude and [I] love to learn from him.”
(On the Houston Texans secondary) “They play like they’re hungry. They play aggressive like they just know what they’re doing and they’re flying around everywhere. We just have to come out and do what we do and pay attention to detail.”
(On if it’s a homecoming playing in Texas this weekend and if his family will be in attendance) “Yes, it’s very close to home and I will have at least, a good amount, ten maybe fifteen people there that I know of. I think it’s going to be special. It’s basically the crib for me so it’ll be fun. I’m just going to say the crib because it’s Texas, but yes Dallas is my home home.”
(On being a full-time receiver) “I’m good with whatever. You give me the opportunity, you give me the chance to go do something, I’m going to go do it. So, me playing receiver, me playing running back, it doesn’t matter. I’m an athlete at the end of the day and I’m here to do whatever.”
(On if it was ever a possibility for him to play defense in college) “Honestly, I was dealing with a lot of injuries in college, but I feel like if I was healthy enough and I was actually like, ‘Coach, let me go out there and do it’, he would’ve let me do it. That would’ve been interesting to see. I would love to see myself on the other side of the ball.”
(On what he says his position is) “I’m an athlete. I’m a playmaker. I want it. I want the pressure. I love the pressure.”
(On if the team is close to putting all three phases of the game together) “I really do think we are knocking at the door. Like I say, I always talk about attention to detail because it’s the little things that just might get us here and there, but I think we have some special things coming here in the future.”
(On if his pre-snap motion can fool the defense because he plays multiple positions and) “I think it plays a big part. When one guy can line up in all different positions and do all different type of things, it gives defenses a little bit of pressure. They have to stay on their toes at all times. It’s actually funny because everyone is talking about me. They talk about how big I am, like the defensive guys and all that type of stuff and once they know I’m in motion, everybody’s, ‘Watch #10! Reverse, reverse!’ It’s always something that they’re thinking I’m about to do and it’s fun because they don’t know what I’m about to do.”
(On what he’s heard players say about him on the field) “When I went down in the last game and I was walking off the field, #30 was like, ‘That’s because you’re so big!’ He just kept saying that and I couldn’t say anything [else he said] right now.”
