JAGUARS HEAD COACH URBAN MEYER
August 16, 2021
(On his assessment of the game against the Browns) “I think we, at this point, try to focus on the positives and probably get a little more playing time. So much of the first game was the conversation we had about only getting a series, only get ten plays. I think it was a great learning lesson that it’s called a plan to win. When you start the game, and they go right down the field and kick a field goal and we knock it out the 18-yard line and the worst penalty in football is when you see that [holding hand motion] and now your offense is backed up. So just talking to them about how every drive counts. When you’re only talking about 60 plays, three hours of football, that’s a big change for a lot of players and coaches. You only get a couple of drives a half. In college, you’re [getting] 80,90 plays a lot of times, so every play has to count, every drive has to count.”
(On the positives of Saturday’s game) “Positives were C.J. Beathard came in and played fantastic, defense against the run. I think they averaged 1 yard per carry, 1.5 yards per carry. Obviously, we loaded the box quite often, but our defensive line kind of controlled the line of scrimmage. Offensively, we took care of the ball. I thought the backs, receivers, everybody really did a good job taking care of the football, which was an emphasis. We had one interception, it was a hail marry at the end of the first half. Special teams, [Josh] Lambo has to stick it through the uprights, we had two penalties. Other than that, our punter averaged net 49.5, coverage units were really strong. Obviously, they had one out but that was a penalty, punt return. That’s about it.”
(On playing time of the starters for the next preseason game) “That’s ongoing. I think we wrap this game up, watched the film this morning. Tonight, obviously you have the roster cuts and all that for tomorrow. That’s all going to be tonight. Our focus was [to] get this game done and reward the great efforts and fix stuff that we have to fix.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence starting the next game) “I think there’s a decent chance. We haven’t made that decision yet.”
(On getting DE Jihad Ward in free agency after playing against him previously) “Him and [Dawuane] Smoot both, but that was all [Defensive Coordinator] Joe Cullen and [Defensive Line Coach] Tosh [Lupoi]. They came to me and they coached him, they knew him. I know of him on video tape when he played for Baltimore, but I also remember playing against him.”
(On DE Jihad Ward) “He’s great. [I like] everything. He’s a leader. He’s a guy that shows up every day at practice, played well Saturday. He is very flexible too, he can go inside and outside. He has the right demeanor and mentality that we want on our defense.”
(On the improving the offense) “So much I hear, ‘We can’t show this, can’t show this, can’t show this.’ I don’t want to get into it, but I want to go some tempo and I’m used to some certain things. You’ll see more of it as we get moving forward and what you saw is not what we’re going to be. I get it, we’re right out of the shoot. I think sometimes coaches [say], ‘We can’t show this, we can’t show that’ and I’m like, ‘Why? Tell me, explain to me why.’”
(On OL Cam Robinson and OL Jawaan Taylor) “Cam [Robinson] was pretty solid. Jawaan [Taylor], we are working on some things today. He had a great training camp, so we are good. [He] did not play great to answer your question, didn’t play awful, didn’t play great. A.J. Cann played very solid, gave up one pressure, but he’s been really solid all the way through. [Brandon] Linder didn’t play much. Obviously, [Andrew] Norwell has one more week out. But [Ben] Bartch actually did okay in there, so we’re developing that third guard which we need and the third tackle right now. Walker Little struggled. He was playing low hands for some reason, it was on him really fast, so he has to get a lot of reps. We’re counting on him. He had a really good training camp, so we have to get him going.”
(On the difference coaching in the NFL versus college) “I can’t stand bad plays, why did we call that situation? It is even magnified now because you just don’t have many plays. I remember looking up and was like my gosh, we’re in the middle of the second quarter and we’ve had three drives, I think. In college, you have three drives in the first quarter or four if you are really cooking. I knew that but now that I did it, it’s on you quick.”
(On changing his communicating style on the sidelines from college to the NFL) “No changes.”
(On being disappointed that some things did not work in the preseason game) “I don’t think there’s any of that. Usually we have scrimmages, in college you have two or three scrimmages and go play a game. I actually trained my mind for that one that this was a scrimmage, we have to play better. But I also get we that we’re [in a] 20 [game season], now you’re down to 19 more games, so it’s a marathon not a sprint. There’s certain things to work on but there were certainly things that were pretty good too.”
(On CB CJ Henderson’s play on Saturday) “[He played] 28 plays. He played pretty good. He didn’t get winning performance, but he got honorable mention. He is very talented obviously, but it’s just seeing him getting back in game mode.”
(On getting excited seeing CB CJ Henderson back on the field Saturday) “I am a players’ guy. I appreciate what these guys do, I appreciate what they go through, I appreciate [them adjusting to the] COVID-19 stuff, I appreciate the injury factor. I have done this so long and I have always done that. Players know that.”
(On what gives him confidence in DL Taven Bryan’s return) “OTA’s and his practice work ethic in the spring. He’s not had the production in his career that his God given skill [should provide], but I love the guy. He wants to go and he is full speed today. [He’s] just a really talented, good person and we’re going to coach him hard.”
