JAGUARS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD WASH
Friday, August 14, 2020
(On S Jarrod Wilson’s season last year and his plans him this season) “Yeah, you know, obviously we don’t have a lot of rotations going on with our safeties unless it’s for an injury situation. It’s a credit to JDub on being healthy all year and to be able to play that many snaps. I thought he had a solid year for us. We’ve got a plan to get him better in what we’re trying to do. But we still see him, obviously, playing a lot of snaps for us, God willing he stays healthy.”
(On DT DaVon Hamilton’s performance thus far) “You know that was a big concern of ours, obviously, going into the draft, is to get some of those big wide bodies inside to help us slow this run game down. You know, I think the way to win this division, if you look at the teams we have, all three of them are in the top 10 in rushing offense, so we knew we had to solidify our run defense. And I think with the addition of him, he’s a big physical guy that can definitely hold the point and he’s got good range, so we’re excited about him. He’s going to be in a heck of a competition with some of the veterans that we have in the room, but we feel he’s got a real big upside and he’s going to help us stop the run in our division and other teams.”
(On the linebackers’ performance, specifically the younger linebackers) “I think we’re going to have some solid depth at our linebacker position. It was very important, this offseason, that we go out and we get football players that are very intelligent. That’s one thing with this group we’ve got from top to bottom at all positions. They have a very high football IQ and that was something that was very important to us going into this. But talking about Shaq [Shaquille Quarterman] and Nate [Evans], the two young men there, both of them are very intelligent. They’ve done a really nice job of picking up schemes. They’re going to have some busts in that stuff, but they’re two types of guys that when they do bust, they only do it once. And you know, Quincy [Williams] is on the mend, you can kind of see him. The first couple of days he was out here, he was doing well. The second year in the system really helped him, being in it and the reps that he got last year, so he’s definitely ahead of schedule mentally. And then, obviously with the addition of Joe [Schobert] at the MIKE linebacker spot and moving Myles [Jack] over to WILL – more of a spatial player, I think that fits what Myles is. You know, we feel real confident we’re going to have some depth, obviously it’s early on and they’ve all got to continue to improve.”
(On the turnover in the defensive line) “Well, the good thing is we really haven’t been practicing practicing. You know, we’ve been doing walk-throughs and we’ve been doing a phase two-type deal. So it hasn’t been where we’re just wearing the tread off of other guys. I think we’ve got to give credit to our personnel staff for going out and finding guys that we’re looking for. Once again, we need to develop an attitude to stop the run and earning the right to pass rush with these young men that we’re bringing in, or some good run-stopping guys. You know, we’ve been able to rush the passer the last couple of years extremely well. But we’ve got to solidify the run defense. So with what we’ve added, and how practice is going, I think they can at least go into our virtual meetings—that’s one thing that’s really helped with all this, where before we’d be like, ‘Well, they can’t be in the building, they can’t learn.’ Well, with all the virtual stuff that we’ve learned over the last six months, they can catch up relatively quickly because of the virtual stuff, even if they’re not in the building. But we’re excited about them. Once again, I think it’s a credit to our personnel staff to bring in quality guys at this point in time. Usually it’s tough to bring in guys at this time of year, but they’ve brought some really good players for us at this point.”
(On DE/LB Josh Allen’s progress) “You know, obviously he had a good year as a rookie. You can’t take that away from him, but I think as a coach and even as with Josh, he’s never satisfied with where he’s at. Obviously, with COVID-19 we didn’t have an offseason and all that kind of stuff. He came back in shape, he’s really leaned up. You can tell physically that he put in the work in the offseason, which is a credit to him. And once we’ve been in the room, he has just a million questions, at times you’re like, ‘Hey hold on, let somebody else ask a damn question.’ But you know he’s trying to take that next step and that’s the type of person he is, which is awesome for us as a coaching staff and as an organization. And I think we’re going to continue to see him grow as a player and as a person.”
(On the importance for a guy like DT Abry Jones to be a leader) “Yeah, you know, the first day that we had the vets in the building, Abes [Abry Jones] and I sat down—eight years ago I was coaching Abes so we have a very good relationship, and I said, ‘It’s time. It’s time for you to really take control. I know before, you were a vocal guy in that room, but I think [former Jaguars DE] Calais [Campbell] was really the leader in that group and now we’re putting that on [DE/LB] Josh [Allen] even though he’s a young player.’ But him and Abes really need to step up and lead that group. Abes knows what I expect in that room. I think this year, you’re going to see a little bit more hands-on with that group by myself and Rebs [Jaguars Defensive Line Coach Jason Rebrovich]. And he knows how I want it to look and he knows how I want those guys to practice, what I expect in meeting rooms and Abes is going to help us get to that standard that we want, especially with all these new guys.”
(On whether it’s good to have a long-term veteran player like DT Abry Jones on the defense) “I think it’s an advantage; obviously he’s got to continue to play at a high level, but if he plays at a high level, that leadership is priceless and he can really bring—we’ve got a lot of young guys, which we know and obviously even more new guys. So that leadership is going to be important for him to help us, as a coaching staff within an organization, set the tone for that room because that’s where it starts. And I told him day one, ‘I’m tired of people turning around, just handing the damn ball off and getting 4 or 5 yards a crack,’ and it starts with the guys up front, that’s the damn expectations for them. And he’s going to help us get that done and get to where we need to be and run defense.”
JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVER LAVISKA SHENAULT JR.
Friday, August 14, 2020
(On his mindset over the past two weeks) “I mean from the get go, it’s a dog’s mindset that you have to go into, every day. I’m just trying to work, that’s the mindset: just work, work, work.”
(On his favorite part of Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden’s offense) “Just the raw concepts. We haven’t gotten to anything crazy yet, but I like the raw concepts. It gives you opportunities to get the ball and just do things with it.”
(On playing with CB CJ Henderson) “It’s fun. He’s a placement corner, he’s knows how to cover. So, it’s always fun to go against those types of guys.”
(On his approach to playing with the wide receivers on the team) “I mean, we all know at this level, you’ve got to work for that spot. And we all know it don’t come easy. And of course, I want the No. 1 spot, I highly doubt anyone wouldn’t want the No. 1 spot. But of course, still though, learning from others, you never want to stop doing that. So, I’m definitely ears open and I’m listening to my receivers because they’ve played 17 years and the vets in the room that have years under their belt. So I’m always listening and they’re always helping out.”
(On best advice he has received from WR DJ Chark Jr.) “A lot, a lot, we talk all the time. Any little tips or any little thing that I fail to do on the field, he’s helping me out. Like I said, he’s not the only one helping out, you’ve got everybody helping out. It’s a team so far, it’s a good team so far.”
(On importance to learn from Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell) “Tips, just being a [smarter] route runner and, you know, just paying more attention to detail and just doing those little things right because it’ll help you in the long run.”
(On playing with QB Gardner Minshew II during practice thus far) “It’s been fun, he brings the energy and he’s always looking to help out. He just makes sure everything is going the right way and just making sure that I’m doing thing. Because he sees the future that I have and we’re trying to get it rocking.”
(On his connection with QB Gardner Minshew II and his expectations for his rookie season) “We’re slowly building it. I mean, getting a connection with your quarterback don’t come quick. So, it’s a work in progress and I like it so far. And my expectations, I mean, to do big things of course. You know, do things that rookies didn’t do. I’m trying to do all types of things; I don’t really have a certain thing I want to do. But I mean, make the Pro Bowl or be the Rookie of the Year. Like I mean, that stuff is already [written]. I don’t need to make that my expectations, it should already be known. My biggest thing is just gaining respect from Duval County and my teammates.”
(On meeting Kobe and Gia Bryant before their passing) “Oh man, it was so special. I didn’t talk to them that much, but just to be courtside and be by someone so special like that, it definitely meant a lot. And you know, it’s just crazy, crazy what all happened. Legendary, legendary moment.”
(On holding the memory of that night with Kobe and Gia Bryant a little tighter) “Oh yeah, most definitely. Most definitely.”
JAGUARS S JARROD WILSON
August 14, 2020
(On his level of play this year compared to last year) “A lot better. I feel a lot more comfortable going through this whole process. With COVID-19 and everything, it has a little bit of obstacles to it. But as far as getting back to the flow of things, it feels pretty good. I have a year of starting underneath my belt so [I’m] just trying to pick up where I left off last year honestly.”
(On playing with S Ronnie Harrison for the second year) “It’s just like a feel thing. We’re really close friends. That’s my brother so it just feels good to get back out there and be with him. It’s kind of like we’re always on the same page. I know what he’s thinking and he knows what I’m thinking.”
(On leading the team in snaps played last season) “I guess that means I’m taking care of my body. It’s not like it was a true goal of mine sort of speak. It’s just honestly, I want to be out there as many snaps as I can, and I know that I just help the team win. I’m willing to stay out there whenever. I don’t ever want to come out [of] the game. I wasn’t counting snaps or anything like that though.”
(On he ever was close to not playing a game last year due to injury) “Not close to not playing in a game. I definitely have my nicks and bruises for sure. I just try to just focus and stay out there and get ready for Sundays. I definitely was kind of banged up and everything, but that just comes with it.”
(On his advice to players trying to make the roster this year without preseason games) “This year is unlike any other so it’s definitely a difficult task without having that opportunity to showcase your talents to not only this team but every team. Every team watches the preseason games. But if anything, I’ve just been talking to a couple guys and undrafted guys about just being on the details of things- little things as far as being on time to meetings or a couple of minutes early. It’s a saying a heard a long time ago that you’d rather be seen than heard, especially when you’re a younger guy. So just show up, be ready to work and always just paying attention to the details. That will kind of give you a leg up on anything because that may not be the case with everyone.”
(On the importance of being safe during this time) “Well, safety is the first and foremost thing just for everyone. With COVID-19, it’s a real tough, sensitive situation, especially when we’re all coming together [and] hadn’t been around each other for quite some time. We get tested daily so it’s mainly just staying safe and mask[ing] up at all times. I don’t have to wear my mask right now, but I just know wearing it promotes people to make sure that they have theirs on at all times. It’s just key. It’s not really about you personally wearing the mask, it’s about helping others out around you. Mainly just staying safe, keeping our distance from one another when we’re not clearly on the field. Just being precautious, washing our hands and trying to stay as safe as possible because you don’t want to take this home to a family member.”
(On wearing his mask on the field) “Yeah, I did. That just was by choice. It’s not like you have to wear your mask necessarily underneath your helmet, but I have. I’m trying to just see if I can get used to it and possibly play with it. I’m trying to be as safe as possible. It is kind of a little bit tough so I may not necessarily wear it underneath my helmet, but just was trying it out and giving a little look at it.”
(On if he’s being extra cautious about safety compared to most of the league for a reason) “Nothing in particular. I just know the severity of COVID-19. I’ve seen it firsthand. My fiancé is a nurse at Mayo Clinic, so she tells me a lot of stories about COVID-19. I had a couple of family members recently that had come up with it down in Columbus that I heard about. How close to home COVID has come to me, it’s just a lot. I’m just trying to stay safe as possible and definitely not trying to get infected by it.”
(On if he considered opting out of the season) “No, it wasn’t a consideration for me, but [I] definitely ran through the parameters of it- just what would be the next steps going forward if I were to opt out. It was kind of short lived for me. I wanted to really for the most part be out with my teammates and I know that the NFL would do their job to keep us as safe as possible.”
(On his first impressions of the offensive, especially WR Laviska Shenault Jr. and the new receivers) “Due to the social distancing, I haven’t had the time to really just interact with them but I’ve seen them on the field and lined up against them. The first thing I thought was they were really athletic, a lot of speed. Honestly, I feel like they’re ahead of the learning curve as far as being on the playbook, not being able to practice until today for the first time sort of speak. I feel like there weren’t too many mess-ups on their end. I’ve seen them and I like both of their games. I’ve seen highlights and everything like that, but it’d be interesting to line up with them and go full speed in the next couple of days and weeks.”
(On the turnover in the secondary of the Jaguars, maintaining their identity, and the new players added to the group) “I think, first, an identity just comes really from the definition of what makes you you, in my opinion. It’s really not about the past or even the future, we’re just living in the now with the guys that we have. I think every guy in the NFL is talented. Coming from me, I’m an underdog. I was undrafted. No one would say I’d be a starter in the league but here I am now starting. Every guy is important. I love watching CJ [Henderson], first-rounder. He’s pretty smooth. I like how he moves. He moves really well. [We] still have D.J. [Hayden] in the room- he’ll be inside at the nickel. Then my boy Tre [Herndon]- he’s same as me, an undrafted guy. I expect a lot of big things from us. I’m not going to shy away from that. I think we’re ready to lock up and roll this season. I’m pretty excited. It’s the first day so I’m not going to go overboard with it, but definitely excited.”
(On if the overall feel of the secondary unit this year is more quiet) “Yeah, for the most part. We’re kind of laid-back guys, kind of chill, not doing too much, but on the field, we talk a lot. I talk a lot with Tre [Herndon]. Even CJ [Henderson]- I know he’s kind of soft spoken, but he’ll say some things. D.J. [Hayden] will always talk. Me and Ronnie [Harrison] are constantly talking. It’s a lot of rookies in the room now too with the safeties and corners. They’re not that shy either. It’s really just getting together and knowing each other for the most part with the newer and younger guys, but we’re kind of just a modest group to be honest with you.”
JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVERS COACH KEENAN MCCARDELL
Sunday, August 16, 2020
(On his expectations from Chris Conley this season) “You know, Chris [Conley] has been the eldest statesman in my room. I expect him to lead the younger guys, show them how to be pros, but continue to be Chris. I think Chris had his best year of his career last year and I want him to continue to grow on that year. And I think coming out to practice and showing guys how a professional does it is really big for the young guys. And I tell the two young guys to take a peek at him, watch how he practices. He doesn’t take anything for granted and he understands, I mean, it’s a competition here and everybody in that room understands the competition. So, I expect him to step up and be a guy that’s going to help us this year.”
(On working with Offensive Coordinator Jay Gruden thus far) “Oh it’s been great! I mean, I kind of know this offense pretty well. I’ve been to the Pro Bowl with this offense, so I understand this offense. I can kind of help my guys get through some of the hard parts of this offense. I think Jay has kind of made it a little bit simpler than [former Jaguars Offensive Coordinator] John [DeFilippo]. You know, John had a lot of shifts, motions and all that. You have to know different—a whole bunch more formations before you got into the final formations. Jay has made it a little bit simpler, a little bit easier for us outside. It’s concept-driven and our guys have picked it up pretty well. I mean, our virtual meetings in the spring were really big for us and we’re fortunate enough [that] we’ve got some smart guys that are picking the offense up.”
(On thoughts of the wide receiver group as a whole) “You know, I like the different body types that I have in my room, the different route runners that I have in my room. Everybody has continued to improve each and every day. It’s great to have some big guys that can run routes like little guys and some little guys that can get past folks like the big guys, big guys just being big. I mean, it’s a great room. For us to get to where I want us to be, we’ve got to continue to make plays for this offense every time our number is dialed up, you know, and be accountable to this offense and accountable to this team. And understand that sometimes we have to take the burden off of Gardner [Minshew II] and strike past long runs. We need to be able to be dynamic outside.”
(On coaching with a mask on and without a preseason due to COVID-19) “First off, I double up with the masks and it’s hard for them to hear me, so I’ve got to speak up, speak clearly. A couple times it took my breath away a little bit. You know, I have to deal with it. Thought I was about to pass out one day and I had to take both masks off. Other than that, it’s been good. But for COVID’s sake, I’m trying to get everybody ready because we don’t know who could test positive and it’s the next man up mentality for me. I want to be able to coach guys who are ready to play at any point in this season because we never know what could happen. I hope, we knock on wood, that we don’t get any hints of COVID in my room or on our team. And if we do, then the next guy has got to step up and I expect the next guy to play like it was his job, as if he was the number one receiver or number two receiver or number three receiver. I expect him to come in and do that, and he should have that confidence and I’m going to have that confidence to give him and I’m going to have the confidence in him to come in and play.”
(On following up with the players on their protocols outside of practice, too) “I do, I mean, I continue to harp on ‘Alright, this is your job. You want to get paid? You want to be able to support your family? You’ve got to do the right things.’ You know, it’s 17 weeks, well no, it’s 21 weeks for a season and then another six [weeks] for the playoffs. So, you’ve got to be able to be disciplined in that time frame and be able to know that it’ll pay off for you in the long run. So, I keep harping on that. You’ve got to trust them. You’ve got to let them know you trust them, and believe in them that they will do that. And most likely they’ll respond to the way you talk to them and mean it.”
(On the National Coalition for Minority Football Coaches and the progress of the BLM movement) “You know, it’s coming, the progress is coming. It’s always a fight and we’ve got to continue to make it a movement, not just a moment, like Chris [Conley] has said in our march. The movement has to keep going and you’ve got to believe in the things, believe in the people that are in charge that are going to make things right. And if they’re not, then you’ve got to call it to their attention. I mean, that goes from outside of football, inside of football, whether it’s at the pro level or at the college level. With [Maryland Head] Coach [Mike] Locksley, I love what he does. Me and him are really good friends, we have our private conversations. I don’t have to be on the board or in the board, but me and him have our conversations about it. He bounces things off of me a lot and you know, I just tell him how I feel being a former player, being a coach now and seeing the difference in things in the coaching industry. You just kind of bounce things off guys and just give them a different insight of some things. And you know, we continue to have those types of conversations. I mean, I really respect Coach Locksley for doing that. I knew he would. My two years with him were good. We would go out to dinner a lot and we’d talk about all the issues before all of this came down, so it’s just our normal conversations.”
(On the difficulty to be strict with the COVID-19 protocols) “No, I think the ops [operations] team here has done a great job of telling us how the [social] distancing should be. You know, we have our GPS [tracers] on and it kind of pings if we’re getting too close, they kind of give us some guidance of what we need to do. And we do it, I give our ops team a kudos for what they’ve been doing, I mean, [Associate Athletic Trainer] Cassie [Ettel] is doing a big thing for us with the COVID-19 virus. Everybody around here has taken it seriously and we’ll continue to take it seriously. I just hope our guys, when they’re outside of the building, continue to take it seriously. As much as we stress it here, I think it’ll carry over to outside the building.”
(On everything being sanitized after every single practice) “It does. I mean, it kind of goes back to when you see a quarterback throw a football or lick his fingers before he throws a football. He can’t do that now because he could have—he could get COVID from somewhere. It’s the new norm. You’ve got to dip your hand in some water or wipe your forehead for some sweat or something to moisturize your fingers and stuff like that. So, it’s a little bit different. You understand that when you come off the field you’ve got to wash your hands, don’t touch your face, and all that so, don’t rub your eyes. You know, it’s hard in Florida not to rub your eyes because of all the sweat, so you’ve got to go get the towels and stuff like that. But our training staff has done a great job with informing us and all that. So, we’ve got to continue to believe in those guys and trust in them and know that they’ve got our best interest at heart.”
(On Laviska Shenault Jr.’s performance thus far) “I see a lot of power—strong runner after the catch. You know, he reminds me a little bit of Anquan Boldin after the catch, the way he gets in and out, the way he breaks his tackles, on film I saw that. Now, being up close with him, he has that power of Andre Johnson. You know, I hold Andre in high regards, that’s my guy, we’re good friends. But I’ve also seen him [Shenault] work every day. I see the power that he has, he kind of reminds me a little bit of Andre, he has that type of power. And I don’t want to put those shoes out there for him because those are some huge shoes to fill, but you know, he has that type of body type. I mean, I’m looking forward to seeing this kid play. I recruited him when I was at Maryland. I know who he is, I know where he comes from, I know what type of football player he is, it means a lot to him. You know, he’s kind of quiet, but you know, it means a lot to him and I appreciate that.”
(On expectations for DJ Chark Jr.) “You know, I’ve got big expectations for DJ [Chark Jr.], and I don’t want to overload him too much with what I want from him. I’m going to ease it to him, because you start to throw too much on him, and he gets to thinking. I want my guys to be able to play fast and have fun. I want them to go out and have fun. That’s what I want them to do is go out and have fun. And take a leadership role, just a little bit more. You know, demand more from the people around him. I mean, okay, you play receiver, but you can demand more from every position in that huddle. I mean, if you’re playing at a high level, demand it from everybody else. And just be a spirit that brings good vibes to the huddle, good vibes to this team. You know, everybody has seen you go to the Pro Bowl, you’re this, you’re that. Now, don’t rest on your laurels and say ‘Well, okay I’ve been there, you guys haven’t been there.’ No, I want all of us to go there, let’s get there. Let’s take this thing to, not just to Pro Bowl, let’s take this thing to the Super Bowl.”
