JAGUARS HEAD COACH URBAN MEYER
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2021
(On TE Dan Arnold’s injury status) “He’s out for a while. He’s going to be on IR [injured reserve]. It’s an MCL.”
(On TE Dan Arnold’s injury being season-ending) “We’re still not completely sure, for sure IR[ injured reserve] though.”
(On the reasoning RB James Robinson was held out of the game after the fumble) “We just try to rotate. I just asked that question like five minutes ago to get clarity if I get asked. [It’s because of the] rotation and then he’s still not 100 percent. You can see that on perimeter runs and we felt that Carlos [Hyde] had little more juice in his legs.”
(On if RB James Robinson was held out due to the fumble specifically) “A little bit. I’m sure Bernie [Running Backs Coach Bernie Parmalee] talked to him and [Offensive Coordinator Darrell] Bev[ell] and all those guys on the sideline. I did briefly. But the answer I got was rotation and Carlos [Hyde] felt like should be in the game.”
(On the improvements by the offense on third downs) “I thought it was really good. There are so many positives to that game yesterday. You take away the turnover and penalties, which sounds [bad], but [there were] a lot of positives. Third down was really good. Someone asked me how Trevor [Lawrence] played, I thought he competed his tail off and I thought third downs were excellent. We did a lot of tempo on third downs. We had 18 snaps of a little bit more of what he’s used to doing, going fast, and the offensive line did a nice job in those situations. We got first downs, so that was a part of it. Execution’s part of it, but [I’m] really pleased with that. That’s why you sustain those long drives. We had a couple really long drives too. I think two 14-play drives if I remember.”
(On understanding the personality of the team) “Defensively, I think we kind of have an idea who we are. Tyson Campbell played great. We’re fitting our scheme to personnel. Offense, with our fluidity of receivers, we still have not identified any downfield passing game. However, in the run game, I thought we ran the ball really well. I thought the offensive line came off the ball. I thought we mixed in under center and shotgun runs, which is what I want to be. The shotgun runs were really productive, so that’s a little bit of our identity. Pass game identity, we’re still not there, but it’s how can you get there with the rotation of receivers that we have right now. All of a sudden [Laquon] Treadwell, who I thought played really hard, made some really good plays. Tavon [Austin] all of sudden became a starting receiver for us and answered the bell, made an excellent catch in the end zone, [has] great energy, good run after catch on that short one. Laviska [Shenault Jr.]’s really good with the ball in his hand. We have to clean up some other stuff, but [he’s] really good with the ball in his hand.”
(On being behind schedule having to add new receivers to the lineup this late in the season) “Yeah, just the fluidity. Pass game’s a lot of timing and comfort. You have a 22-year-old quarterback, and you keep rotating receivers. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just guys get dinged, guys get hurt. What’s your vertical stretch because eventually that’s going to shut down. We’ve seen a lot of teams play man coverage on us right
now, so we have to beat man coverage. That’s a big issue. When we do, we’re really good. Marvin [Jones Jr.] did it, made a great catch on one. We had some good plays.”
(On the rotation of receivers impeding on QB Trevor Lawrence’s growth) “We have to fix it. Am I concerned? Sure. I’m concerned about everything, but that’s a reality of the game of football. The pass game part is about consistency and timing. When you have, like I said to no one’s fault, when you have two guys go down and you’re just kind of rolling through guys, it’s a little bit more difficult on a quarterback. So yeah, it’s a problem. But I thought yesterday though just throw and catch [was] decent. We had a couple [drops] but throw and catch was decent.”
(On receivers running the wrong routes) “Some stuff yeah.”
(On WR Laviska Shenault Jr. possibly running the wrong route on a play in the fourth quarter) “I don’t want to get too detailed, but yeah I think that was part of [it]. I don’t want to go on that play [in] particular. We’ve had some depth issues and location issues.”
(On WR Laquon Treadwell getting more involved in the pass game) “Yep. I love who he is. I love what he stands for. He sticks his face on you and he [works hard]. It’s so nice to see him make that great catch on the sideline.”
(On WR Laquon Treadwell having intensity) “Yeah, he’s my kind of guy.”
(On playing the next two games on the road) “All I’m worried about is one game on the road. We’re facing an all-star team [the Los Angeles Rams] out there [on a] long trip. So, we just have to put this one behind us, learn from some of the mistakes, and get ready to go. I know they lost. I think they’ve lost two in a row. I’ve not studied them yet, but I’ve seen enough of them to know what we’re getting into.”
(On fixing reoccurring mistakes in the last six games of the season) “Well, you get what you emphasize. That’s a coaching axiom I’ve heard, what am I 57, now 30 years, 35, 38, 40 years ago, that you get what you emphasize. Obviously, we’re not emphasizing that enough as a staff. If there’s a defiance amongst
the ranks, then that’s a problem. That’s not it at all. How in the world could we have that penalty you think. How in the world can you have that penalty, and you have to look [at] who commits it, why did that happen, have we put those guys in that scenario, are they well coached up, and identify it and try to fix it. I’m not used to it, but there’s not simple solutions. If you’re struggling throwing and catching, work at it. If you can’t throw and catch, you have to find guys that can. If the same people keep making penalties, then you have to really address that why.”
(On being frustrating with players making repeated mistakes) “I think you guys know me well enough. That’s an ‘us’ mentality. I’m not going to dive into a player because also it was third down and 21 and he launched himself across for a first down. So, it’s all of the above, but it’s also why? Why was that happening? Is it defiance? Absolutely not. Once again, that guy, number 10 [WR Laviska Shenault Jr.], that was one of the best plays I’ve seen all year on that third down and 21 I think it was. Yeah, there’s things that need to be cleaned up, but I don’t want this to be about it’s him or him. I’ve never done that, that’ll never happen here. It’s us, staff and players.”
(On how the defense has regressed) “Well, we got knocked off the ball early in the game. 84 [Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson], we knew he was a hell of a player, and he was. We held him to 2.6 yards per carry in the second half, really toughened up against the run. Our pass defense was pretty solid. Tyson [Campbell] had one [interception], should’ve had two, almost a pick six. He’s getting so close to becoming that player that we thought. But the penalties, two of them were special teams by defensive players, but two on special teams that just take your breath away. Those can’t happen. I consider those, or we all consider those, turnovers. One was a holding penalty on the side again, so that was three turnovers on defense that you get what you emphasize. We have to emphasize we can’t do that, and we’re going to make changes or just keep working at it. I wish I had an easy answer for that.”
(On personnel changes being necessary on defense) “We’ll meet today. We haven’t had time. We just played yesterday, came in, met with the team. They just, I think, finished up meetings. It’s week whatever it is, you should have some of that stuff gone by now. I see it around the league too. We have to get it fixed.”
(On staying committed to CB Tyson Campbell and being on his side throughout the season) “I’ve known Tyson [Campbell] since [his] freshman year of high school. I saw his family out, so I just love who he is as a person. I love his family. [I was] a little pissed he went to Georgia instead of playing for me, but we’ll get over that. He’s a gifted guy, he is a really gifted guy and he cares deeply. I’m really high on him right now.”
(On recent college coaching changes) “I have no idea. I just got home, still wearing my game attire, and watched the video tape, got up in the morning and came back. I heard something about Oklahoma and USC, but we have other issues here.”
(On talking to interim Oklahoma Head Coach Bob Stoops) “No, I haven’t even checked my phone. I don’t know.”
(On talking with former Michigan RB Denard Robinson after Ohio State’s loss to Michigan) “Denard? I lost a hundy so yeah. Rusnak [DB Brandon Rusnak], he wouldn’t bet me, but I paid him a hundred anyways.”
