JAGUARS INTERIM HEAD COACH DARRELL BEVELL
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2021
(On the injury report for this weekend’s game against the Texans) “Carlos Hyde will be ruled out. He’s not going to make it through concussion protocols. Everybody else we expect to go full-go today, then, obviously you have to see how they make it [through] the next two days. But as far as we know, they’re going to make it.”
(On OL Andrew Norwell’s being able to play this weekend) “Yeah, I think really all the guys are progressing in that way. Again, when we go out there today, just making sure nothing happens today and then see how they react on Saturday.”
(On adjusting the lineup after taking over as interim head coach) “I think that’s very much under consideration. Really this is a business where you have to go out and you have to produce. So, if we’re not producing, changes need to be made at times. I think one of the things we like to do is make sure we handle it the right way. We don’t want to just say, ‘Hey, you’re done.’ It’s really important to say, ‘Hey, here’s what we see, you need to pick it up, and if you don’t pick it up, then here’s the ramifications’ and at least give them an opportunity to pick up the level of play.”
(On the decision for him to be in the box during games this season as the offensive coordinator) “I just think the dynamic of our staff really worked out that way with [Passing Game Coordinator] Brian [Schottenheimer] and I and then [former Head Coach] Coach Urban [Meyer] as well. I just think the dynamic really worked better that way for us.”
(On Passing Game Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer possibly taking over play calling responsibilities after this week) “We’re just taking it under consideration right now. Again, this happened midweek. It’s not fair to put it on anybody because I’ve been the one that’s preparing with the staff and putting all the time in to do that part of it. After Sunday and just seeing how everything goes where we can take a breath for a minute and then go from there and make those decisions.”
(On Passing Game Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer being moved to the box during games) “No, we’re not going to send anybody else up. We have a couple offensive coaches up there already.”
(On OL Walker Little’s progression at both left and right tackle) “Yes. If he needs to go in there, then yes we feel comfortable with him on both sides.”
(On OL Walker Little’s progression overall) “I think it’s been a good progression for him. You go back to, I forget exactly which game it was, but when Cam [Robinson] injured his back and within ten minutes [we told him], ‘Hey, you’re playing this game.’ He went out and did a really nice job for us. So, that just goes to show the preparation, one, that he does and then also how [Offensive Line Coach] Coach [George War]Hop handles all those guys, making sure he’s getting them in the mix and giving them opportunities to practice, keep improving their skills. He does really a great job of getting those guys ready and you can tell. He was ready to go, and I think if that happened again, he’d be ready.”
(On having today’s meeting on Zoom due to new COVID-19 protocols) “I mean the hits keep coming, right? It’s like the first day [and they said], ‘Here you go. You’re welcome. We’re going to give you new COVID protocols.’ So hey, we have to deal with what comes our way. The guys were great, just everybody kind of had to refresh a little bit, the mute button, and all those kinds of things, where’s that thing at? But it was a great meeting. Those guys all did it from home, so now their travel is getting ready to get here.”
(On replacing in-person meetings with Zoom meetings) “I don’t like it. I think we’re comfortable with it, we’re used to it. But probably for the same for you guys, it’s so much better just when you’re face to face to be able to interact with people. It keeps their attention better. Just it’s so much better to be in person, but we’re skilled enough, everybody had a whole year of it, so we know how to do it. [It’s] just not the preferred way.”
(On getting rookie players in the game during the last four games) “I think that’s communication just amongst us all as a staff to find out who’s ready to go, who’s playing well. But I don’t think we’re just going to wholesale make changes to put guys in the lineup at this point. We’ll continue to look for those guys, like Walker Little is a guy that you’d like to get looks at. But we have starters for a reason and we’re going continue to kind of move with those guys and see really where it takes us. I don’t think we’re just going to implement a young guy just to see what he can do at this point.”
(On what will change for him pregame in his new role) “Yeah, I just do what I normally do. I mean I kind of go out there, come back in, go out there one more time, come back in, and then go out with the team. I don’t know, I just kind of play it by ear. Something usually comes up that you have to figure out and I think as the head coach maybe [there are] more things. I know now I have to do the meeting with the officials, that you have to be in there for that. So, for the most part, it’ll be the same.”
(On discussions with his family after becoming the interim head coach) “That’s a fun question I guess, but yeah it’s a hard question. I think our family’s in the business of, at least when you’ve been in as long as I have, they understand the business. Now, as you guys know, my two daughters got married this summer and they have their husbands. I have a 17-year-old daughter that’s here, so they’ve been through it. They kind of get the business and know. We’re a really close family. It was like I greased the kids from day one. When they were this high, I said, ‘Hey listen, if one goes, all goes. We’re not leaving anybody behind. We’re all going. If you’re a senior, we’re going.’ [We had] those kinds of conversations, but you still have to make decisions when they come. If it’s their senior year, it’s like I know we talked about this, what are we going to do? So, those are always discussions, but my girls, my wife, they’re always very supportive. I mean my wife is amazing, very independent. I mean she can handle anything, so I’m really blessed to have her and the girls, they’re awesome as well. It’s just something that we kind of just handle together as a family and when things come our way, we just make the most of it.”
(On the process of moving as a coach) “Really, that’s what I’m saying about my wife, I mean she takes care of all it. The good part is I’m like, ‘Hey, I’m going here, here’s what we’re going to do.’ We do make the decision together, but then from there, I mean it’s amazing. All the stuff shows up, the family shows up, and everything just happens around me. It is amazing. She handles it all and I couldn’t do it without her.”
(On him actually packing boxes himself during moves) “I actually have packed a box only because we moved a couple times at the same stop. When I was a young coach, it was like oh we’re going to move from this duplex over to here or whatever. So, I have packed some boxes, but on the big moves, I have not packed a box. I did drive a U-Haul from Green Bay to … No, where was I … I went to Westmar University right out of college. We packed up a U-Haul and drove to Western Iowa, Le Mars, Iowa when I started at Westmar and had everything in a U-Haul, drove the U-Haul, the whole deal. No kids yet.”
(On getting adjusted to his new role as interim head coach) “I’m not adjusted right now because of this new protocol that came down. I mean that’s where I just came from. I’ve been trying to adjust the schedule and figure out do we the virtual, can we get them here, and just trying to juggle that around. So, today’s schedule’s set, tomorrow is what we’re working on right now to try to make the most of that. I don’t know if used to it is not [what it is]. I like to have a structure and be able to have a schedule, but things come up and you have to roll with it.”
(On not placing any players on the COVID-19 list as this week) “We don’t want to talk about that. We don’t want to put that in the atmosphere. But yes, the guys have handled it really well and hopefully these enhanced protocols that we have will keep it that way for us.”
