JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff welcomed nearly 200 area high school football coaches to EverBank Field Wednesday for a free coaches clinic.
Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley said that the afternoon was intended to increase dialogue.
"Let's just get as many coaches as we can together and for five-and-a-half hours, let's set our egos aside and let's help each other," Bradley said during his opening address. "It might not be a clinic where you get a notepad, a T-shirt, helmets, all the gift bags, all that – it's just gonna be a 'ball coachin'' clinic."
"When you talk to Gus you get pretty excited about everything, whether it's talking about philosophy or talking D-line or O-line or whatever," Atlantic Coast High School head coach Kevin Sullivan said.
Sullivan previously spent 11 seasons as the head coach at Andrew Jackson High School, and said the event fit in with the Jaguars organization's philosophy on transparency.
"I think it goes along with what they've been trying to do in the city," Sullivan said. "Be serviceable to the people in the city and let everybody know what's going on and here's our vision and here's our plan."
Bradley made the opening address, presenting the overall culture of the organization and coaching staff. Other sessions included presentations from offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch and defensive coordinator Bob Babich on the philosophy of offensive and defensive football.
Smaller break-out sessions with position coaches included practice and game film to support discussions in instructing fundamental techniques and basic scheme.
"I'm starting to learn the area even more, and there's a lot of good high school football coaches and they have a lot of knowledge," Bradley said. "(This event is) really to create an atmosphere where we can have an open dialogue between us and them and try to get some questions answered that so many of us have."
A total of 28 area high schools were represented Wednesday afternoon:
Andrew Jackson
Atlantic Coast
Baker County High School
Baldwin High
Bartram Trail
Bolles
Cedar Creek Christian
Clay High
Creekside
Eastside
Ed White
Englewood
Episcopal
First Coast
Mandarin
Middleburg
Nease
Potter's House
Providence
Ribault High
Stanton
St. Augustine
St. Johns Country Day
Paxon
Terry Parker
Trinity Christian
Raines
Yulee
