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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

Keelan Cole - Friday, July 27, 2018

(On how different this season is) "It's not really different. It's the same intensity, but a little bit more. We know we are going to have to work harder to get over that hump that we hit last year, and that is what we want. We want the Super Bowl, so whatever work we have to put in, we are going to do it." 

(On if he's more familiar with the offense) "Right now, I can't really tell. Last year coming in, I was just open-eyed, and I was trying to learn everything quick. We have so many weapons, so there is only so many things you can do. There is only one ball. You have to find your way. You have to run your routes and help everybody else get open, so when your time comes, you'll be ready." 

(On the wide receiver group) "It is really good. The ball can go to anybody and anything can happen at any time. We have so many playmakers on that side, the other side, we're going against the greatest defense in history in my eyes. Everybody on that defense is a weapon and every time you are going against anybody, it's a good rep." 

(On if he has reflected on last year) "We've had plenty of months to do that. Right now, it's really up to holding that trophy. Everything else outside, it's just tunnel vision I should say. We are just trying to get to that point. This is what we work for." 

(On if he has reflected on his personal journey) "Honestly, yes. But if you were to ask me that a long time ago, I probably would have gave you a great answer. Right now, I can't even really figure that out to even put it together." 

(On what gave him wide eyes last season) "It was definitely the speed. Then, obviously nobody knew what kind of defense we were going against until the year came. I guess to answer his [previous] question, going back and realized that we were going against the best defense throughout the whole year, that lets you know how much every rep we were getting better each day." 

(On his strength and conditioning goals in the offseason and if he felt like he met them) "Honestly, I'm pretty much always conditioned. That is one of the strengths I have. I can run forever. I can continue to run. I'm not that big, so obviously I can just move around and keep going. I was also working on special teams, so conditioning stuff is always something that you have to do." 

(On if he put on more strength, more muscle) "For sure, for sure. 'Milo' [Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Tom Myslinski] has us in there working out all the time all throughout the year. That is something that I definitely look forward to doing in the offseason and throughout the season. He keeps us healthy and keeps us working." 

(On if he has been back to Kentucky Wesleyan and being seen as an ambassador for the program) "No, I honestly don't feel like I have made it to the point in my life to get back there and do that yet. To them, I might have a name and stuff like that, but I feel like I have more to work for in order to go back and do actually something in that sense." 

(On what he has learned from the wide receivers) "Like I said, our offensive room … The receivers room, I'm learning a lot from them every day even on routes out there and stuff like that. When I see them go out and do the drills, if I like it and coach likes it, that's on me. I am trying to repeat it and do the same thing. That is down from Shane Wynn to even [DJ] Chark [Jr.]. Chark, he came from a different area of football, too, so I can learn anything from anybody." 

(On if he has seen improvement in the offseason) "Of course, I expect to get better because I worked in the offseason in order for that to happen. In my eyes, I feel like I'm better in everything, but it's only been two days, so you really can't picture that yet." 

(On what it is like working with Wide Receivers Coach Keenan McCardell) "When I said the receivers room – that is the head dog. Whatever we know, he knows. We are just learning off of that. With me, he is on me, and I like it. You can't get better unless you are learning, and it's from everything. If I drop it, he's on me. If I catch it, he's on me. If I run a good route … It's always something new, and I'm trying to learn it, so I'm just listening." 

(On if he has watched McCardell's highlights) "No. I wouldn't do that because I know I'm going to say something good to him, and he says something about himself every day. I just wait and let it go throughout the year. Honestly, before games, we try to get him to show his highlights because I'm sure has better ones than YouTube would have. We try, but he doesn't want to do it yet." 

(On Keenan saying something about himself) "He's teaching us. We are young, so we are going to give a little lip every once in a while, just joking lip. He will say, 'If I was out there …' It is that type of sense." 

(On what Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tom Coughlin has said) "If you all knew [Tom] Coughlin, he doesn't … That is not what he does. He is all about moving forward and getting better. If you think about it, Coach McCardell is the same way. They work together for a reason, and Coach McCardell definitely gets traits for him. Any time I talk to Coughlin, it's not negative, but it is, 'Hey, you can do this better.' Or, 'What do you need to be doing? What did you do to get better during the offseason?' That is another person that when he talks to you, he means business. That is open ears right there." 

(On how he would assess himself in two days) "Honestly, I feel like I have a lot of work to do. That is every day. I can't go through these practices and feel like I am not doing what I need to do to help my team and my teammates. I'm not saying that is what I am doing. I don't feel that way, but I feel like I should be getting better every day, and that is what I am trying to do and I'm working towards it. I just have to get over this heat."

(On if he notices if Blake Bortles is throwing the ball better than he did last season) "Definitely. Me and Blake have actually been working. That is something I look forward to in practice – just getting familiar with the system. When you are running routes on air in an offseason, that is a totally different thing. When we are coming in during practice and it is 11-on-11, 7-on-7 and you have somebody in front of you and you are working on timing and stuff like that, that is a big thing. He's feeling more comfortable. I can see that much for sure."

(On what the receiving unit will be able to do differently this year) "Honestly, the only thing that kept us from doing anything different from last year was just health. That is another thing that we try to stick to as a unit. We try to get in the ice bath together as much as we can. We're little guys so the cold doesn't really work too well with us, but we try to do it together so that way we are all cold together. We all do it. We all get CRYO[therapy]. We try to stick together as much as we can. There is competition, but it's more friendly help I should say." 

(On if he still tries to compete against A.J. Bouye) "Every time. Every time. A.J. is a top 100 player in the league, and that is not even at his position. When '2.0' [Jalen Ramsey] comes in, I am ready to go against him, too. It's not really a competitive thing. It is competitive, but it is not an anger competitive. It is more that when I go against him [Bouye], I feel like I'm getting better. I'm asking him questions – I'm like, 'Hey, what did you see? What made you beat me on this route?' I'm trying to win as well. I'm not just out there running a route and trying to see what he is doing. I'm trying to win as much as he is." 

(On how Tyler Patmon and D.J. Hayden have looked) "Definitely good. They are in a good system as well. They are all playing behind the same people like I'm playing behind Marqise [Lee] and Donte [Moncrief]. They are playing behind the two best DBs in the league – the duo. They are learning as much as everyone else has and they are doing their own techniques and putting it in with theirs, and they are fitting in."

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