JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Charles from Riverside
Hello, John. Sean from Oakleaf recently asked about Coen's intent to let Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence potentially rush more this upcoming season. Coen has also mentioned his intent to emphasize more rushing plays. I was wondering if there were any clues during minicamp to that effect in the Jags' new offense? Or do we need to see Training Camp to really see that revealed? Or, again, is that something that develops over the start of the regular season? Historically, we have always had productive wins and seasons when we excelled on the ground. Here's hoping for a repeat!
Head Coach Liam Coen absolutely is focused on improving the Jaguars' rushing offense. He not only has said this on multiple occasions, he showed last season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator that it is in his football DNA to emphasize the run. It's difficult to get real "clues" about regular-season play design and likely game plans from non-padded offseason minicamp work. It's even hard to get such clues during training camp; while the Jaguars certainly will focus on this area in some practices, it's just as true that all NFL teams focus on the running game during at least some training camp practices – whether they're run-centric teams or not. Either way, I expect we'll see an increased emphasis on this area under Coen and I doubt we'll be too deep into the regular season before we see it.
Deane from HIll AFB via Daytona Beach, FL
Yo, O-Zone! I was just looking at the bios of our head coach, general manager and executive vice president of football operations. All three played college ball; Coen was a quarterback and General Manager James Gladstone was a two-time captain. with only Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli going on to play in the NFL and become a Hall of Famer. That's not a knock on Coen's or Gladstone's college careers. Do you think when coming up with plans for drafting, offseason, organized team activities, the dead zone and training camp that they all glean off each other? I mean to have someone who is a Hall of Famer I would definitely be picking his brain. What says you O-Zone???
I think Boselli, Gladstone and Coen do as much as possible to work together within their roles – and the reality is Boselli's perspective having been around the Jaguars for the better part of three decades is more important than him having played in the NFL. Remember, too: Coen has worked as an NFL assistant coach and Gladstone has worked in NFL personnel for pretty much as long as Boselli played. They have NFL experience even though they didn't play. And the trio can pick each other's brains.
Rich from Dacula
What I want to see from No. 16 … in order for Trevor to improve this year, I would like to see him be more accurate throwing the ball with more touch and NOT a 100 mph fastball. It appears to me that he doesn't throw a very catchable ball. Last year our backup appeared to throw a nice catchable ball. I know this is the NFL and receivers should catch anything that hits them in their hands, but let's make this work for both.
OK.
Deane from HIll AFB via Daytona Beach, FL
Yo, O-Zone!!! If my memory serves me correctly, you also liked Depeche Mode. If it does, Top 5 DM songs? Secondly, does this upcoming Monday night game against KC have a hint of that historic 1997 win against Pitt on Monday night? What says you, O-Zone???
I liked Depeche Mode in the mid-1980s or so during my "college new wave days," so I was more familiar with their early stuff – Speak and Spell, etc. – than anything thereafter. So songs such as Just Can't Get Enough, Two-Minute Warning, Dreaming of Me, New Life and Everything Counts are on my list. I was really more a fan of Vince Clarke, a genius when it comes to songwriting in the electronic keyboard genre who left Depeche Mode to form Yaz and then Erasure. Secondly, I can't really associate the Jaguars' 2025 Week 5 Monday Night Football Game against the Kansas City Chiefs with that 1997 Monday Night Football victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers … yet. The Jaguars entered that Steelers game and that 1997 season as a "hot" NFL team," having made the AFC Championship Game the previous season and having started the '97 season 2-0. They had an identity and were a team on the rise. The hope around the Miller Electric Center certainly is that the '25 Jaguars will be a team on the rise, just as the hope is that the Week 5 game against the Chiefs will be a tone-setting and memorable victory over a perennial AFC power. But until those things happen, it's all just hope.
Gator from Gainesville, FL
Wate! Yur tellin me there's a version of TurboTax you got to pay for? Whats next? You gonna tell me sum peeple leave a penny in the take a penny tray?
Here we go, Jaguars.
Travis from High Spring
When discussing offensive lines, you often hear the terms gap-blocking scheme, zone- blocking scheme, even wide-zone blocking scheme. What are the main differences between them? And would a coach prefer certain types of linemen for certain schemes? Such as bigger, stronger linemen for one and quicker, more athletic linemen for another?
Both terms refer primarily to how an offense approaches the run game, with a "zone-blocking" scheme generally about offensive linemen working in tandem and blocking defenders in a designated "zone." This allows linemen to depend more on where defenders already are and move them out of the way based on their positioning. A "gap-blocking" scheme is more about offensive linemen moving defensive linemen out of a designated hole or "gap." Linemen in a zone-blocking scheme might depend more on athleticism whereas linemen in a gap-blocking scheme might depend more on physicality to overpower defenders.
Zach from Wisco
Why is everyone saying, "F. Scott Fitzgerald?" What'd he do?
Considering the collective O-Zone readership and specific time of year, this reference in retrospect feels sort of inevitable.
Scott from Atlantic Beach, FL
A friend one said to me, "Ernest Hemingway is like a realist painter, while Wiliam Faulkner is like an abstract painter." I thought it made a lot of sense.
Indeed.
JK from NY & Fernandina Beach, FL
John - In the recent Quarterback Analysis column, the Great Frank Frangie opined that Trevor "is poised to take the next step." I totally agree, but noted that the other experts, and one so-called expert, were a bit more wait and see in their assessments. One of the best parts of game day is listening to Mr. Frangie's play-by-play call on the radio. He is an underappreciated gem in the broadcasting world. Of course, we will all miss the wit and wisdom of Tony Boselli, but he is now serving a higher purpose in Jags World. Any news on the EVP's radio replacement?
My understanding is that at this point the plan is not to replace Boselli and instead go with a "two-person booth" with Frangie on play-by-play and Jeff Lageman on analysis.
Kevin O from Brentwood HS
JO- " just then I saw a young hawk flyin and my soul began to rise "
He was right to leave her on that high road.
Gator from Gainesville
Yur anser about coaches luvin play idears reminds me of the girls round heer. They act like they don't like me, one she I was gross, but I no they do. Boy I no they do.
Jaguars 2024 Training Camp begins in late July, with veterans reporting July 22.
Jesse from Texas
Along the same spirit of Travis Hunter wanting to play two positions this season, I feel you should also ask to expand your role with the Jaguars and perhaps take on a new duty. In addition to senior writer, I think you would be a great candidate for a newly created position of motivational speaker. Essentially, anytime the team is down at halftime, they would call you into the locker room to deliver a powerful speech to get all the players back on track and ready to play. You could also ask to be given the responsibility of constantly roaming the sidelines during the game and shouting "Let's go" after every first down or defensive stop.
After reviewing recent performance reviews and personality assessments, it has been decided this perhaps not the best role for me.
Brendan from The Moral Low Ground
Will you think about hiring me as a junior writer? I will point out every time you start a sentence with the word "And." Just hire me already.
And while I admire your gumption and your morals, I probably will neither think about this or do it. No real reason. I just don't feel like it.
