What’s Next: Compete, Compete, Compete

Hopefully Safety Chris Prosinski will either be weeded out or forced to improve through competition.  Source: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Jacksonville Jaguars were notoriously uncompetitive during the 2012 season.  No matter what ex-head coach Mike Mularkey said, the Jags were more than just a couple plays away from being good.  Mularkey was big on competition when he first came to Jacksonville, hopefully his successor actually follows through.

For new head coach Gus Bradley, this means that the team needs a fundamental change in its philosophy.  The players and coaches are no longer pretending that they were this close to a better record.  They know they need to become better and actually compete in games.  And Bradley isn’t shy about saying it.

This team will compete at every position for the 2013 season.  Nobody’s job is safe and the best player will start.

““Our central theme of our program is competition.  That’s it. That’s what we’re going to base everything off, is competition. That’s how you get better.”  This isn’t going to be like the year before when the gap between starter and backup was such a rift that some players didn’t even need to try for their positions.  You better watch out in 2013 because there will be a player nipping at your heels behind you.

In Bradley’s own words during an interview on Wednesday evening, “We have to provide an environment of discomfort with that competition.  We’re going to play the best players, and really we’re going to help those players develop and grow in all areas.”  To say that the Jaguars should be looking more hungry on every snap of the ball may be an understatement.

I’m looking forward to how this all turns out.  Bradley’s philosophy is a lot like Pete Carroll’s in Seattle and despite what may look like a simple derivative of Carroll’s work, I know that Bradley will bring his own influence and personality to it all.  Right now, at 0-0, it’s looking good.

– Luke N. Sims

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