Jacksonville Jaguars O.C. will make the offense exciting once again

It’s Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Jay Gruden’s time to shine with the installation of the 2020 game plan.

While listening to Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Jay Gruden last week when he met with the local media, I was excited to hear one comment he made in particular about the game plan he was installing and how it is difficult to take the product and make it work in virtual meetings as opposed to showing players how it works on a practice field.

"“It’s one thing to install plays on a chalkboard and virtual meetings getting to know the concepts and all that stuff, but it’s another thing to go out and execute and see what we’re good at, to see what guy can do,” he said. “I don’t have a lot of information as far as how these guys can handle different positions and how to run different routes and all that stuff.”"

It’s a different world the NFL lives in right now, but the honesty Gruden showed in how this has been a struggle at times over the course of the past few weeks once the Jacksonville Jaguars began their virtual offseason training shows this is a determined coach who wants to see his player grow, develop and win.

More from Jacksonville Jaguars News

That’s all we can ask of him. That’s all the fans can ask of a man who walks into a situation where everyone on the staff could be gone in less than a year’s time. For the Jaguars, this is the most telling “make or break season” potentially in the team’s history. On the other hand, it’s history Gruden, who has had success before as an offensive coordinator in Cincinnati, could be writing to make believers out of the many doubters the Jaguars have this offseason.

Gruden wants to shuffle the deck. He wants to see who fits where and what can be done to change the narrative on offense and most important to the success of this team in 2020, score more than 18.8 points per game as Jacksonville did in 2019.

"“I know Dede [Westbrook] plays in the slot, we drafted Laviska [Shenault Jr.], we’ll see what he can do outside and inside. I’d like to move some other receivers around a little bit, Chris [Conley] and DJ [Chark Jr], and see what happens,” he added. “Then we got Chris Thompson for some backfield stuff, but seeing Ryquell [Armstead] and obviously Leonard [Fournette] do some stuff in the backfield and just get to know everybody and get Tyler Eifert back in the mix and get him moving around and see where Josh Oliver is at and James [O’Shaughnessy].”"

If the Jaguars are going to win more than the obligatory two, three, or four games many prognosticators are predicting, it starts with Gruden’s commitment to a style of offense that plays to everyone’s strengths. It also means more passing opportunities for Gardner Minshew and more involvement from the tight end position and running backs out of the backfield.

Many who are outside of North Florida don’t see it, but it could be an exciting time to be part of the Jacksonville Jaguars offense. And those who continue to pour gasoline on the fire that this team is the worst in the league could be finding themselves issuing apologies at the end of the 2020 season.

I’m not saying this is a playoff team, but they could win more than five games. They could score more points in the red zone and Minshew, who also has his detractors, could throw for over 4,200 yards and 25 touchdowns this season.

It’s not impossible. It’s a change in the directive most have given this organization.

"“We have to get these guys on the field. I think, from a knowledge standpoint, they’ll know the plays and the concepts, but then getting them out there and seeing them execute it versus some different looks and find out what they’re good at so we can best utilize their skillset. We got to get out on the field soon,” Gruden said."

If the players get on the practice fields and execute the installation with few flaws, it’s a start to what we are talking about here. If the passing game is enough to scare opposing defenses, it’s a vast improvement. If it is Minshew who takes the next step in his maturation as an NFL starting quarterback, analysts will applaud the effort.

Gruden has this team expecting great things. For a change, it’s what has to happen. The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t look like winners on paper. They don’t need to. This offense needs to look like a winner in Gruden’s eyes. That’s all that really matters right now.

Next. Peter King ranks Jaguars last in latest power poll. dark

Home/Jacksonville Jaguars News