Jaguars HC Doug Marrone conference call (11.25.20)

Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone conference call: 

On Jaguars S Jarrod Wilson:

“He has been great really since Day 1 we have had him. From the 2017 season where he was a backup and in a special teams role, it is really just continual working to gain a starting spot or have an opportunity. When he had the opportunity, he took advantage of it. From a leadership role, he has done an excellent job. He is everything that you want. He is smart and he studies. We are really pleased with him. He is a pro, and he is a good man.”

On why Wilson is able to improve each year:

“That is simple – I think in this league as long as you always have a sense of humility and have a sense of you know that there are a lot of people who are working just as hard as you and trying to take your job every year or trying to take your spot on the team… I think his mindset is ‘Hey, I am going to keep working as hard as I can to earn myself the position.’ When you do not take those type of things for granted, I think you have a better chance of being the best you can be.”

On LB Joe Schobert’s season:

“Good. Joe has been great. He has been available and been playing hard. He makes all of the calls for us on defense. Real happy with him. Good relationship. Does everything that we are asking for so no issues whatsoever.”

On the Jaguars’ decision to target Schobert in free agency:

“I think that he is a guy that is always around the football. We needed a MIKE linebacker. We moved (Jaguars LB) Myles (Jack) over to WILL, which is probably his more natural position. We thought we would get really good production. Just a guy who works hard, comes in here every day and plays through little bumps and bruises, and that is something that I think we all appreciate out of all of the players who do that.”

On Jaguars QB Mike Glennon and expectations for Glennon this week:

“I do not know. I have never been with him before in a game. Obviously, I have seen the film. Obviously, we brought him in to be a backup, and (Jaguars QB) Gardner (Minshew II) is not fully ready. We are trying to see if he is going to be ready this week. He is taking reps in practice and getting a normal rep count as far as his throws. (Jaguars QB) Jake (Luton) is a young guy, and he faced two really good football teams. Mike has a lot of experience. We all know he has a good arm. I am looking to see him go out there and see if he can help us offensively with the people that we have around him. Really other than that without any preseason games or things like that to go by, it is tough to tell.”

On DE Myles Garrett and CB Denzel Ward and if he considers it a break for the Jaguars that the two Browns defensive players have been ruled out for Sunday:

“Anytime you get a guy, especially the way Myles Garrett… Myles Garrett was playing as good as and he is one of the Defensive Player of the Year-type candidates with the way he has been playing. He can dominate a game. He is an outstanding football player run or pass and hits on the quarterback. You always have to know where he is and have to always know when he is on the field. There is not a lot that you can’t say about the way he was playing. Obviously with Ward, he was having a really good year and playing extremely well – I think at a Pro Bowl level from what I have seen on defense during the year. I think those two players have been outstanding, but I think that a lot of players have stepped up there defensively who have played well for them. Up front, (DE) Olivier Vernon – obviously, I have experience with playing against him when he was in Miami – he is a heck of a player, and I know he is just kind of coming off of an unbelievable game. He can have those types of games week in and week out. The linebacker crew does a really good job. I like (LB B.J.) Goodson. He can run around and make a lot of plays for them. I think that they will be a great challenge for us offensively moving the football.”

On Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash not being available this week and on Sunday and how that will be on gameday:

“I do not know. We just got off the practice field. Pretty much, I took over the defensive stuff, worked on the defensive side of the ball and called the defense. Everything because of the protocols and everything that is in place, really we are just missing the coaches for that two hours that we are on the field. Other than that, they are with them the whole period of time. The coaches are obviously game planning together in Zoom calls and planning together. On gameday, I think we have it straight to where everyone is going to be. The players, we told them the plan earlier on. I can’t really say how it is going to affect us. I do not want to downgrade not having coaches on the field and that is not an issue. Obviously, it is another challenge in this year that has been challenging in a lot of ways.”

On how he is keeping the team’s spirits up with the losing streak and COVID-19 challenges:

“I think we have such a young team that these guys truly understand that they have to keep working at getting better and keep working at getting ourselves over the top to get a win. We have some older players that have been around that are really good leaders. From the standpoint of the team as far as their effort and as far as their preparation of working, that has not been an issue at all. We are just trying to go out there and get a win. We are taking things week by week and day by day. Obviously the climate that we are in, there are things that are changing all of the time, and we have to be ready for it. I have not seen anything from the effect of hanging their heads. Obviously, there is disappointed in where we are and what we have done so far to this point, but we have an opportunity to go play on Sunday, and we are looking forward to the opportunity against playing a team that is 7-3.”

On what he learned about S Ronnie Harrison Jr. when in Jacksonville and the team’s decision to trade Harrison to Cleveland:

“It is personnel. There are a lot of people involved in the decision, but I am happy that Ronnie is playing and doing well, and I was happy for the time he spent here. Again, I hope he is healthy and has a good career there. I really do. That is about it.”

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