Former Jags HC Doug Marrone lands with Saints, expected to have a ‘key role’ on offense

Doug Marrone is back in the NFL.

After a year of coaching on the collegiate level with the Alabama Crimson Tide, former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone is back in the NFL.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the veteran head coach is returning to one of the first NFL teams he was employed by in the New Orleans Saints. And while it wasn’t disclosed what role he will hold, Rapoport added that he will have a key role coaching the offensive side of the football.

When the 2022 season starts, Marrone will be entering his 16th as an NFL coach. He got his start in the NFL with the New York Jets in 2002 and remained there until 2005 as their offensive line coach.

Then in 2006, he joined Sean Payton and the Saints from 2006-08 before becoming the head coach of his alma mater in the University of Syracuse for four seasons. He then found his way to Buffalo with the Bills for two seasons as a head coach before finally joining the Jags as an assistant under Gus Bradley.

The early firing of Bradley propelled Marrone to the Jags head coaching role as an interim in December of 2016, and in the following month, it was announced that Marrone would hold on to the role minus the interim tag.

Marrone held the title as the Jags’ head coach from 2017-20 and was fired last January. He was able to accumulate a record of 23–43 (.348) and a playoff record of 2–1 (.667).

Marrone will join the Saints after being with the Alabama Crimson Tide throughout another impressive run where they went to the national championship. Along the way, he coached star tackle Evan Neal, who could end up being selected first overall in April’s draft.

Marrone will coach under Dennis Allen during this run with the Saints as Payton stepped away from the game in January. However, there is still some familiarity with the head coach as Allen and Marrone were on the same Saints’ staff from 2006-08.

Former Jaguar blasts previous coaching staff’s ‘speeches’

According to Cassius March, an unnamed coach (likely Doug Marrone) failed to properly motivate players in the locker room.

Seeing as Jacksonville finished the 2020 season with a 1-15 record, it wouldn’t be surprising if the previous coaching staff lost the locker room at times. And according to comments made by linebacker Cassius Marsh, who spent the first four games of the season with the Jaguars, that’s exactly what happened.

The current Pittsburgh Steeler told comedian Tom Segura on the “2 Bears, 1 Cave” podcast that an “unnamed coach” failed to give motivating speeches. Based on his comments, it’s fairly clear that he’s referring to former head coach Doug Marrone.

“You know what is really bad, though? When you have a head coach that is just awful at speeches. It is — oh it is tough. It’s tough,” Marsh said, according to quotes transcribed by John Shipley of Jaguar Report. “I’ll just say, you know, I spent a little time with the Jaguars this last season. And I won’t say what position this coach held, but it was a pretty high level, you know what I mean? … And he was god awful.

“It was just a lot of cussing. It was a lot of cussing and it was like the most plain, like just no, there is no depth behind. There is no like — you know what though? This particular coach, and mind you, one of the guys, I don’t know, he was an offensive lineman back in the day. So I think that might have something to do with it.”

It seems like Marsh may have accidentally let it slip that he was referring to his former head coach, but it’s fairly obvious that he’s talking about Marrone, a former collegiate and NFL offensive lineman.

Not only were the speeches not motivating, but Marsh even said they could have the opposite effect.

“It just wasn’t good man,” he said. “It just kind of like brought like — If you were hyped up and ready to go, like, he might have brought your level down a little bit.”

Marrone found initial success in Jacksonville, leading the team to its first AFC South title and a conference championship game in 2017, but in the three years since, he compiled just a 12-36 record. Jacksonville will hope for more success from new hire Urban Meyer, who has never coached at the NFL but won three national championships at Florida and Ohio State as a college coach.

Reports: Jags former HC Doug Marrone to become Alabama’s OL coach

Doug Marrone has found a new home and that will be with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone was let go on Jan. 4, but as expected, it didn’t take long for him to find work. Per multiple reports, Marrone will be joining Nick Saban’s staff in Alabama to be the Crimson Tide’s offensive line coach. 

Per Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Marrone is currently in Tuscaloosa going through the process of being added to Alabama’s staff. However, ESPN’s Cole Cubelic was the first reporter to get the word out about Marrone’s connection with the Crimson Tide football program.

Marrone, 56, was with the Jags organization since 2015. He initially joined the staff in 2015 as an assistant under Gus Bradley. He was named the interim head coach when Bradley was fired in December of 2016 and became the head coach the following season. 

During his four seasons as the Jags’ head coach, Marrone accumulated a 23-43 record and a 2-1 postseason record. His only postseason appearances came in 2017 when the Jags were able to get to the AFC Championship. Marrone also spent time as the Buffalo Bills’ coach from 2013-14 and accumulated a 15-17 record, putting him at a 38-60 overall record as an NFL head coach.

Marrone will join an Alabama program that won its sixth national title in the last 12 years under Saban this month. Of course, that will come with ample opportunities to work with the best collegiate offensive lineman in the country.

Shad Khan issues statement on Doug Marrone’s firing

Jags owner Shad Khan has officially relieved Doug Marrone of his duties and discussed his commitment to getting things right afterward.

The Jacksonville Jaguars can now be added to the list of teams who have a head coaching vacancy to fill this offseason. As expected, the team relieved Doug Marrone of his duties today, marking the first firing of Black Monday.

Not too soon after, owner Shad Khan released the following statement:

I am committed and determined to deliver winning football to the City of Jacksonville,” Khan said the statement. “Realizing that goal requires a fresh start throughout our football operations, and with that in mind, I spoke this morning with Doug Marrone to express my gratitude for his hard work over the past four seasons as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’ll always appreciate Doug’s passion, grit and class, and I’m confident he will enjoy success in the next chapter of his career.

As the search for our new general manager continues, now the quest begins to find a head coach who shares my ambition for the Jacksonville Jaguars and our fans, whose loyalty and faith are overdue to be rewarded.

Marrone, 56, joined the Jags as an assistant coach in 2016 when former coach Gus Bradley hired him on to the staff. He eventually climbed the pecking order and was named the Jags’ coach in 2017 after Bradley was fired. He was able to get immediate results by going to the AFC Championship during his first year, but it all fell apart afterward.

Marrone will finish his career with the Jags with a 23-43 record and a 2-1 postseason record. Overall, that puts him at a 38-60 figure when considering his time as the Buffalo Bills’ coach.

Now, it’s on Khan to find someone who can turn things around for the Jags who have the most attractive general manager and head coach openings in the NFL. With a boatload of cap space, patient ownership, 11 draft picks, and a clear path to Trevor Lawrence if he declares, the phones will be ringing off their bases for interest in the job.

Jaguars, Doug Marrone part ways after 1-15 season

After acquiring their worst season in franchise history, the Jags have parted ways with coach Doug Marrone.

The Jacksonville Jaguars moved on from general manager Dave Caldwell in late November, leaving a general manager vacancy, and now they have a head coaching vacancy to address. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the team parted ways with Doug Marrone after the team finished their 2020 season with a 1-15 record, which is a franchise low.

Marrone, 56, had been with the Jags since 2016 when Gus Bradley hired him as an assistant. It would only take a year for him to climb the pecking order as he was named the Jags’ coach in 2017 after Bradley was fired. He then joined Caldwell and Tom Coughlin to form the main members of the Jags’ football operations.

During his time as head coach in Jacksonville, Marrone accumulated a 23-43 record and a 2-1 postseason record. In terms of an overall head coaching record, that puts him at a 38-60 figure when adding in his time as the Buffalo Bills’ coach.

Marrone’s firing has pretty much been expected since Caldwell was let go. However, ownership told him that he and his staff were safe from that point to the end of the season. The reports that have surfaced this month about Urban Meyer being a target made it feel even more likely that Marrone would be gone.

Now, owner Shad Khan can begin focusing on Meyer and any other coaching candidates they would like to interview. They also will have to fill the vacancy left by Caldwell, though they could set it up to where the coach finds a general manager — if not the other way around.

Doug Marrone to meet with ownership about his future Monday

After a 1-15 season, Doug Marrone says he hasn’t been informed of his job status. However, he will meet with Jags ownership on Monday.

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost their season finale against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday by a score of 28-14, which will give them the worst record in franchise history (1-15). Of course, with that many have speculated that Doug Marrone will be relieved of his duties, but it appears fans will have to wait for a concrete answer.

After Sunday’s loss, Marrone told the media that he spoke with owner Shad Khan Saturday about the rumors that have been circulating concerning his job status and said that Khan called it “news to him.” Marrone also added that he plans to meet with Khan Monday, which will likely lead to fans getting the answers they’ve wanted.

Marrone also stated that NFL insider Ian Rapoport reached out to him before releasing his report which revealed that the Jags are eyeing retired Ohio State coach Urban Meyer as an option to replace him. He proceeded to thank Rapoport as the news gave him the heads up to inform his family.

Sunday’s loss concluded Marrone’s fourth season as a head coach with the Jags though he spent 2016 on the staff as an assistant. He finished the process with a 23-43 record and a 2-1 playoff record with the Jags. Of course, his only postseason appearance with the Jags was in 2017, when the team made it to the AFC Championship.

In November, the Jags parted ways with general manager Dave Caldwell, which felt like the writing on the wall for Marrone though ownership told him he’d finish out the season. With Marrone finishing 2020 with just a win to his name, it’s hard to see him retaining his job as he is the last key figure who remains from the Jags’ 2017 run.

As for Meyer, he makes a lot of sense for the Jags due to his ties to Florida while coaching the Gators and his abilities as a program builder. Per Rapoport, he’s been calling around to have a staff in place just in case he lands a job with the Jags in the coming weeks.

Is Doug Marrone coaching to remain the Jags’ coach past 2020?

With Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell being fired last month, many have speculated that Doug Marrone is also in his last stretch of games with the franchise. With the possibility of him and his group registering the first one-win …

With Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell being fired last month, many have speculated that Doug Marrone is also in his last stretch of games with the franchise. With the possibility of him and his group registering the first one-win season in team history, most feel they should suffer the same fate as Caldwell, but one report proposes that it’s not a given.

Before Sunday’s lackluster showing against the Tennessee Titans, Adam Schefter reported that some league sources believe Marrone has a chance to stick around. He also mentioned that Marrone’s ability to keep his team competitive hasn’t gone unnoticed, and it could be his saving grace cone 2021.

“Doug Marrone has had the Jaguars playing well the last couple of weeks. They played the Steelers very tough, they played the Minnesota Vikings very tough — and some people around the league believe he is actually garnering some support to stay on.”

“Even though Jacksonville changed its general manager, Dave Caldwell, firing him recently, there are some people who believe Marrone could be given a chance to stick on. We will see how this situation unfolds in the coming weeks,” Schefter said on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.”

The Jags have three games remaining on their schedule and those games will be against the Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, and Indianapolis Colts, respectively. However, if Khan conducts things the way they should be from this point on, none of those games should matter when it comes to Marrone’s future.

Simply put, the choice to keep Marrone should fall on the next general manager and it’s hard to imagine Khan, who is a businessman, taking that privilege from him. After all, when a new general manager is named, he’ll be on Khan’s payroll to make the team’s key football decisions anyway.

Besides, Khan has tried the half measure approach in the past where he kept personnel members from the past, and yet, here the Jags are again facing a one-win season. Clearly, there is a lesson to be taken from how things were handled in 2017 when the Jags kept Caldwell and Marrone, then added Tom Coughlin.

At the moment, there have been minimal rumors on who the Jags could look at, but nothing concrete. However, the most notable report to involve the Jags’ staffing situation was another from ESPN where Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano stated that some league sources feel the Jags’ vacancy is the most attractive. While they didn’t particularly say the Jags are interested, they also mentioned Patriots executive Dave Ziegler as a name to watch.

Mike Glennon to start vs. Vikings despite Gardner Minshew being cleared

After a respectable performance against the Cleveland Browns, Mike Glennon will remain the Jacksonville Jaguars’ starter at quarterback. Coach Doug Marrone informed the media of the decision Wednesday morning as it appears the team doesn’t want to …

After a respectable performance against the Cleveland Browns, Mike Glennon will remain the Jacksonville Jaguars’ starter  at quarterback. Coach Doug Marrone informed the media of the decision Wednesday morning as it appears the team doesn’t want to stop the veteran’s momentum.

In addition to declaring Glennon the starter, Marrone also stated that Gardner Minshew II was cleared after recovering from a thumb injury. With that being the case, many expected him to get his job back, however, Glennon earned a second start by going 20-of-35 for 235 yards and two touchdowns Week 12.

Minshew has been sidelined since the Jags’ bye week (Week 8) after trying to play through the thumb injury he sustained Week 5 against the Houston Texans and didn’t disclose. Rookie Jake Luton was given the first crack at filling his role (Weeks 9-11), however, he was benched after struggling against the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Glennon, on the other hand, kept the Jags in their game against the Browns. However, Week 13’s game in Minneapolis could be challenging as the Vikings are hungry and knocking on the door of playoff contention.

Winners and losers from Jaguars vs. Browns Week 12 matchup

The Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up another tough matchup Sunday as they faced off against an old AFC foe in the Cleveland Browns. They once again fought valiantly but were unable to capitalize, falling to the Browns by a score of 27-25. The loss …

The Jacksonville Jaguars wrapped up another tough matchup Sunday as they faced off against an old AFC foe in the Cleveland Browns. They once again fought valiantly but were unable to capitalize, falling to the Browns by a score of 27-25.

The loss marks the tenth consecutive defeat for the Jags in 2020 as they haven’t tasted victory since their 27-20 Week 1 win against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jags were also eliminated from playoff contention for the eighth time in Shad Khan’s nine years as owner.

Despite the loss, some of the Jaguars players’ stepped up this week, while some did not. Here are the winners and losers from Week 12’s matchup against the Browns:

Winner: QB Mike Glennon

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Here’s a name that most Jags fans weren’t expecting in the “winners” category. 

Journeyman quarterback Mike Glennon made his first start since 2017, which dates back to when he was with the Chicago Bears. He had a pretty impressive day, going 20-of-35 (57.1%) for 235 yards and two touchdowns. One of his two touchdowns was a beautiful 46-yard strike to rookie wide receiver Collin Johnson, which was the longest pass on the day. It’s also his first multiple touchdown game since 2014 as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the stats weren’t eye-popping by any measure, Glennon’s ability to play mistake-free football put the Jags in multiple positions to win the game. He didn’t turn the ball over, take any sacks, and also didn’t hesitate to attempt to move the ball downfield as evidenced by his 10 completions that traveled 10 or more yards.

The Jaguars will take on the Minnesota Vikings Week 13 on a road trip to Minneapolis. Depending on how practice shapes up throughout the week, we could either see Glennon again as the starter, or Jags fans could see the return of their enigmatic signal-caller Gardner Minshew II as he recovers from a thumb injury.

Loser: The entire Jaguars secondary

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Football is a team game, and on defense, much critical communication is required to prevent big plays. However, the Jaguars’ defense didn’t fare well as Browns receiver Jarvis Landry had a huge game as he finished with 143 receiving yards on eight receptions and a touchdown.

The starting tandem of Luq Barcoo and Tre Herndon had no answer as Landry would eviscerate the Jags defense en route to his first 100-yard game since Week 12 of 2019. Even when the corners gambled and got a decent jump on the ball, Landry was still able to complete catches. The former Pro Bowl receiver has struggled all season as he did not have a touchdown coming into the game against the Jags.

In comparison to past performances, this seemed to be a better outing from the defense, however, it still wasn’t enough to slow down a struggling Jarvis Landry. The Jags ultimately allowed 459 yards and over half of those yards came through the air.

Winnner: The Jaguars’ rookies

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The Jaguars came into the league as the youngest team in the NFL, however, their rookies proved to play a vital role in helping them stay in the game.

Johnson had a career day as he torched the Browns’ defense for four receptions and 96 yards to go along with a touchdown. He came into the game with only seven receptions and 69 yards and one touchdown for the entire season.

With fellow wide receivers D.J Chark Jr. and Chris Conley inactive due to rib and hip injuries respectively, the rookie stepped up big to try and help the Jags get the win.

Also contributing heavily to the Jaguars’ offense on the day and the entire season is undrafted free agent running back James Robinson, who has fully staked his claim in the league. Robinson had a magnificent day setting a career-high in scrimmage yards with 159 with 128 of those yards being on the ground. The Illinois State University product also scored a four-yard touchdown to make it 27-25 but the Jaguars were unable to score on the ensuing two-point conversion.

Robinson has been a force all season ranking third in the NFL in rushing yards coming into the game with 762. His performance on Sunday will push him even closer to every running back’s goal of a 1,000-yard rushing season. He has already made history this year being one of five undrafted rookies in history to record 1,000 total scrimmage yards in a season.

Even though the Jags are a young team, the rookies showed up against the Browns, and hopefully, they can be utilized more in the coming weeks.

Loser: Doug Marrone

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Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone might start seeing the writing on the wall soon.

After the loss to the Browns, the Jaguars relieved general manager Dave Caldwell of his duties, ending a seven-year tenure with the team. Former San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke will be the interim for the time being. Generally, when a prominent front office person is fired, the coach is not too far behind and that could mean bad news for the job security of Marrone.

Marrone’s coaching tactics also have not been indicative of someone who is fighting for their job. Simply put, he showed a lack of aggression this Sunday against the Browns when some fans expected more.

There was one instance where the Jags’ offense were in scoring territory on their six-yard line when Marrone decided to settle for a 24-yard field goal by kicker Aldrick Rosas. The offense put on an impressive 11-play, 69-yard drive and the chance to put up some meaningful points could have changed the result of the game.

The Jaguars’ front office seems intent on letting Marrone finish out the season and only time will tell what they decide to do in the offseason about his job status. Losing a close game like this against the Browns most likely will not help those matters.

Browns vs. Jags: 3 keys to a Jacksonville victory

The Jags are dealing with several injuries, but have a chance to beat the Browns if their interior defensive line holds up against the run.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-9) limped out of their Week 11 battle against the Pittsburgh Steelers and will now be tasked with defeating another AFC North team that is playing well in the Cleveland Browns (7-3). When considering the fact that Cleveland is dealing with personnel issues of their own, too, the game is one that could be close.

If the Jags are to win, they will need several things to go their way. Here are a few keys we think could help them upset Cleveland at TIAA Bank Field Sunday:

Play keep away and get the offense going through RB James Robinson

Both the Browns and Jags will be down several key members of their rosters due to either the league’s COVID-19 protocol or injuries. That’s especially the case on defense, which oddly enough means the Browns and Jags have a chance for a shoot out.

In Jacksonville’s case, it just wouldn’t be smart to shy away from running back James Robinson Sunday afternoon, because when they do, the results aren’t all that great. He’s been phenomenal for the team, routinely breaking undrafted rookie records, and has also been the most consistent weapon for the Jags.

Robinson will enter the game with 172 carries for 762 rushing yards and five touchdowns, which is good for the highest rushing total amongst rookies and is the third-highest in the NFL. That means Sunday needs to be a 20-plus carry day for him as the Jags will be starting a new quarterback in Mike Glennon while their wounded defense is expected to allow a lot of points.

Don’t forget about the tandem of Keelan Cole and Laviska Shenault Jr.

The Jags’ receiving corps was hit hard with injuries this week as D.J. Chark Jr. (ribs) and Chris Conley (hip) were ruled out. As a result, the Jags’ receiving corps will be a group that consists of Keelan Cole Sr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Trey Quinn, and Collin Johnson.

Due to being the most experienced member of the group, Cole is going to have to rise to the occasion and lead the way — something he’s thrived at during a contract year. That shouldn’t be all that hard to do with the Browns’ pass-rush situation as Myles Garrett and Porter Gustin both are on the Reserve/ COVID-19 list.

The Jags will also need Shenault, who is coming off a hamstring injury, to help in the short passing game. Chances are Glennon will need to get the ball out of his hands quickly due to being without Andre Norwell. Who better to go to for that than Shenault, who is a monster after the catch.

The Jags interior rotation needs a strong day

The Browns’ bread and butter on offense is their run game and they will come into Sunday’s game ranked third in the league in rushing. Nick Chubb is one of the best rushers in football and will come into the game with 96 attempts for 575 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, his partner in crime, Kareem Hunt, will come into the game with an even higher rushing total of 644 yards.

Simply put, this means the Jags have a chance if they can stop the run. It will fall on rookies DaVon Hamilton and Doug Costin, as well as Taven Bryan. However, the trio will have their hands full with an impressive interior offensive line as Joel Bitonio, J.C. Tretter, and Wyatt Teller have Pro Football Focus grades of 83.8, 79.1, and 95.6, respectfully. Simply put, that means fans would be hard-pressed to find a better group.

Hamilton and Costin certainly won’t be intimidated, though, as Hamilton looks like the Jags’ nose tackle of the future and Costin has a 71.9 PFF grade, good for 32nd at his position. If the pair can have a day much like we saw against the Houston Texans Week 9 and avoid wearing down in the fourth quarter, this game definitely could be a close one.