The Jacksonville Jaguars will endure their third change in four years at the offensive coordinator position, but if there is anyone who can turn it around, it’s Jay Gruden. The former Washington Redskins head coach is one Doug Marrone was on record for saying he’s excited about as he told the media that Gruden has brought new energy to the team’s facility.
In a recent 1-on-1 with Jaguars.com’s Ashlyn Sullivan, Gruden’s excitement could be felt as he discussed his return to the football field. He also made sure to single out some of the team’s young ascending pieces like D.J. Chark Jr. and Jawaan Taylor.
“Offensively, there have been some struggles here but they’re young,” said Gruden. “They have a young explosive receiver in D.J. [Chark] and a young offensive lineman [in Jawaan Taylor], so there is a lot of pieces to work with.”
Chark bounced back from a rough rookie 2018 campaign by leading the team in receiving yards with 1,008 and eight touchdowns to go with it. He was named to the Pro Bowl after the regular season, and clearly, with the 2019 season being just his second, there should be more to come.
As for Taylor, he struggled with penalties earlier in the season, but settled down late. Per Pro Football Focus, he was the only rookie to play in 100% of his snaps as a starter.
Gruden also raved about the energy that rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II brought in 2019 as he led the Jags to all six of their wins.
“Well, I did a lot of work on him coming out [of the NFL Draft],” Gruden added. “I think he’s a fun guy to watch. He’s got a lot of energy. He plays like it. He plays like his hair is on fire. It’s like sometimes you just want him to calm down. When you’re watching the film you’re trying to catch your breath just from watching him.”
Minshew did indeed bring an energy that rallied his offensive teammates and caught the attention of the nation in the process. He ultimately finished 2019 285-of-470 (60.6%) for 3,271 passing yards and garnered 21 touchdowns with just six picks. His performance was good enough to earn him seven Pepsi Rookie of the Year awards and the Snickers Hungriest Player of the Year award, too.