When looking at the defensive side of the ball for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Joe Schobert has definitely been a standout in training camp. Now, he’s looking to transfer that to the regular season and believes Todd Wash’s scheme will allow it.
“I like [Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Todd] Wash’s scheme, obviously just from a first couple of weeks in it, with not having an offseason,” said Schobert. “But, I just feel like the way that me and Myles [Jack] are able to play as linebackers [and] the way the scheme is set up, there’s going to be a lot of opportunities for us to run around the field, make a lot of plays on the ball, and have a good time doing it.”
Schobert is a player who many media members have praised for always being around the ball, or making a play. That’s exactly what the Jags were going for at the MIKE linebacker position as Myles Jack struggled there last season and was out of place. Now that Schobert has joined the team, however, Jack has been moved to his natural position at weak-side linebacker.
It appears Schobert has especially been active in pass coverage so far as he’s picked off starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II twice. Those instances not only showed the media what Schobert could do in coverage, but it’s also provided a few teaching moments for Minshew.
“A few times he’ll come up, not even when he does turnovers, just after practice in general,” Schobert said when asked if Minshew asks him about the turnovers he’s committed in practice. “If there’s a look that we’re giving him and he doesn’t quite understand what we’re looking for, he’ll come up and ask what our thought process was in that certain look versus what they were doing. So, he’s definitely been eager to learn in those situations and doesn’t take [it] as a negative. He tries to learn from it and turn it into a positive, so it’s been good to see.”
While some may be alarmed when hearing the word “interception” connected to a starting quarterback, it’s worth noting that it hasn’t been at an alarming rate. It’s also nice to know he’s communicating with one of the defense’s most experienced players to correct his mistakes.
As for Schobert, the focus will be to get the Jags defense ready for the Indianapolis Colts Week 1. With Philip Rivers coming into town and the Jags having a young defensive group, it will be a huge task on Schobert’s shoulders, but one that he’s proven to be fit for so far.