Tag: Dare Ogunbowale

Jaguars veteran Dare Ogunbowale praises Trevor Lawrence’s leadership as a rookie

“It was a nightmare season to have for a rookie,” Dare Ogunbowale said. “It had to be tough for him to deal with it, but he overcame it and was able to lead us.”

When the Jacksonville Jaguars selected quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick almost a year ago, it was like the city could finally take a breath of fresh air. A franchise that had spent almost its entire history searching for a quarterback now had one of the best passing prospects ever.

Though the roster still had many deficiencies, there was some cautious optimism heading into the 2021 season. However, the team didn’t look much better than it did the year prior, finishing 3-14 with the first pick once again and firing first-year coach Urban Meyer in the process.

It was a lot to go through as a rookie, but running back Dare Ogunbowale, who saw a lot of playing time down the stretch with injuries to James Robinson and Carlos Hyde, praised Lawrence’s intangibles as a young player, especially in terms of leadership.

“I was definitely impressed by the way he led us,” Ogunbowale said. “Like I was just saying, it was a tough season for everybody and for that to be your rookie year to have to go through a season like this had to be a challenge. But he stayed positive and kept us positive and kept us confident.”

Lawrence finished the season completing just shy of 60% of his passes for 3,641 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. He saved his best game for last, though, registering his highest completion percentage of the season while avoiding turnovers in an upset over the Colts that ended their playoff hopes.

Ogunbowale said that Lawrence handled the difficulties as well as any young quarterback could in that situation.

“I would say it’s understandable to watch any rookie struggle,” Ogunbowale said. “I don’t think necessarily just because of the hype or the expectations he had on him that changes anything. You go into a season expecting a rookie to find challenges, but I feel like he attacked those better than a lot of rookies I’ve seen. Like I said, it was a nightmare season to have for a rookie. To have to deal with the things that we dealt with, it was definitely tough. It had to be tough for him to deal with it, but he overcame it and was able to lead us. I’m looking forward to watching him in the future.”

While it wasn’t the season from Lawrence that fans hoped for, he certainly made some eye-popping plays that showed the level he’s capable of playing at. He’s made throws that no Jags quarterback could make in the past, and there’s no reason to be pessimistic about his future, even though he was put in a very bad spot as a rookie.

Adding talent for him in the passing game should be among the team’s top priorities this offseason, but for now, it’s clear that the young passer is one of the team’s vocal leaders, and that should be encouraging to Jags fans trying to find a reason to stay positive as the team is in the midst of its worst stretch in franchise history.

Jags teammates see bright future for Lawrence after overcoming ‘nightmare season’ in Jacksonville

It’s safe to say that former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence earned the respect of his Jacksonville Jaguars teammates during his rookie season with the franchise. Meeting with the media this week following the conclusion of the 2021 campaign, Jags …

It’s safe to say that former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence earned the respect of his Jacksonville Jaguars teammates during his rookie season with the franchise.

Meeting with the media this week following the conclusion of the 2021 campaign, Jags veteran running back Dare Ogunbowale had good things to say about Lawrence and the leadership ability he showed throughout what was a tumultuous season, during which the team went 3-14, faced off-field issues in the organization and saw former head coach Urban Meyer get fired in December.

“It was a nightmare season to have for a rookie,” Ogunbowale said, via Jaguars.com. “To have to deal with the things that we dealt with, it was definitely tough. It had to be tough for him to deal with it, but he overcame it and was able to lead us. I’m looking forward to watching him in the future.”

Jaguars right tackle Jawaan Taylor echoed those sentiments and spoke highly of Lawrence this week as well.

“He’s a great leader,” Taylor said. “He came in from Day One leading us and we all bought in to what he needed us to do. We all love him. We just want to see him get better and better from here. He had a great year. We just love the progression he had throughout the year.

“It’s only going to get better for him. He’s going to be a great player.”

Entering the final game of his rookie season last Sunday vs. the Indianapolis Colts, Lawrence had completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 3,418 yards and 10 touchdowns with 17 interceptions.

But the 2021 No. 1 overall draft pick ended the season strong by playing arguably his best game against the Colts, completing 23-of-32 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions while leading the Jags to a 26-11 win in Jacksonville.

“I see a great future for Trevor,” Taylor added.

–Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images

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10 waiver wire targets for fantasy football in Week 17

10 waiver wire targets in fantasy football for championship Week 17.

It’s finally here. The fantasy football championship week has arrived and while most of us won’t be getting to partake in the stressful roller coaster of the weekend, it’s still important to keep up with the waiver wire.

While COVID-19 continues to ravage through the league at unprecedented levels, we have to keep a keen eye on the waiver wire. As we’ve seen this month alone, a key player in your fantasy lineups could be rendered useless if they test positive on the day of a game.

So we’ll keep a focus on which available players are best to help you win your championship this week.

We’ll be taking a look at players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on Twitter (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

Here are the top waiver-wire targets (along with my top streaming options) in fantasy football for Week 17:

Watch: Dare Ogunbowale scores first NFL touchdown since 2019

Dare Ogunbowale scored his first NFL touchdown since 2019.

On Sunday, former Wisconsins Badgers running back Dare Ogunbowale found paydirt for the first time since the 2019 season.

Dare Ogunbowale has carved out a nice five year NFL career as third down pass-catching specialist. Playing for Washington, two years in Tampa, and most recently two years in Jacksonville.

He’s appeared in 48 NFL games totaling: 51 receptions for 382 yards – 49 carries for 176 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns.

Former walk-on Dare Ogunbowale began his Wisconsin career as a defensive back before switching to running back for the 2014 season.

Ogunbowale was awarded a scholarship in 2015 and played for the Badgers from 2013-2016.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

Dare Ogunbowale admits he’s no match against WNBA star, sister Arike Ogunbowale in basketball

Jags RB Dare Ogunbowale is a great athlete, but he understands that a battle on the court against his sister Arike won’t end well for him.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Dare Ogunbowale is clearly a formidable athlete — but matching up with his sister and WNBA All-Star Arike Ogunbowale on the court is a real challenge.

After meeting with the media Thursday, Ogunbowale admitted that his sister takes him to school on the court, though there used to be a time where he was the better basketball player in their youth.

“That’s not off the wall, I’m asked that all the time,” he said to the members of the Jags media room. “I mean I still… I’m just joking, she beats me, bro. She beats me pretty good. I mean I used to beat her when I was still playing, but no, she’s too good.”

The term “good” may be an understatement when it comes to Arike’s skills on the court. In 2019, she started her career by making the WNBA’s All-Rookie team after being drafted fifth overall by the Dallas Wings. She later followed that up with an All-WNBA First Team selection and a Scoring Leader title (22.77 PPG) the following year. Then last month, she was able to earn an All-Star MVP title and it’s a certainty that more accolades will follow.

After achieving such feats early in her career, it’s a given that Arike has figured out various ways to leave defenders in the dust over the years, which makes sense as to why she led the WNBA in points per game last season. In other words, Arike is far from a one-move player, something her brother also admitted to when asked just how good she is.

“She has like 20 of them [moves], have you ever watched her?,” he said. “She doesn’t have just one. She’s a special player for sure.”

Clearly, good genes run in the family when looking at the success both have had as individual athletes. And though Arike has yet to make it to the postseason with the Wings, it’s only a matter of time before she’s leading her team to the playoffs as she’s just scratching the surface at 24 years old.

As for Dare, it appears he has a chance to be a leader for the Jags, too, especially with his background as a former special teams captain. That’s something that will especially appeal to new Jags coach Urban Meyer, who is big on the third phase of the game and getting contributions from it.

Jags bring back RB Dare Ogunbowale

Another veteran is returning to the Jags’ roster in RB Dare Ogunbowale, who started in two games last season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars brought back another player from their 2020 roster Monday. This time it was running back Dare Ogunbowale, who re-signed with the team through an exclusive rights free agent deal, according to the NFL’s transaction log.

Ogunbowale, 26, signed with the Jags last September after they placed Devine Ozigbo on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. By the time the season ended, Ogunbowale had accumulated 32 carries for 145 rushing yards after starting in two games and participating in 14.

Ogunbowale entered the league as an undrafted player in 2017 for the Houston Texans. He later joined the Tampa Bay Bucs as a practice squad player afterward, then the Washington Football Team. He spent 2018 with the  Bucs again but was waived, which led to him coming to Duval.

Jags coach Urban Meyer has talked about building up the running backs room around James Robinson, and bringing back one of his 2020 comrades could help. Still, Ogunbowale seems like a long shot to make the roster this season, however, his value as a special teamer could help him stick around.

Tunnel Vision of Week 16

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Tom Brady 348 4
 Deshaun Watson 324-38 3
 Andy Dalton 377-15 3
 Mitchell Trubisky 265-10 3
Aaron Rodgers 231-19 4
Running Backs Yards TD
Alvin Kamara 22-155
3-17		 6
Myles Gaskin 14-87
5-82		 2
Samaje Perine 13-95
4-41		 2
David Johnson 12-128
3-11		 2
Jeffery Wilson 22-183
1-21		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Mike Evans 10-181 2
Michael Gallup 6-121 2
Jamison Crowder 7-92
1-43 pass		 2
Brandin Cooks 7-141 1
Nelson Agholor 5-155 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Irv Smith Jr. 6-53 2
Jimmy Graham 4-69 2
Travis Kelce 7-98 1
Rob Gronkowski 2-58 2
Darren Waller 5-112 0
Placekickers XP FG
Jason Sanders 2 4
Mike Badgley 1 4
Greg Zuerlein 4 3
Daniel Carlson 1 4
Austin Seibert 4 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Buccaneers 4-2 0
Panthers 3-4 1
Seahawks 3-1 0
Lions 2-0 1
49ers 2-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Matt Stafford (DET) – Ankle
QB Kyler Murray (ARI) – Leg
QB Deshaun Watson (HOU) – Arm
QB Jared Goff (LAR) – Thumb
RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – Chest
RB Chase Edmonds (ARI) – Hip
RB Darrell Henderson (LAR) – Ankle
RB Frank Gore (NYJ) – Chest
WR Sammy Watkins (KC) – Calf
WR Jakeen Grant (MIA) – Ankle
WR K.J. Hamler (DEN) – Concussion
TE Dallas Goedert (PHI) – Calf

Chasing Ambulances

QB Matt Stafford (DET)  – Stafford keeps getting knocked out of games and this time it was an ankle sprain. It is reported to be minor,  and he may play in Week 17. He already said that he would play the final game if possible and there is a chance that it would be his final game in Detroit if trade rumors end up being true.

QB Kyler Murray (ARI) – Had his leg whipped in the loss to the 49ers but initial evaluations were that it wasn’t serious. HC Kliff Kingsbury hasn’t officially given an update yet which will be later this week.

QB Deshaun Watson (HOU) – His arm was awkwardly bent backward on a pass play when he was hit as he threw the ball. He his was stuck in the facemask of the defender as he went by. He did return to the field for one more pass but his arm will undergo further examination to ensure that he did not damage it.

QB Jared Goff (LAR) – Early word is that Goff broke the thumb on his passing hand when it hit a defender’s helmet after a pass. There are concerns that he will miss the critical matchup with the Cardinals this week if not even more time. John Wolford is the backup quarterback. He was a free agent rookie in 2018 that played for the Arizona Hotshots in the AAF league.

RB J.K. Dobbins (BAL) – Had his chest  injured in the third quarter of the win over the Giants on a hard tackle and was held out of rest of the game. He wasn’t needed so they could have just been protective of their primary running back. There should be more clarity after Monday.

RB Darrell Henderson (LAR) – Left the loss to the Seahawks after injuring his ankle and never returned. He limped off the field. With Cam Akers already out with a high-ankle sprain, the Rams are down to only Malcolm Brown and practice squadder Xavier Jones.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

TE Irv Smith Jr. (MIN) – The second-year tight end is stepping up into a bigger role. He caught six passes for 53 yards and two scores in the loss to the Saints this week, which gives him five touchdowns over his last five games.

RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn (TB) – Ran for 62 yards on 15 carries and caught a seven-yard pass. Leonard Fournette signed a one-year deal and is expected to sign elsewhere so Vaughn should step into the No. 2 role behind Ronald Jones next year.

RB Jeff Wilson (SF) – Ran for a career-high 183 yards on 22 rushes in the win over the Cardinals. He added a 21-yard catch for a touchdown. No other back ran more than twice. The 49ers like their committee and Wilson is making a case to remain part of the rotation even when Raheem Mostert is healthy – which has not been that often this year.

QB Taylor Heinicke (WAS) – Dwayne Haskin is likely to have plenty of time for the strip club since he’s likely played his last for the Football Team. Haskin was benched after throwing for 154 yards and two interceptions as Washington fell behind 20-0 against the visiting Panthers. Heinicke came into the game and completed 12-of-19 for 137 yards and one score. If Alex Smith remains out in Week 17, Heinicke is likely to be the starter.

RB Myles Gaskin (MIA) – He returned from a two-game absence on the COVID-list and was reported to share the workload with Salvon Ahmed who has impressed when given the opportunity. But Ahmed only carried six times for two yards while Gaskin led the Dolphins with 14 carries for 87 yards, and was also their leading receiver with five catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns. Cannot imagine that running back will be considered a need in the offseason.

RB Samaje Perine (CIN) – The fourth-year journeyman back logged a career-best 95 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns and four receptions for 41 yards. Perine was given a longer look to help the Bengals make decisions in the offseason and he responded well, although they played the Texans.  He’ll face the Ravens next week which will be more telling.

WR Curtis Samuel (CAR) – Led the Panthers with a career-best 106 yards on five catches in the win in Washington and he was also the leading rusher with a career-high 52 yards on seven carries. The former second-round pick in 2018 had been a disappointment but has fourished in HC Matt Rhule’s new offense.

RB Dare Ogunbowale (JAC) – Replaced James Robinson against the Bears and ran for 71 yards on 14 carries. He added three catches for seven yards. Playing at the Colts will be tougher if Robinson remains out, but Ogunbowale gets the benefit of the defense not caring as much about the rushing offense during the second half when the Jaguars are falling further behind.

RB Darrell Williams (KC) – With Clyde Edwards-Helaire out, the expectation was that Le’Veon Bell would take over as the primary back and potentially be a big asset. But Bell only ran for 30 yards on seven carries and caught a single pass for nine yards. Williams ran ten times for 46 yards and caught four passes for 27 yards. Same split backfield and Bell was still the No. 2 back.

QB Justin Herbert (LAC) – He passed for 253 yards and one score in the win over the Broncos. That totaled 28 touchdowns which is a new all-time rookie record, surpassing Baker Mayfield’s 27.

WR Ja’Marcus Bradley (CLE) – The Browns lost all of the wideouts on their active roster to the COVID list, and called up Bradley from the practice squad. He caught 5-of-11 targets for 60 yards as the second best receiver for the Browns behind only Austin Hooper. Baker Mayfield did not shy away from him during his debut.

RB Jonathan Taylor (IND) – Not sure how it works in 2021 if Marlon Mack returns, but Taylor has responded well when used as a full-time workhorse. He ran for 74 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries at the Steelers and that gives him five touchdowns and 307 rushing yards over his last three games.

TE Travis Kelce (KC) – Caught seven passes for 98 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Falcons. That gives him 1,416 yards in the season for the most by any tight end in NFL history. And he has one more game to play.

WR DeSean Jackson (PHI) – He was finally activated from injured reserve and caught just one pass at the Cowboys – an 81-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He never had another target but showed his vintage bomb-catching ability in his first game back.

RB AJ Dillon (GB) – The Packers second-round rookie saw minimal use in the  seven previous games that he was active.  He spent time on the COVID-19 list. Jamaal Williams missed this week with a thigh injury and Dillon was expected to provide relief carries for Aaron Jones. But the 6-0, 247-pound back proved an effective weapon in the snowy conditions in Green Bay on Sunday night. Jones gained 94 yards on ten carries but the rookie ended with 124 yards and two touchdowns on his 21 carries. He added a five-yard catch. On a cold, sloppy field, the powerback brings a new element to the backfield.

QB Jalen Hurts (PHI) – Passed for 338 yards and ran for 63 yards in the loss in Dallas. Combined with Week 15, he joins Michael Vick as the only quarterbacks with back-to-back games of 300 passing yards and 50 rushing yards.

NFL Playoffs

AFC

14-1 Chiefs First-round bye
12-3 Steelers won the North
11-3 Bills won the East

There are five teams that are 10-5 and only four more spots.

Titans, Ravens, Browns, Dolphins, Colts

NFC

12-3 Packers lead for No. 1 seed
11-4 Saints won South
11-4 Seahawks won West
10-5 Buccaneers will be a wildcard

NFC East will be either the 6-9 Football Team, 6-9 Cowboys, or 5-10 Giants. Division winner advances, the other two drop out.

The final two NFC wildcards will be either

9-6 Rams
8-7 Bears
8-7 Cardinals

Huddle player of the week

Alvin Kamara  –  It was amazing enough to happen at all and for Week 16 when fantasy championships are being earned? Kamara ran for 155 yards on 22 carries and an astounding six touchdowns – it could have been seven but they let Taysom Hill run one in for some reason. Kamara also added three catches for 17 yards in one of the best fantasy performances of all time. Sadly, not every Kamara owner was in their league championship and the performance was wasted.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Andy Dalton 377-15 3 QB Drew Brees 311-(-3) 0
RB Myles Gaskin 14-87
5-82		 2 RB Josh Jacobs 13-69 0
RB Samaje Perine 13-95
5-82		 2 RB Melvin Gordon 16-79 0
WR Michael Gallup 6-121 2 WR D.J. Moore 5-37 0
WR Nelson Agholor 5-155 1 WR DK Metcalf 6-59 0
WR Sterling Shepard 9-77 1 WR DeAndre Hopkins 8-48 0
TE Irv Smith 6-53 2 TE T.J. Hockenson 4-23 0
PK Jason Sanders   2 XP   4 FG PK Younghoe Koo   2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 217 Huddle Fantasy Points = 66

Now get back to work…

Jags injury report: QB Gardner Minshew returns to practice as a limited participant

The Jacksonville Jaguars only had three players who didn’t participate in practice Wednesday as they continued to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those players were all pass catchers in Laviska Shenault Jr. (hamstring), James O’Shaughnessy …

The Jacksonville Jaguars only had three players who didn’t participate in practice Wednesday as they continued to prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Those players were all pass catchers in Laviska Shenault Jr. (hamstring), James O’Shaughnessy (knee), and Tyler Eifert (scheduled day off).

Of the three, Shenault was expected to surface on the injury report after missing Week 10’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Doug Marrone also warned the media earlier in the day that Shenault wouldn’t practice and added that he’d be questionable this week.

Everyone else on the injury report was limited, including quarterback Gardner Minshew II, who appears to be working his way back to 100%. He was limited for the first time since the Jags’ bye week as he revealed that he had been dealing with a thumb injury that he kept disclosed from the staff dating back to Week 5. Like Shenault, his situation was expected as Marrone told the media that Minshew would begin throwing against air this week. Marrone also revealed that Minshew wouldn’t be ready this week as the staff would use this week to monitor him.

As previously reported, center Brandon Linder returned to practice while Devine Ozigbo practiced for the first time since re-agitating his hamstring Week 5. Linder is expected to play, but Ozigbo will be monitored this week. If he can’t go, the Jags could either sign a running back or activate one from their practice squad as they are down to just two in James Robinson and Dare Ogunbowale after Chris Thompson (back) was placed on injured reserve.

Speaking of Robinson, he also surfaced on the injury report with a shoulder injury. His situation will be worth watching heading forward as he’s the Jags’ most consistent threat.

Offensive tackle Cam Robinson (shoulder) was also a notable offensive player on the injury report. He was expected to surface on the list as well after he exited Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Earlier in the week, Marrone said he’d be “fine” so his situation doesn’t look overly concerning.

As for the defense, three starters were on the injury report in defensive end Josh Allen (hip) and cornerbacks Sidney Jones IV (Achilles) and CJ Henderson (groin). No updates were provided on their situations beforehand, so all three will be worth monitoring in the coming days.

Jags RB Devine Ozigbo designated to return from IR

The Jacksonville Jaguars could be on the verge of getting one of their training camp standouts back.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced that running back Devine Ozigbo has been designated to return from the team’s injured reserve list Wednesday. With that being the case, they now have 21 days to officially place him on the active roster.

After an impressive training camp, Ozigbo was placed on injured reserve prior to the Jags’ Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts with a hamstring injury. That resulted in rookie James Robinson seeing a bulk of the snaps Week 1, allowing him to solidify himself as one of the league’s top running backs.

Currently the Jags have three running backs on their roster in Robinson, Chris Thompson, and Dare Ogunbowale. As previously stated, Robinson has handled a majority of the workload on offense accumulating just under 200 offensive snaps (59%). Thompson has mostly been used on third-downs, accumulating 119 snaps (36%) while Ogunbowale has only seen five offensive snaps (2%) and 55 special teams snaps (42%).

The Jags will be taking on a Detroit Lions team that is currently 30th against the run and has allowed an average of 170.3 yards on the ground. That makes for the perfect situation to possibly ease Ozigbo into the lineup, but Robinson has more than proven he can handle things in the backfield if the Jags want to wait.

Former Badger running back signs with the Jacksonville Jaguars

After being cut last week by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, former Wisconsin Badger running back…

After being cut last week by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, former Wisconsin Badger running back Dare Ogunbowale found a new NFL home yesterday as he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Ogunbowale was a team captain for the Buccaneers a year ago so his release was surprising news, though made sense with the team bringing in Leonhard Fournette recently to complete the running back room.

The former Badger figures to be a big piece in the Jaguars’ running back rotation as the only backs ahead of him on the roster are Chris Thompson, Devine Ozigbo and James Robinson.

The slot-switching between Fournette and Ogunbowale actually bodes well for the former Badger’s future in the NFL as he now has a path to regular carries and touches in Jacksonville instead of sitting behind Ronald Jones II and LeSean McCoy in Tampa Bay.

 

Check in to BadgersWire throughout the NFL season as we keep up with former Badgers in the NFL and analyze their paths as NFL players.