Tag: Jason Rebrovich

Packers hire Jason Rebrovich to replace Mike Smith at OLBs coach

The Packers replaced Mike Smith at OLBs coach with Jason Rebrovich, who spent four seasons in Buffalo and four seasons in Jacksonville prior to coming to Green Bay.

Jason Rebrovich will be Mike Smith’s replacement as the Green Bay Packers outside linebackers coach. The team announced the hiring on Friday.

Smith, who spent three seasons with the Packers, is leaving Green Bay to pursue other opportunities.

Rebrovich has eight seasons of experience at the NFL level. He spent four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars; two as the assistant defensive line coach (2017-18), and two more as the defensive line coach (2019-20). Before coaching in Jacksonville, he spent four seasons with the Buffalo Bills; one as a defensive quality control coach (2013), one as the assistant defensive line coach (2014), one as the outside linebackers coach (2015), and one as the defensive line coach (2016).

Rebrovich was in Jacksonville as first-round pick Josh Allen developed into a quality edge rusher. He also worked with the likes of Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Malik Jackson and Dante Fowler. In Buffalo, he coached veteran rushers such as Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes and Lorenzo Alexander.

In Green Bay, Rebrovich will take over a position group featuring Rashan Gary, Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith, although both Smiths have uncertain futures entering the offseason. The trio has combined for 67.5 sacks over the last three seasons.

Former Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine was on staff with Rebrovich in Buffalo. So was former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.

[listicle id=78245]

Todd Wash, 2 defensive assistants to miss game vs. Browns due to COVID-19 protocols

The Jags will be short a few members of their coaching staff due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone provided an update on his defensive staff Wednesday and at least three members will be out Sunday. Among them will be defensive coordinator Todd Wash though the others weren’t specified.

This news comes after the Jags’ whole defensive staff had to work remotely from their homes Tuesday after there was a positive test amongst the group, according to NFL insider Mike Garafolo. After using the NFL’s contact tracing method, the team determined what assistants had been within a certain radius of each other. The situation also comes after Jags defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich missed Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol.

As a result of the Jags’ staff situation, special teams assistant Mike Mallory will coach the defense and secondary coach Joe Danna will call the plays Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

The Jags will enter Week 12 will a big task on their hands. In addition to being without three coaches, they will also be placing various players on inured reserve in defensive end Josh Allen, safety Daniel Thomas, and nickelback D.J. Hayden (ending his season). That’s certainly not good with the Browns’ No. 3 rushing attack coming into town Sunday.

 

Report: Jags defensive staff working from home due to COVID-19 protocols

The Jags are enduring another COVID-19 issue, which has caused their defensive staff to work remotely for the time being.

The Jacksonville Jaguars held operations from their facility without their defensive coaching staff Tuesday due to having to follow COVID-19 protocols. Per NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the team had a positive test within the unit, which resulted in the defensive staff working remotely from home.

This comes after the Jags took the field Sunday without defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to the same reason. Jags defensive assistant Dwayne Stukes filled in for Rebrovich in the process as the Jags would end up losing that game 27-3.

The Jags were already dealing with many injuries on defense like those to Josh Allen and D.J. Hayden among notables and this only sets the group back even more. It’s unknown at this time when the staff can return to the facility as the NFL has updated their COVID-19 protocols over the past few weeks.

The Jags also had to place kicker Chase McLaughlin on their Reserve/ COVID-19 list Tuesday. As many can recall, the list was made at the beginning of the season for players with COVID-19 or those who have been around a person/group with the coronavirus.

If McLaughlin is unable to take the field against the Cleveland Browns, place kicker Aldrick Rosas is available via practice squad.

Jaguars DL coach Jason Rebrovich praises Dawuane Smoot during camp

Dawuane Smoot will be heading into his fourth year with the Jags and is having an under-the-radar camp in the eyes of his position coach.

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense has had some strong moments on the practice field since putting on the pads despite the losses the unit has endured. The coaches have raved about players such as linebacker Josh Allen and rookie edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. However, there is another unsung player who has stood out when it comes to aiding teammates and performing on the field in fourth-year defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot.

Jaguars defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich especially has taken note of Smoot’s efforts and praised him while meeting with the media this week. In particular, Rebrovich discussed his leadership and his growth as a player.

“He’s having one heck of a camp. Sometimes it takes some guys some learning curve and understanding what we are doing from a technique standpoint and scheme standpoint and Smoot is doing one heck of a job,” said Rebrovich.

“In the classroom and on the field he’s becoming one heck of a leader. Sometimes you look around the room and you try to figure out who is the leader in that room, but Dawuane Smoot is one heck of a leader in that room.”

Smoot has been with the Jags since 2017 and has amassed 41 tackles and six sacks, which ranked him fourth on the team. All six of his sacks came in 2019 in only 38% of the snaps. The interesting caveat is that he ended the 2019 campaign with 12 solo tackles meaning he had a sack on 50% of his tackles.

Smoot will undoubtedly receive more playtime this year when looking at the losses the Jags have endured on the defensive line. Add in the fact that he’ll be playing on a contract year and it’s possible he could see a tremendous jump in play this upcoming season.

Jags DL coach on Taven Bryan: He’s having one heck of a camp

With him entering his third season, 2020 will be an important season for Taven Bryan who made some steps last season. While he hasn’t quite reached where most would want for a first-round pick, there is no denying he showed up at key moments and has …

With him entering his third season, 2020 will be an important season for Taven Bryan who made some steps last season. While he hasn’t quite reached where most would want for a first-round pick, there is no denying he showed up at key moments and has something to build towards this year.

So far in camp, he’s seemingly impressed his position coach, Jason Rebrovich, who had a great deal of praise for Bryan before Tuesday’s practice.

“Hopefully all of you guys have watched some tape for the last few 9 or 10 practices, Taven Bryan is having one heck of a camp now,” Rebrovich said to the media Tuesday, “He’s showing up quite a bit in his running, in his toughness at the point of attack and how he strains, it’s showing. And I’m going to tell you this, his confidence level is coming with that, too.”

Despite him currently being sidelined with a knee bruise, this is certainly good to hear about Bryan because the defensive line is likely going to need him to start and thrive in the process. The team lost two projected starters in Rodney Gunter and Al Woods to a heart condition and opt-out for concerns for the coronavirus, respectively, leaving two key spots on the line available.

Bryan will enter 2020 with the second-highest 2019 Pro Football Focus grade on the Jags’ roster (75.6), with only nickelback D.J. Hayden registering a better grade (76.9). When looking back at it, most of his success came during the Week 3-7 range. He also had a good showing in the Jags’ season finale against the Indianapolis Colts, giving All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson all he could handle.

Heading forward it looks like Bryan’s snap count will definitely increase. With that could come consistency out of the third-year defensive, which would be huge for the Jags’ future because he and Josh Allen could be the nucleus of the defensive line.