JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the second week of the Jaguars training camp, the team has engaged in some of the "traditional" football drills more than we've seen in the past. One-on-one offensive lineman vs. defensive lineman skirmishes, the tip drill for linebackers and defensive backs, and kickoff and punt returns that give the receiver a "look" at the blocking scheme.
Some of this is the time of year, but some is head coach Gus Bradley ramping up expectations as he prepares his players for their first preseason game on Friday.
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"We need to be able to run the ball when the other team knows we're going to run it," Bradley said this week. So the emphasis on blocking technique is pretty strong. Adding Doug Marrone to the staff as the offensive line coach was a step Bradley took in the offseason trying to get that group in sync. Marrone has been meticulous with footwork and hand position instruction as well as the toughness factor and it's paying dividends.
"That group is developing a closeness that they need," Bradley said of his offensive linemen. On the unofficial depth chart, Luke Joeckel and Zane Beadles are listed on the left side, Brandon Linder and Eddie Parnell on the right. Both Luke Bowanko and Stefan Wisniewski are listed as first team centers. Bowanko worked with the first team today.
Jared Odrick, Allen Robinson, Marcedes Lewis, Roy Miller and WR Neal Sterling didn't participate in drills today but were on the field. Odrick hasn't practiced since last Wednesday and the Jaguars say its "knee soreness" that's keeping him out. The others could be just a day off.
As the first preseason game against Pittsburgh gets closer, the second and third team players are getting more reps in practice. They'll see a lot of action on Friday night, giving the coaches a chance to see whether they can be part of the final 53-man roster. That's probably why Jeff Tuel and Stephen Morris were getting a lot of reps at QB today in practice. Blake Bortles and Chad Henne will play some on Friday but Tuel and Morris are vying for the 3rd QB job, (if the Jaguars even keep three quarterbacks) so they'll both see action on Friday night.
"You saw we introduced a little bit of Pittsburgh," said Bradley following Tuesdays practice. "Again, this is going to be a lot of rules ballgame for us where we just follow the rules and go out there. We're looking for a lot of energy and guys playing hard and fast. We did want to take a look at them and some things that they do just so our guys have some semblance of what they're about"
Friday's night's game at the stadium can be seen live on Channel 4, beginning at 7:30. We'll have a full pregame show at 7 and live coverage from the stadium during News4Jax newscasts before and after the game.