JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Less than 24 hours after the Jacksonville Jaguars relieved Gus Bradley of his head coaching duties, the team announced that assistant head coach/offensive line coach Doug Marrone would replace Bradley as interim head coach for the final two weeks of the season.
Marrone, a veteran of 24 years in coaching, originally joined the Jaguars as the assistant head coach-offense/offensive line coach on Jan. 20, 2015, following a two-year stint as the head coach for the Buffalo Bills (2013-14). Marrone was the logical choice to be named the interim coach. He is the only person on the Jaguars coaching staff that has previous NFL head coaching experience.
UNCUT: Dave Caldwell explains decision to fire Gus Bradley |
UNCUT: Doug Marrone speaks to media |
READ: Doug Marrone's coaching bio
Jaguars General Manager Dave Caldwell said Monday that Marrone would be considered for the permanent position as the Jaguars move forward with their head coaching search.
But Marrone said he's not focused on auditioning for the job but on finishing the season.
“We are on a short week with heavy hearts. We have to put it as much behind us as we can,” Marrone said. “We have to prepare.”
He said he'll need to rely heavily on the team's assistant coaches and coordinators for Saturday's game against the Titans at EverBank Field.
“I will rely on the coordinators this week to make sure we put together the right plan and we prepare this team to go out there and win a football game on a short week coming up on Saturday,” Marrone said. “We have our first team meeting tomorrow. I met with some of the players already. We are going to try to make sure we set this thing the right way and do what is best for this organization in these final two weeks.”
One of the first decisions Marrone had to make was will Blake Bortles finish this season as the Jaguars starting quarterback.
“Dave and I had conversations and I am sticking with Blake," said Marrone. "Blake will be our starting quarterback.”
During Monday's press conference Marrone was asked was that decision about having faith in Bortles or was it more of a result of backup quarterback Brandon Allen not being ready to play.
"The quarterback position and you know this, when you win they get too much of the credit and I know its cliché but when you lose they get a lot of the blame," said Marrone. "I think a lot of struggles no matter who you are talking about on this football and obviously there are some things going on that we haven’t done a good job with it is facet of a lot of people that are around you."
UNCUT: Gus Bradley speaks Monday after firing |
MORE: Complete coverage of Bradley's firing
Marrone’s offensive line has allowed just 30 sacks through Week 15, which is 11 fewer than at this point last season (41 sacks allowed through Week 15 in 2015) and 32 fewer than at this juncture in 2014 (62 sacks allowed though Week 15 in 2014). The Jaguars are averaging two sacks per game (30 sacks allowed through 14 games) and are on pace to finish the season with 35 sacks allowed, which would be the fewest sacks allowed by the Jaguars since yielding 31 sacks in 2007.
Marrone went 15-17 in his two season as head coach with the Bills, and also has college head coaching experience at Syracuse. He said he'll lean on that previous experience in the last two games of the season.
“My job is to make sure that the people that are touching the football team understand the direction we are heading and how we feel and to recognize that and to be able to move forward at a very difficult time,” Marrone said.
Owner Shad Khan announced the decision to fire Bradley following a 21-20 loss at Houston, the team's ninth-straight loss – the longest, single-season losing streak in franchise history.
Bradley went 14-48 in four seasons in Jacksonville, the worst winning percentage (.225) of any NFL coach with at least 60 games. He flew home on the team charter Sunday after the firing had been announced.
IMAGES: Jaguars head coaches through the years |
VIDEO: Staff arrives at EverBank Field |
VIDEO: Gus Bradley arrives home after firing
"I thanked Gus Bradley today for his commitment to the Jacksonville Jaguars over the past four seasons," Khan said in a statement. "As anyone close to our team knows, Gus gave his staff and players literally everything he had. Our players competed for Gus and I know they have great respect for him, as do I.
"Gus also represented the Jaguars, the Jacksonville community and the NFL in nothing less than a first-class manner as our head coach. That counts for a lot. It is unfortunately evident that we must make a change. I thought it would be best to do it immediately after today's result so Gus can step away, relax and regroup with his family during the Christmas and holiday season."
Khan added that he and Caldwell will "be charged with exploring all options to hire the best head coach possible to lead what I feel is an extremely talented team and reward a very loyal and patient fan base in Jacksonville."
Jacksonville's home finale is Saturday against Tennessee (8-6). Although the Jaguars technically won a home game in London in October, they have never gone winless in Jacksonville in a season.