JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s been lot of work crammed into a short amount of time for the Jaguars.
With no preseason Doug Marrone and the Jaguars coaching staff have had to evaluate their roster on the practice field but there are some things that you just can’t practice.
On Saturday morning, the Jaguars will hit the turf at TIAA Bank Field for their final scrimmage of training camp and quarterback Gardner Minshew is ready for the chance. In a normal season, Jacksonville would be preparing for its third preseason game of the year. But with no preseason games this year, that makes whatever game-type situation experience all the more important.
Marrone said that Saturday will likely be the last true team activity of training camp.
The Jaguars’ season opener is Sept. 13 at home against the Colts.
“I’m not sure exactly what the scrimmage is going to look like, but hopefully we get some game situations. A lot of it is just the typical operations stuff, as far as, warm-up, subbing in and out, getting plays called,” he said. “A lot of that stuff is stuff you know you don’t have to have it done, but it’s good to kind of have a dry run at that. And then, just move the ball, communicate well and score when we get in the red zone.”
Early reviews for the Jaguars offense have been relatively positive thus far in training camp. Minshew has looked much better with a season under his belt and trying to learn a new offense, his second in as many years.
“I think one of the biggest things is just chemistry with the receivers and learning the timing within the offense,” Minshew said. “Any time you have new receivers, depending on the play, I think all those things are things that you can only do through live reps.”
New offensive coordinator Jay Gruden has been pleased with the way Minshew has looked throughout training camp but wants to see Minshew continue to work on the little parts of his game.
“I just want to see Gardner continue his process. We’re just putting one block on top of another and he’s doing a good job. He’s got the meat and potatoes of the offense right now. We’ve just got to continue to develop some consistency with his progressions, his reads, his footwork, his protection knowledge,” Gruden said.
“All that stuff that the quarterback has to handle; snap count, all the little things. I’ve got to see him continue to do better and dominate at the line of scrimmage pre-snap and then post-snap, do the right thing with the football and go from there. But I’ve been impressed with him.
Minshew says he is always looking for new ways to get better.
“Yeah, it’s been a great process learning the offense, getting into it with everybody. I think we’re at a point now where all of the heavy lifting is done. Up to this point, it’s been a race trying to get a lot of reps. And now, it’s going to be more fine-tuned game planning and really just getting the finer points ready for Indianapolis. And I feel really good about it.”