JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith was not a fan of how his former teammate was treated as a coach with Jacksonville last year.
Smith went on XL Primetime on 1010 AM Thursday afternoon and took issue with how the previous Jaguars coaching regime handled things offensively.
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Notably, with his former Jacksonville teammate turned receiver’s coach, Keenan McCardell.
“The previous coaching staff didn’t want a No. 1 receiver and I know how bad that bugged Keenan …,” Smith said. “Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach like he wanted to. Let me say it again. Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach the receivers the way he wanted to.”
McCardell was not retained after Shad Khan cleaned house in the offseason, firing head coach Doug Marrone and hiring Urban Meyer.
On XL Primetime, @JimmySmithJags claims Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach WRs how he wanted to, and it affected Chark's growth pic.twitter.com/3UIIu7OGoP
— 1010 XL / 92.5 FM (@1010XL) June 17, 2021
Smith and McCardell were branded Thunder and Lightning when they played together with the Jaguars. Smith is the top receiver in franchise history and one of the all-time leaders in receptions in NFL history.
Smith said that McCardell being limited in how he coached his group of receivers particularly stunted the growth of third-year receiver DJ Chark. After a Pro Bowl, 1,000-yard season in 2019, Chark didn’t look like the same player last year. He had 706 receiving yards and five touchdowns. New Jaguars coach Urban Meyer said that Chark was too good to play like he did last year.
“He’s a big guy that played little last year, and that can’t happen,” Meyer said earlier this month.
Smith said the coaching in 2020 was a big reason for Chark’s regression.
“Why are the receivers standing straight up at the line of scrimmage? We know that’s not Keenan. We know that’s not the way we played and I know that’s not the way that he wants to coach. Because the route running begins by your stance as a wide receiver. … That’s just like football route running 101,” Smith said on the radio station.
“Those who know the game knew that Keenan McCardell was not allowed to coach those receivers and it affected DJ Chark’s development because Keenan was not allowed to coach those receivers the way he wanted to.”