3 Assistant Coaches the Jaguars’ Next HC Should Consider Keeping On Staff
It would be somewhat of a surprise if the Jacksonville Jaguars don't have a new head coach by the end of this week. As a result, the Jaguars will have to be making key staff decisions around that coach sooner than later.
Among those decisions? Figuring out what to do with current staff members. While the Jaguars' 1-15 record in 2020 and 12-36 record over the last three seasons are both terrible marks, there are still a few assistant coaches on the staff who have done a solid job despite the losses.
Owner Shad Khan even noted as such when he spoke last Monday, mentioning the possibility of the next head coach potentially looking to keep a select few around, though he said it is of course the decision of the coach -- whoever that will be.
"The assistant coaches, the ones that are under contract, we’re going to keep them. We have some good coaches here," Khan said. "I want the head coach, whoever that might be, to be able to look at that and retain some of them, but that would be obviously the head coach’s decision.”
So, which specific assistants should the Jaguars look at carrying over into 2021 and adding to their new staff? We selected three to consider, though the keyword there is to consider. This is not advocating for the newest head coach to keep any holdovers from the last staff; Instead, it is a look at which coaches did a good enough job to at least earn some amount of considerations at returning, even if they end up not doing so.
Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell
This is the most obvious one. It is hard to say any coach on Jacksonville's staff has done a better job than Keenan McCardell since he joined the team as a coach in 2017. Sure he is a Jacksonville legend thanks to his playing days as a Jaguar, but he should be considered to return based on the merit of his work over the last four seasons.
McCardell has been given radically different receiver groups each year of his tenure but he has still found a way for the unit to find production. He helped get the most out of a rookie Keelan Cole and a previously underwhelming Marqise Lee in 2017 when Allen Robinson was injured. In 2019, he helped turn DJ Chark into a Pro Bowler, with Chark constantly crediting his position coach for playing a major role in taking his game to the next level. Finally, McCardell had to play two rookies extensively in 2020 in Laviska Shenault and Collin Johnson. Each improved by leaps and bounds from Weeks 1 to 17, an example of the work McCardell had done with them.
Considering the major improvements both rookie and veteran receivers have shown under McCardell's tutelage since 2017, the next Jaguars head coach should think long and hard before deciding to replace him.
Safeties coach Joe Danna
There aren't many members of Jacksonville's defensive staff more respected than safeties coach Joe Danna. While Jacksonville had one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL in 2020, this was more so to do with the youngest cornerback room in the NFL and less to do with Danna's safeties. In fact, Danna helped several safeties have strong seasons.
Danna will get dinged for never getting the most out of Ronnie Harrison and for the flop that was the Josh Jones experiment, but other safeties performed well under his guidance. Jarrod Wilson has gone from special teams afterthought to a reliable, albeit unspectacular, free safety. He isn't a game-changer, but his development from an undrafted free agent to a key defensive starter has been impressive.
There is also the encouraging signs shown from young safeties Andrew Wingard and Daniel Thomas. The duo combined for three interceptions and a number of other big plays in coverage in 2020, something that went a bit overlooked due to Wingard's issues tackling in space and Thomas' lack of extensive playing time. It would make sense for the Jaguars to hit reset on the defensive staff, but Danna has shown the ability to develop safeties without any major investments at the position.
Offensive quality control coach Denard Robinson
We covered Denard Robinson's rise from former NFL running back to NFL assistant coach here, but our reasoning for this is simple. Robinson isn't a position coach, so it isn't like keeping him on staff would prevent the next head coach from bringing in his own people. Instead, Robinson would be a resource for the next staff due to his familiarity with those already on the roster, specifically James Robinson.
Denard Robinson is respected by those inside TIAA Bank Field, whether by coaches or players. He is a bright football mind who is just starting his coaching career at this level. Keeping him wouldn't be much of a burden on the next staff, while the upside is tremendous. The Jaguars need to invest in young coaches, specifically on the offensive side of the ball. Why not continue Robinson's tenure?
