Doug Pederson Weighs In on Day 1 of Jaguars Training Camp
Jaguars football is back. After a brief time inbetween OTA’s and the start of training camp, today marked the first day that players and coaches were able to get back onto the field to establish much needed chemistry and fundamentals.
Beyond the business aspect, it is an exciting team for players and coaches to get back on the field and doing what they love. Head coach Doug Pederson is among those ready to get back into the swing of things.
“It’s exciting,” Pederson said. “Emotions are high. We’re looking forward to having a really good camp, a good, competitive, physical camp. But for me, personally, it’s exciting to be back out on the grass with these guys for another training camp and seeing where we go.”
Training camp for the Jaguars has a whole new feel to it this offseason, as for just the second time since their expansion season in 1995, they are holding camp at an offsite location. Construction at TIAA Bank Field forced the Jags to conduct their camp at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. The new location barred an initial adjustment from the team, but the issues and concerns that came from a new location are quickly fading away.
“There are a few issues that come up with that,” Pederson said. “One, when you abide by CBA and you have an 11-hour day, you have to factor in travel and all of that. It takes up either practice time, meeting time, whatever you can do. “You have to work out some of those kinks.
"We had a great team of guys - we did a lot of research on it. We drove back and forth in the spring time just to see how long the drive was going to be and how long it would take us. We appreciate the police department giving us some escorts and getting us through some red lights. That helps. That helps maximize the time on the field, and then just kind of seeing it all come together. It’s been kind of fun this summer to watch the progression of everything.”
As for the training camp atmosphere itself, the first couple of days will be more laid back before pads come on. The focus is on players getting back into a routine and not risking harm to their bodies by rushing into the more strenous parts of the offseason program.
“It’s an acclimation phase right now,” Pederson said. “It’s much like OTAs where there’s not a lot of physical contact, but it’s an acclimation of getting back out there on the practice field and running around. The way that practices are scheduled from a time standpoint allows the players to build some tolerance in their bodies in the next couple of days before we put the pads on.”
Current projections have Sunday as the first full-padded day of camp, giving the players ample time to ramp up activity and get their bodies ready for full contact. From day one, Coach Pederson is focused on making sure that each of the players are ready to handle the physical demand that camp requires to put them on track to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season. Beyond the fundamentals and skill improvements, maintaining health is of the utmost care.
“You’re going by the CBA and you’re going by rules that are put in place,” Pederson said.
“Again, I want to make sure the bodies are conditioned and the tolerance has been built before we get into pads. It just takes time. It takes a little time. Guys are coming in from all over the country, so there are time zone factors we’re looking at and different things with body clocks on all that. Just want to make sure that this week is an important week of building up each player.”
