Jaguars Coaches Acknowledge Inevitable Change, Potential Final Game With Franchise
While there is a noticeable buzz throughout Jacksonville about the 2021 offseason and the thought of bringing in eventual No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence, there are still countless members of the Jaguars franchise who can't afford to look that far ahead.
Instead, they know they can only be promised Sunday's season finale against the Indianapolis Colts.
With the Jaguars holding the league's worst record at 1-14, a result of a 14-game losing streak that has sent the reason off the rails, the coaching staff knows the inevitably of sweeping changes.
Owner Shad Khan has been patient -- perhaps more patient than any other owner in the NFL -- but even his patience has likely been tested following a third-consecutive season with double-digit losses.
This is something head coach Doug Marrone, defensive coordinator Todd Wash, and offensive coordinator Jay Gruden were all very aware of when speaking to the media on Wednesday, potentially their last mid-week press conferences with the Jaguars.
"I think that obviously there’ll be change. I don’t know [how]. I’m not informed of anything like that, but obviously there’s going to be a lot of change going on," Marrone bluntly explained.
"But my whole focus is [to] try to get this win. I don’t know how I’ll feel after the game. Honestly after the game, I might look at it differently, but right now I’m putting everything into trying to get this win and ending the season with a win. That’s where all my emotion and everything is generated."
Each coach has different ties to Jacksonville. Marrone is in his fourth season in charge and, for a time, was a beloved figure in the area after leading the team to the AFC Championship and an AFC South title in 2017. He has been with the franchise since 2015.
Marrone hasn't had as long or successful of a tenure as Tom Coughlin or Jack Del Rio, but he has been seen as at least a modest upgrade over the Mike Mularkey and Gus Bradley eras, even with the failures of 2020.
But that era will likely come to a close in Indianapolis this weekend. Marrone has held the locker room together through a brutal losing season, but the win-loss results are not what he or the Jaguars' ownership was expecting this season.
"As far as for me as a coach, when you’re not doing well, you don’t ever want it to end. You want to try to keep getting opportunities and try to keep winning. I think that’s what’s important, so that’s the competitiveness that you want," Marrone said.
"You don’t want to say, ‘God, I can’t wait for this to be over and then we’ll see what happens’ and then kind of reboot, reboot, reboot. S***, I like to keep competing every single week and keep playing, keep playing. We just run out of opportunities to practice and get better and do things. We have one opportunity to perform on Sunday. That’s how I’ve always approached it. I don’t like looking at the end because it’s sad no matter what type of year you have, especially in this league because there’s so much change."
Wash, meanwhile, has been with the Jaguars for eight years. He came from Seattle with Gus Bradley in 2013 and worked his way up to defensive coordinator. As a result, Jacksonville has been the longest and most significant stop of his coaching career.
Wash has been with the Jaguars at their highest peaks, leading their top-ranked defensive unit in 2017. But he has also overseen a unit that has undergone dramatic change and regression over the last two seasons. The defensive failures in 2020 are a big reason the team is 1-14, and a reason the coaches have to face questions like the ones they did on Wednesday.
"As a coach, I’ve never been fired before to be honest with you. If it happens, it’ll be the first time it’s ever happened so I’m sure that will be a little bit of a strange situation to go through," Wash said on Wednesday.
"But Jacksonville’s a very special place. Both my daughters graduated from [high school] here and my son has obviously started high school here, so it’s always going to be a special place if that happens. But it’s part of our business, there’s no doubt. There’s critics all over there if you’re doing well or you’re doing bad. You take it all in stride and you just move on.”
Finally, Gruden was tasked with orchestrating the offense this season following his firing from Washington last season. He has only been a member of the franchise for 15 games, but he had his fair amount of fanfare coming into the season.
Many thought Gruden could either use a good year with the Jaguars to turn it into a second head coaching job. Or, maybe, even return with the Jaguars in 2020. But Gruden acknowledged that when a team has a year as Jacksonville has had, the chances of those things happening dwindle quite a bit.
“I like Jacksonville. It’s my first time being here, and I actually bought a place here, so I love the area. Obviously, this is a one game at a time approach and one season at a time approach for all coaches," Gruden said.
"We understand if you don’t win, especially if you go 1-14 or 2-14 or 1-15, odds aren’t in your favor you’re going to stick around very long. The staff have worked extremely hard. Coach Marrone has done a great job with what he’s had to work with and everything. But the future is up in the air without a doubt. First, [we’re] going to work hard the last game and whatever happens, happens, but I do love the area that’s for sure and I would love to coach these young guys again.”
The entire coaching staff has an uncertain future as a result of the 2020 season, but especially the trio of Marrone/Wash/Gruden. Changes are coming to Jacksonville one way or another, and chances are those changes will include head coach, defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator.
But for now, the Jaguars' coaches aren't looking that far ahead. They are looking at the Colts and one more chance to get a win as Jaguars.
