5 Theoretical Candidates to Fill Jaguars’ Quarterbacks Coach Vacancy

With the Jacksonville Jaguars in full offseason mode, the franchise will soon have to turn its attention to filling out a coaching staff that is still in limbo.

Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone was retained last week and with him, it can be presumed a few assistant coaches will stick around. Former quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich, who served under Marrone in the role from 2017-2019, potentially could have been one of these coaches.

But on Dec. 12, Milanovich accepted a head coach position in the Canadian Football League with the Edmonton Eskimos, creating a big vacancy on Marrone's staff.

Because of the advanced announcement, Jacksonville has known for quite some time they would have a vacancy at an important position on its coaching staff entering this offseason. With an abundance of talented coaches available and several who will likely become available, now is the time to fill it.

So, which coaches would theoretically make sense to replace Milanovich heading into Gardner Minshew II's sophomore season?

Jon Kitna

Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach and former NFL signal-caller Jon Kitna isn't technically on the open market yet. Dallas just hired Mike McCarthy to lead the organization and it is unclear whether he will keep Kitna in place as a holdover from the Jason Garrett era. But if McCarthy chooses to pick his own staff and let Kitna become a coaching free agent, he should have teams lined up at his door ready to offer him.

Kitna was only in his role for the 2019 season, but he helped lead fourth-year quarterback Dak Prescott to the most productive year of his career. Prescott threw for over 4,900 yards and, for the first time in his career, threw 30 touchdown passes. Kitna did a terrific job with the ascending passer, showing he could potentially do similar with Jacksonville's own young quarterback.

Jim Caldwell

Former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell spent some time away from football before accepting the quarterbacks coach position with the Miami Dolphins for 2019. Caldwell would take a leave of absence to address health issues before the season began, but some have indicated he wants to coach again in 2020.

Caldwell has over a decade worth of experience as a quarterbacks coach and has often been praised by his pupils, such as Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco, and Matthew Stafford. He has a proven track record of success coaching quarterbacks at any stage of their career. He would be a boon for Minshew entering his second season due to his ability to teach the basics and his attention to detail.

Dan Enos

Dan Enos had a disastrous one-year tenure as the University of Miami's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019, culminating in his firing after their bowl game. This one is also a bit out of the box because Enos has only ever coached in college, so any NFL job would be his first.

With that said, Enos has a good track record with quarterbacks, dating back to his time at the University of Arkansas from 2015-2017 and with the University of Alabama in 2018, coaching Tua Tagovailoa during a record-breaking season. He has been praised for his ability to teach advanced concepts to young passers before, but he is a big risk, big reward candidate due to his lack of NFL coaching experience and the fact that he has jumped around from job to job in his career. With that said, he knows how to coach quarterbacks, especially young ones.

Mike Shula

Mike Shula is a familiar name for Jaguars' fans, coaching the team's quarterbacks from 2007-2010. Due to circumstances, it may be time to bring the band back together, no matter how old the tune is.

Shula has most previously served as the New York Giants offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under ex-Giants coach Pat Shurmur, but with the uncertainty surrounding the organization, it can be presumed he is available. Shula's best work was as Cam Newton's position coach and offensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers, and he also coached up rookie quarterback Daniel Jones in 2019. He has an extensive track record and has worked with young quarterbacks, so he makes sense as a fit.

Ken Zampese

Like the others on this list, Ken Zampese has an extensive history coaching young quarterbacks, He was the Cincinnatti Bengals quarterbacks coach from 2003-2015, giving him a chance to coach both Carson Palmer and Andy Dalton at the start of their careers. He also served as the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks coach in 2018, helping Baker Mayfield produce in his rookie season.

Zampese was out of the NFL in 2019, coaching quarterbacks and serving as offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Legends of the Alliance of American Football league before it folded. So far, it has been quiet on the interview front for Zampese, which is surprising considering his history coaching quarterbacks. For a team like Jacksonville who will enter 2020 with a young and emerging passer, Zampese makes a lot of sense.

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