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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

Harvey showed versatility

Join jaguars.com senior editor Vic Ketchman as he tackles the fans' tough questions.

Jeff from Jacksonville:
Did you know Reggie Harrison has since changed his name to Kamal Ali Salaam-El?

Vic: I didn't know that.

Dave from Orange Park, FL:
This statement was in an AFC South preview on NFL.com: "Jaguars will be worse than you think if ... new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams gets too aggressive too soon with his plans to eventually switch the Jags from the 4-3 front they've played for years to a 3-4 alignment." When did Gregg Williams become a 3-4 guy?

Vic: A lot of people have read that remark and have asked me about the Jags switching to a 3-4, and all I can tell you is that it wouldn't seem to make any sense to me. Who's the nose tackle, Jesse Mahelona? Where you gonna play Derrick Harvey because he sure isn't a two-gapping, hold-the-point, 3-4 end. Quentin Groves would fit in a 3-4, but just about everybody else would have to undergo a position switch. I can't help but think the author of that story got a little too loose with his facts. This team just isn't built to play a 3-4. Drayton Florence isn't a 3-4 cornerback; he's a press, man-to-man cornerback, not the kind of zone defender that's usually associated with 3-4 teams.

Brandon from Jacksonville:
John Clayton has the Jaguars not even making the playoffs. What are your thoughts?

Vic: I pretty much knew John felt that way, based on a conversation we had a few weeks ago. That was immediately following the loss to the Dolphins. John had watched tape of the game, gave me a call and asked me what was up with the Jaguars. He told me he really liked what he saw in the Texans and Titans and I said, "But, John, Vince Young is their quarterback." Different strokes for different folks, right?

Tanner from Springfield, MO:
Final thoughts on Garrard's preseason? Any cause for concern?

Vic: David Garrard's preseason performance was fine, except for two interceptions. So what do we do? Do we explain away the interceptions? Do we rationalize them? For example, the one last night may have been preseason experimentation with the deep ball, and the pass may not have been attempted if it was a regular-season game. Is that a fair excuse? Or do we look at Garrard's final preseason stats and decide that three touchdown passes to two interceptions isn't the ratio you want and should be cause for alarm? I don't know the answer. I can tell you this: All spring and summer long, Garrard threw the ball beautifully. I see no reason to believe he isn't headed for a year every bit as good or better than last year.

Buster from Palestine, IL:
You've said you want to see Matt Jones blocking, catching over the middle and playing with more motivation. I thought he did all three well against the Redskins. I did watch him give up on a ball which was intercepted, so I guess my question is this: Can Jones be the second or third receiver this year?

Vic: I really don't think that's the question. I think the question is can he be a trusted and dependable performer? He took a hit over the middle last night and held onto the ball. It is one of the most significant plays in his career because the rap on Jones is that he's too soft. He needs to show that same grit and determination on all passes in traffic. He's caught everything in this preseason with two hands and I haven't seen any double catches, which had become his trademark. He was solid in that department last night. I saw two negatives last night: He didn't go up after the deep ball that was intercepted, and he whiffed badly on a block early in the game, which resulted in Greg Jones being tackled for a loss. In final analysis, there is good stuff on which to build, but more work needs to be done.

Joe from Pontypridd, Wales:
Why was it noteworthy that Harvey was in at both left and right end?

Vic: Because it shows versatility. It shows he can play with either hand on the ground and that's not as easy as you might think.

Brian from Jacksonville:
I do not fully understand your statement last night on the game blog. Why would the Jags try to hide Witherspoon?

Vic: I was just raising the question because I didn't know why he wasn't returning punts. After the game, I asked why he didn't return punts and I was told he has a mild ankle sprain.

Don from Rocky Mount, NC:
What is your impression of Colt Brennan?

Vic: He plays on a bad team.

Paul from Jacksonville:
How can we have instant replay and not be able to challenge horrible calls like the pass interference and holding calls that went against the Jags last night?

Vic: Why would you want to delay the conclusion of that game?

Mark from Jacksonville:
Loved the blog. Can you explain the difference between waivers and the practice squad? Why would you try and sneak someone through waivers if you are just going to put them on the practice squad where they can be signed at any time?

Vic: The players currently on the Jaguars roster the team would like to sign to the practice squad first have to clear waivers before they can be signed to the practice squad. You can't just move a player from your active roster to your practice squad.

Chris from Albuquerque, NM:
So who is usually the Turk? Is it someone from the coaching staff?

Vic: It's usually someone from the personnel department.

Trevor from Washington, DC:
Which players do you think avoided the "Turk" last night?

Vic: In my opinion, Troy Williamson was on the bubble heading into last night's game. I'll be surprised if his performance against the Redskins didn't clinch a roster spot. Chauncey Washington was another bubble guy and I'll be surprised if his performance didn't at least earn a spot on the practice squad. I think D'Juan Woods may have won a place on the practice squad. He's a great kid and I'm rooting for him. The guy who I think is going to lose in this is Ryan Hoag. He's out of practice squad eligibility and that's a shame because I think he's a player. He's a guy I'd like to have on my team in some way. I think Jimmy Kennedy helped himself last night. One of the big winners is Todd Bouman. He's gonna play somewhere in this league this year, which will add another year to his pension.

Dane from Fort Walton Beach, FL:
And that's why you don't trade away your draft classes for old players at the end of their careers.

Vic: You got it, baby. What a mess.

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