JACKSONVILLE – Quarterback remained a big topic Wednesday.
Doug Marrone's thoughts on that topic didn't change much from Monday, with the Jaguars' head coach reiterating why Mike Glennon will continue starting at quarterback.
Marrone, speaking on his weekly Wednesday videoconference, was asked a lot about backup quarterback Gardner Minshew II. He said – as he did Monday – that practice is playing a role in his decision.
"We're trying to work through it," Marrone said as the Jaguars (1-11) prepared to play the Tennessee Titans (8-4) at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.
Glennon – the Jaguars' backup quarterback the first 10 games of the season – has started the last two games, throwing two touchdowns with no interceptions in a loss to Cleveland and throwing two interceptions with a touchdown in a loss to Minnesota this past week. Minshew, the Games 1-7 starter, missed four games with a thumb injury and was a healthy backup to Glennon against Minnesota.
Marrone said he is working with Minshew along with offensive coordinator Jay Gruden and quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo to find Minshew the right workload during practice.
Marrone said a lot of things go into his decision at quarterback, adding "practice is a big thing to me – when people are practicing and how they're doing in practice."
"You don't want to go into a game 'hoping' someone's going to be able to do well," Marrone said. "Your evaluations are day to day during the week, then obviously on game day the players who are playing are being evaluated. If we feel like someone can go in there and help our team win, then we're going to put them in there. That's pretty much the process of what's always been done."
Minshew in an ESPN report this week called the situation "frustrating," saying he "pretty much went and begged before the Cleveland game to be able to play."
"There are a lot of players who will say, 'Hey, I want to play … I want to play …' – whether it's practice squad or a backup role,'' Marrone said. "You want that as a coach. You want that competitiveness. You've got to go out there and practice and practice well …
"You get worried if it's the other way, where someone doesn't want to get out there or he's not a competitor – if he's comfortable in his role of not playing. We're all trying to communicate. We're all trying to work through things during these tough times. We're going to keep working on these guys and keep getting them better."
Marrone has changed quarterbacks during each of his four seasons as Jaguars head coach. In 2017, backup Chad Henne started a preseason game over Blake Bortles before Bortles started the regular season and playoffs. Bortles started 12 games the following season with Cody Kessler starting four, and Nick Foles started four games in 2019 with Minshew starting 12.
Minshew started seven games this season with rookie Jake Luton starting three before Glennon moved into the starting lineup.
"Anywhere you look around the league, if you're not stable at that position it's going to be difficult – it's going to be challenging," Marrone said. "We're trying to find the right fit, the right guy, to lead this team and lead this franchise. We've got guys and we just keep trying, just keep putting them in there.
"It's the most important position. It doesn't matter what coach you are. If you say, 'What's the most important position?' – the first one is always quarterback. It's not even close. It's an important position and one we continue to keep working and trying to get right."
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Marrone said he expects rookie running back James Robinson to be limited in practice Wednesday after taking "a pretty good shot" in a loss to Minnesota this past Sunday; Marrone added that he expects Robinson to play against Tennessee Sunday. Marrone said rookie wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (thumb) will practice Wednesday and veteran center Brandon Linder (shoulder) will not practice Wednesday; both sustained injuries Sunday at Minnesota with Linder considered doubtful to play against Tennessee.
