JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …

P Funk from Murray Hill

Can you detail what a defensive coach does as a run-game coordinator? Can you elaborate on the Bourbon St. Buick story?

This question references a couple of issues. One is that the Jaguars on Thursday announced they had hired former Green Bay Packers defensive run-game coordinator and linebackers coach Anthony Campanile as defensive coordinator. Not all staffs have a run-game coordinator. On those that do, the position is responsible for assisting the defensive coordinator in the area of defending the run. It's usually either a linebackers coach or a defensive line coach. In addition to the added game-week responsibility, it's an added title and public acknowledgment of the coach's importance/input to/with the coordinator and head coach. As for a recent O-Zone answer that referenced waking up under a Buick on Bourbon Street ... this response was not meant to imply that I have experience in such matters. Really. It wasn't meant to imply that. Honest.

Mason from Palm Bay, FL

A young defensive coordinator that emphasizes playing fast, aggressive and physical. Where have I heard this before? Here's to hoping things are different this time.

Campanile indeed emphasized playing fast, aggressive and physical on defense – as did former Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, as did the defensive coordinator before that and the defensive coordinator before that. I once tried to think of a defensive coordinator who didn't emphasize playing fast, aggressive and physical and thought to myself, "I would love to find a defensive coordinator who plays slow, passive and weakly." I then chastised myself for being too cynical and got back to work.

Steve from Woodbine, GA

Do you ever get tired of being the KJP of the Khan administration? Just wondering if you desire to report for a real NFL team and not this clown show?

I don't tire of working with the Jaguars and Owner Shad Khan. Not remotely. I expect people will like what they see from the Jaguars moving forward.

Thomas from Jacksonville

So, if the Jaguars named Trevor Lawrence as something like quality control coach in addition to being quarterback, he and Coen could draft plays together until April (when he is not busy changing diapers)?

The Jaguars can't and won't do that.

Charles from Savannah, GA

Could you imagine if the Jaguars landed Ben Johnson and he brought back Press Taylor? Liam Coen is looking really good right now.

New Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson indeed hired former Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor as passing-game coordinator this past week. This drew plenty of amusement from Jaguars observers who don't care for Taylor. That's to be expected. Fans typically dislike their team's former coordinators, particularly ones from staffs that have been dismissed. It's always coaching in the NFL.

Raleigh from Ponte Vedra, FL

I read a stat saying Anton has given up 27 pressures in both of his seasons. I'm not familiar with that being high or not. Based on your analysis, is he for sure our right (or possibly left someday?) tackle of the future?

I expect right tackle Anton Harrison to start at a tackle position for the Jaguars for the foreseeable future. How far into the future that means I don't yet know. But he's a good, starting-level NFL tackle. Maybe he's better than that. We'll see.

John from Hopkins, MN

Do you think with how the rules are for coaches and players in the offseason, that Trevor might need some time at the start of the season to look "comfortable" in Liam's scheme? Obviously looking good from the get-go would be preferred, but do you share the same concerns?

I expect quarterback Trevor Lawrence to be better in Head Coach Liam Coen's scheme as time moves forward. Repetition and time on task within a system almost always is a positive. I don't yet have a sense for how Lawrence will look early. I expect we'll all find out together.

Charles from Savannah, GA

Tony Boselli for GM?

Former Jaguars left tackle Tony Boselli won't be the Jaguars' next general manager. That doesn't remotely mean he won't play a critical role.

Tony from Jax

I'm confused about assistant head-coach duties. So, a coordinator gets extra responsibilities? Like what? Or, for example, the defensive coordinator is also assistant head coach, and the defensive is great, but the rest of the team stinks, he's next in-line for head coach? Any case, I vote special teams coordinator Heath Farwell for assistant head coach!

An assistant head coach isn't always a coordinator. It's usually the person on the staff who would take over as head coach if the head coach were unavailable because of sickness or emergency. An assistant head coach normally becomes interim head coach if the head coach is dismissed.

Howard from Homestead, FL

Help me to understand why Mark Brunell's name never comes up as a head-coach candidate.

Former Jaguars quarterback Mark Brunell has been a quarterbacks coach for four seasons – all for the Detroit Lions – and never has been an NFL coordinator. That doesn't mean he wouldn't be a good head coach. It's why his name doesn't yet get mentioned for NFL head-coaching positions.

Michael from Mean streets of Arlington

"At the end of the day, we're the players," Engram said. "We're the ones out there getting it done. I definitely think that we'll find somebody that's going to continue to put us in the right positions to make those plays." Looks like Evan doesn't agree that it's always coaching.

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram is a professional football player who understands professional football.

Pete from Jax

Does it really matter who we hire as general manager if we have the same Chief Football Strategy Officer?

Yes.

TB from Tampa, FL

From O-Zone: Cover me up Oct 13, 2023 at 08:26 AM TB from Tampa, Florida Matt Lombardo mentioned that "The Jaguars are a good team right now, but they could be great if they had drafted better the last two years." He mentioned that "Had a couple of decisions gone slightly differently, the executive believes the Jaguars' ceiling could be even higher, their long-term outlook much brighter." He mentioned to "Just imagine this team right now if they drafted Aidan Hutchinson over Travon Walker," the Scouting Director said. "Walker is just a guy. Anton Harrison is not very good. The front office did a poor job finishing off this roster, in my opinion. We'll see if they can finish near the top of the conference." At what point will the realization that General Manager Trent Baalke is a detriment to the organization come to fruition, hopefully, prior to the retirement of Trevor Lawrence? Well, if Matt Lombardo mentioned it …" Matt Lombardo did mention it...

That seems like a long paragraph and a lot of work to reveal that the Scouting Director was wrong about Travon Walker.

Paul from Lake City

The last two seasons were a very tough slog for this Jaguars fan. Since Jacksonville was awarded the team, I had never felt as down as I did after the 2023 collapse and as I watched it continue through '24. Not the Mike Mularkey year, not the Urban Meyer year. I had high hopes for Head Coach Doug Pederson, but those feelings were tempered by what my eyes kept seeing on the field - even when they were winning. Hopefully, with Coach Coen on board we will start to see the areas that seemed to go either unaddressed or unsuccessfully addressed improve. So far, I like what I'm hearing a lot.

OK.

Tim from Fernandina Beach, FL

John: I just read an article ranking defensive backs by PFF metrics. My question is, given the eye test that there was a lot of blown coverage and free running receivers, how can PFF assign a grade if they don't know the play call and who had coverage?

This is the inherent flaw of Pro Football Focus and other outside entities that attempt to grade players. A personnel executive with high-end credentials once told me that he had to wait to review game video with coaches from his team before grading players in a game because it was impossible to know assignments and play calls. There were multiple occasions this past season in which observers – including myself – assumed one Jaguars defensive back or another had been responsible for a big play allowed when in fact another defensive back had missed an assignment so badly he wasn't close enough to the play to be blamed. This is not to say PFF's grades are worthless. Just that they should be used as a complementary evaluation tool with the knowledge that their information is often imperfect.

Craig from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

You know I met you one time. Now all the Jaguars need to do is to get rid of your dumb ass and everything will be copasetic.

Sounds like someone needs to get the O-Zone out of his kitchen.