JACKSONVILLE – Some dead-zone days are deader than others.
Let's get to it …
John from Jacksonville
Hi, KOAGF. I sometimes wonder about "what if" scenarios. One that comes to mind is what if Urban Meyer decided to make a surprise pick and not select Trevor Lawrence? How would 2021, 2022 and 2023 have looked and where would we be now?
This likely never would have happened because it's hard to imagine Urban Meyer considering the Jaguars' head-coaching position in 2021 had they not held the No. 1 overall selection in that year's draft – and to Meyer, that almost certainly never meant anything but selecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence there. But because it's a particularly dead day in the dead zone, I'll consider the question and say the 2021 season probably would have played out essentially the same with Lawrence or without. As for the ensuing years, who knows? Maybe Head Coach Doug Pederson would have taken the job in the 2022 offseason. But it's very likely that wouldn't have happened. It's also sort of doubtful the Jaguars would have had winning seasons the past two seasons, but it's so hard to project that without knowing a slew of other factors we'll also never know.
Brett from Sydney, Australia
Having somehow become a Jags fan from afar I'm confused about the argument regarding turf and grass for the new stadium. Here in Aussie land turf relates to natural grass that is used on our footy grounds. I assume that when you and your correspondents talk about turf you are referring to an artificial surface. If so, I can understand the reluctance of anyone to play on it.
Turf in United States sports indeed usually means "artificial," and players indeed prefer grass to artificial turf. There were reports in May that the Jaguars' Stadium of the Future would feature artificial turf. It's my understanding this is fluid. The stadium is scheduled to open in August 2028. There's pleeenty of time for this one to play out.
Bradford from Orange Park, FL
Lawrence just got a first-round wide receiver, SUPER PAID and about to have a little 1-6? I'm captain partial, but even still, dude is about to make light work of all the haters this year … AND I CAN'T WAIT.
You go, girl.
Don from Marshall, NC
The only quarterbacks who don't make mistakes are the ones who are not playing and stand on the sidelines with a clipboard. With a better team around him Trevor Lawrence won't be making a lot of mistakes. Go Jaguars!
When it comes to maintaining steadfast belief through the Dead Zone in Lawrence, Don remains reassuringly "all in."
Keith from Saint Augustine, FL
Hi, John. I recently watched a video segment in which rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones stated he never wears a pair of socks more than once. That served to confirm what I thought I overheard him say, which was "I'm about out of socks, they'll be gone when the morning comes." Too much? Has everyone else already moved on?
Jaguars 2024 Training Camp is scheduled to begin in late July.
Ryan from Apopka, FL
So, we are just over halfway through Wimbledon and the men's side is pretty close to as you would have expected. Can an American pull off the upset and win a major for the first time in, like, 20 years? Or will we have a Joker versus Alvarez rematch? Rough weekend for the American women, but the woman's bracket looks to be wide open! Also did you get a chance to watch the Federer "12 final days?" Interesting to get an inside glimpse of Federer from more of a personal perspective with his decision to retire.
I've accelerated my Wimbledon viewing in recent days, so I have a biiiit more insight here than perhaps I expected. I'm impressed by American Taylor Fritz, whose comeback victory over Alexander Zverev Monday had a career-defining feel. I would like to see Fritz advance to the weekend, but I'm hard-pressed to pick anyone outside Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Skinner to win the title. Those guys still feel a touch above. Finally: I have yet to watch Federer: 12 final days. I hate that he's no longer playing, and I don't sense watching the documentary will change that.
Sam from Orlando, FL
If people don't quit riling up Don, we are gonna have to call in the national guard.
Fair.
Al from Orange Park, FL
Seems like Mark Lamping has been reflecting on the Stadium of the Future for a very long time. I know it's the dead zone. Shall I write a story to put on the News page of this free website?
Of course Jaguars President Mark Lamping has been focused on the Stadium of the Future for a long time – pretty much since 2016, with a major acceleration over the past four years. Why? Because Owner Shad Khan's objective since purchasing the Jaguars has been to solidify the Jaguars in Jacksonville for the long haul – and you can't solidify the Jaguars for the long haul without a long-term stadium solution. As for writing a story for the news page … nah, I got this one.
Greg from Section 122, Jacksonville, FL
I swear shaking my head with just … wow. You know what: Yeah, there are times I would LOVE to go back to simpler times. And you still have to wait an hour to get into Outback lots of the time. Progress is not always a good thing. It also doesn't always mean things are moving in a positive direction. Regency is now an apocalyptic wasteland, which should be avoided after sunset. And I didn't mind toll booths; it was the idiots who weren't prepared that were frustrating. One example of not progress: self-checkout kiosks that are all the rage now. At the Walmart and Targets now, they expect you to do the work yourself to ring your own stuff up and bag it. Without any money saved. Personally, I love the interaction with a human being and giving someone a smile, thank you for your assistance. Point is: The kids these days don't have any appreciation that moving ahead isn't always better. Would the city be okay if the team wasn't here ... undoubtedly YES. Do I wish the team wasn't here... NO! But Jax was a city before football and will be after. We have the Navy, The Beaches and all sorts of other cool things that make us awesome the other 340 days when no football is being played.
OK.
Chris from FLEMING ISLAND
O-Man, while I appreciated the homage to "Bullet Bob," I'm not a fan of IPAs. There are better beers in Jax, like Underdark from Intuition.
OK.
Tom from Charlottesville, VA
Has Trevor had his offseason unofficial throw and catch with his receivers? Do the offensive linemen ever do a similar type of event to practice for timing off the ball?
Lawrence to my knowledge has not had his annual "offseason" whatever you call it with his receivers. I expect that to happen in the next week or so, though Lawrence has been a bit busy of late with baby announcements and gender reveals and such things. As for offensive linemen … I've never heard of them getting together for off-site practice in the offseason. Understandably so. The benefit of such work is questionable for skill players and is more for camaraderie – and show – than anything. It would be even more so for offensive linemen.
Tom from The Mean Streets of Nocatee
One fer the Jags coming to Jacksonville, Camelot Records, Chess King and the pizza place in the Regency Food Court that never asked to see your ID.
One fer all of them.
Dean from Rochester, NY
Zone, I am recalling a handful of plays in recent years, some by Jags, some other teams, where the receiver doesn't catch the ball due to a sliver of sun occurring on the field right where the receiver ends up in the route. Are there personnel who look for this scenario during play calls to avoid it?
There are coaches who can see the field and the sky. There are members of the football staff to advise in game-day situations. I don't know that there is a Director of Slivers, though judging by the size of recent team photos I'm not going to rule it out.
Julio's son from the hot tub
Good for Mr. and Mrs. 16! I'm a girl dad myself, and it's the best. I'm very excited for them as they enter this new chapter of life, and hope it coincides with a new era of Jaguars football. Can't wait to see baby Lawrence in her daddy's arms, confetti falling, as Trevor tells the world "We're going to Waffle House!" DTWD! It was always the Jags!
It was always the Jags.
John from Da Beach
Duval's signature sandwich is the camel rider and it smokes the cheesesteak!
Good eye.
