00:00:16
Speaker 1: Welcome to A Few Good Minutes. I'm Brian Sexton, and it's been a busy week in and around the Jaguars. I guess it's not that much different than any other week of the regular season. Maybe it's just the intensity I felt around this team this week as they get ready to try and tame quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals, something they've not done. He's 3-0 against them. Now, Cincinnati isn't Denver or Kansas City or Seattle. It's not a terribly difficult place to play unless you factor in Burrow, who's one of the game's best, and wide receiver Jamar Chase, who is clearly the best pass catcher in football. I have the good fortune to have retired linebackers coach Mark Duffner, also one of the game's best, working with us here at Jaguars Productions. Duff was in Cincinnati from 2019 through 2024, which means he knows these two guys and what makes them so very good. Tell me who Joe Burrow is. I mean, people see him on TV. He's got those cold, steely eyes. Cold-blooded killer on the field, I think. Tell me about him.
00:01:18
Speaker 2: Superb person. I mean, a guy that's available to everybody. When you talk to him, you have his complete attention. He's a guy that enjoys a lot of things, likes to laugh, likes jokes. You know, he's a free-spirited guy. Again, I... I've said before that if you look for a template that you'd want a quarterback, the qualities to have, not just the physical skills, but the makeup, the character, the thought process, decision making, he's got it all. Just a superb guy.
00:01:49
Speaker 1: Because you practiced against him and had to prepare to practice against him. What makes him so good as a quarterback?
00:01:56
Speaker 2: I think his preparation. He's very much into preparation. He's thorough. He wants to know why. he's going to go beyond the actual structure of plays and scheme. As far as that's concerned, probably the most detailed. Peyton Manning, I know, was that way in terms of preparation skills and details and awareness. Joe's got all that and then some. And it's just because I think it stems from how competitive he is, how much he loves to make plays, to have fun making plays. I think that's part of what his makeup is.
00:02:33
Speaker 1: I was sitting in the end zone at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City the year that you guys beat Kansas City in the AFC Championship game and went to the Super Bowl. And I remember at the end of the game, the Chiefs fans, my brothers, were so confident because they had Patrick Mahomes. They didn't know enough about Joe Burrow. And yet I said, you guys are screwed because this guy, he's built differently. Tell me about Joe in big moments.
00:02:58
Speaker 2: That's when he thrives. I mean, that's what he lives for. He loves the big moments. I mean, again, in that particular game, I mean, he was superb. But when you looked at his senior season at LSU, my God, if anybody's had a better season and made more big plays and big moments than he did, show me. I mean, he thrives and lives for that. He works every day for those opportunities. And it's not just in ball. I think it's in life. I mean, it's the way he conducts himself. I mean, he's a great basketball player. I've seen him in the gym. playing against our guys, and the guy's got all the skills and competes fiercely. I mean, just a rare individual for sure.
00:03:39
Speaker 1: You've only had good things to say about him. Do you have a perspective on his fashion sense?
00:03:44
Speaker 2: I know he's got good fashion sense.
00:03:47
Speaker 1: According to who?
00:03:48
Speaker 2: Well, probably him, but no, he would never boast. He's a humble guy, but he's out there a little bit. He likes a lot of different things, and he's more, I'd say, up to date, if you will, in terms of fashion and and how he looks as far as those things are concerned than anybody probably. But, you know, he's not doing that for show. It's just something I think he likes. He's not a look-at-me guy for sure.
00:04:12
Speaker 1: Despite the fact that he owns a Batmobile, have you had a ride?
00:04:15
Speaker 2: I haven't had a ride. You know, I know that that was a bucket listing I think he had. He's done some great things. He bought the offensive line one year, these ancient– sabers or something, you know, I mean, that were, you know, really antique. I mean, more than antique, just rare swords, I guess you'd call it. But again, he likes to do things that are special.
00:04:40
Speaker 1: Can I ask you about Jamar Chase as well? Because your time with the Bengals, you're around one of the best quarterbacks and also one of the best receivers.
00:04:47
Speaker 2: Again, another superb person. Both of these guys are givers. You know, for guys that are so... read about and so famous in some respects you would never know it they're both humble guys they're both givers they they're always sensitive to the fan and to the to people that seek them out in a proper way they act properly i mean jamar i'm talking about as an athlete now you know parker washington we have high regard for here well jamar is a bigger parker washington both of them when you look at them from the waist down they've got running backs legs and and jamar are his ability to control his body, to handle different twists, turns, torques. I've never seen a defender tackle him on the first move. In other words, he's beaten the first tackler every single time. So, I mean, for any team, especially us as we play them, you've got to be ready. This guy will shake you every single time, the first tackler. Just a superb guy.
00:05:43
Speaker 1: The confidence you must have had on the sidelines as a defensive coach with the game on the line or in any circumstance, down a touchdown at halftime. The confidence you must have had with those two guys and Tee Higgins and a big offensive line to know that you were in every game.
00:05:59
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, there's no question about that. Our objective on defense was not to mess it up because we knew that that offense in particular led by those three gentlemen, Joe and Jamar and Tee, had a chance to be prolific, had a chance to be explosive and very much confident in them, watching them work day-to-day, competing against them, practicing against them and seeing them go against opponents.
00:06:21
Speaker 1: So if you were to pick one thing that the Jaguars absolutely must do to beat the Bengals in Cincinnati, I mean, there's lots of things. The list is long. But one thing that has to happen, you can't win if you don't do this. What would that be?
00:06:33
Speaker 2: Hold on to the ball. Ball control offense is going to be critical for us. Keep them on the sideline because they're that good, in my opinion. I've seen them operate like that. The six years I had the privilege to be there and So we've got to keep the ball, shrink the game, extend the clock, if you will, score when we get an opportunity to do that. They're not all world. I don't mean to make it like that, but I think that if you had an objective, shrink the game, control the clock, control the ball.
00:07:08
Speaker 1: I grab one-on-one interviews with assistant coaches as they leave the practice field on Wednesday and Thursday. Sometimes I have to wait a few minutes as they answer questions and go over details with the players. This Wednesday, I waited for more than 30 minutes because Matt Arujo's guys weren't close to being finished. Arujo coordinates the Jaguars' pass defense and coaches the cornerbacks. And with Chase and his buddy T. Higgins up next, those guys wanted to dot every I and cross every T. judging by the way that your group is the last one off the field, the way that I saw that you had them all huddled up a couple of different times, communication and trust are so important in the secondary. That's obviously something you work on every minute of every practice and even after practice.
00:07:56
Speaker 3: Yeah, for us, you know, one, we have to do our job, but part of our job is making sure the ball never gets past us. So no matter what happens at a second or first level, we need to not only be able to execute when the ball's in the air for us, but if something does break, We got to get the ball on the ground. You know, we're the insurance policy for whatever happens in front. So there's got to be a level of detailed discipline and execution that isn't going to be done just in the regular hours of the day. You know, there's not enough time to work on those things. So we take pride. And honestly, it's all on the guys. They buy into it. You know, I'll be there no matter what. It's on them to buy in, which they do. But I think you see that. It's continuing to improve each game, but as we continue to sharpen that ax, we have to make sure the game is never going to get out of hand because the ball's going over our head or it's getting past us.
00:08:46
Speaker 1: You've had these guys for a relatively short time, obviously your first year in Jacksonville. Do you have a group of good communicators of guys that trust one another? Is that something you're still working on?
00:08:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, our group, when you look at them, almost every guy plays a second or third position. So with that, And most of them have been here for two years. So they understand the defense. They understand what other roles should be, whether they're playing that role or the other guy in the room is playing it because of the package we're in. So with that, you get a lot of great communication because one, they're selfless, but two, they understand it. So that's where we're able to do so much because we've got a lot of smart players who take pride in knowing what they've got to know.
00:09:24
Speaker 1: Hopefully you don't hear the noise, but two weeks ago there was all kinds of noise about how much Travis was playing and rotating. But we saw last week, didn't we, what it means to have another guy who can get on the field and make a play for you in Jarion Jones. Tell me a little bit about the rotation process and what the methodology is.
00:09:38
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's simple. We have four guys who can all start in this league and all deserve to play. And on top of that, they make us better when they all play and they're all fresh. So, you know, for us, we want to win football games using our best players to win those games. So it gives us an opportunity When they can all be on the field, we do that. And when we can make sure they stay fresh and they're playing, we think every single one of those guys gives us an opportunity to win. So that's why you see them all playing.
00:10:05
Speaker 1: There's an energy about this defense. And Campanile obviously has a huge hand in that. Tell me, what about him struck you when you first worked with him and what you've noticed in the time since you've been back with him?
00:10:16
Speaker 3: Yeah, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Um, he trusts people with everything he has and he is as genuine of a person you're ever going to meet. So working for him or working with him, you have nothing but respect for him because he works as hard as anybody's going to work. He knows the information more than anyone's going to know it because he puts the time in to know it. And then the way he portrays himself and the way he shows up as the same guy every day, you have nothing but respect for, for the guy that you're day in and day out in the When I was working with him 10, 12 years ago, however long ago that was, he is the same exact guy now in a different role. So for me, getting a chance to work with him again, it makes me better. I learn something new from him every single day. And now that I'm older, I try to make sure it's a little give and take. But no, he's everything you'd want to work for as a leader and work with.
00:11:08
Speaker 1: Tell me about the challenge this week. Listen, it's a challenge every time you step on the field in the NFL. But these two guys are special. And the quarterback is, well, he's as good as they get.
00:11:16
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think as they're watching the film, it's got to be the same thing on their end. You know, as they watch us play with our technique and the way we attack the ball, the way we attack the line of scrimmage, they got to find a way to play us. So for us, that's our focus is what we do is good enough to beat anybody in the league. And that's what we're going to do.
00:11:33
Speaker 1: So that's what it's all about us means, because Liam talks about that all the time. How hard is it to get guys to buy into that mentality? Because, you know, people look at matchups so often. They hear about matchups so often. Is it a difficult transition for a guy to just think about what he has to do?
00:11:48
Speaker 3: I think if you don't have a culture that is about that every day, absolutely. When they leave here, they have their phones. I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff on there that I don't care to look into. But when we're in the building and we train a certain way, and the point you made earlier of us being out there past the whistle, all of that is so we have faith I shouldn't say faith. We have pride and understanding that no matter what we face on Sunday, we're more prepared because we put the work in to do it. And that just becomes a belief. And they're only going to believe in that if the work is truly put in. So we put in the work throughout the week, and then we show up on Sunday and just have fun.
00:12:26
Speaker 1: Liam went out of his way to talk about guys who need to just forget and move on. Because when you play some of these guys, they're going to make plays. They're professionals. They're great players. You've got to put your mindset on and say, next play, next play, next play. Sorry to hit you with a similar question, but how hard is it to get guys to trust themselves and go on to the next play?
00:12:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's absolutely. You're just fighting human nature on that. But again, it's if we just focus on doing our job over and over again, what we're trained to do, then those plays that are made, they're just flukes.
00:12:57
Speaker 1: It happened.
00:12:57
Speaker 3: You know, that's going to happen there. They're paid their professionals, too. But we we have the true belief that if we keep staying steady in the boat, we're going to get ours over and over and over again. They might make a play.
00:13:08
Speaker 1: Cool.
00:13:08
Speaker 3: Good for them. Pat them on the back and we're going to make the next one.
00:13:10
Speaker 1: Let's end on this. Liam's been here now for 20 games and this team, it has a mentality that we are expected to win. I can tell you, I've been here for 32 years. That has not always been the case here. There's something, I don't want to get ahead of it, but there's something distinct about this building and this group of players coming in from Miami and jumping into this organization. Did you see that? Do you feel it now?
00:13:31
Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely. When you have that, you can feel that on film. That's something you can see. So For me, it was a decision in coming here was because I knew the play style was going to be that. So being able to see that on film and feel that coming in here, it's how can I add to that? You know, we we have guys that believe in themselves and that's what you see. So it's a group of guys that really care about each other and love each other. And on Sundays, they just go let it loose.
00:14:00
Speaker 1: Everything kind of tilts towards defense this week. That's what happens when you play the Bengals. So let's pause and spend a few minutes with rookie wide receiver Josh Cameron, who's making a name for himself on that side of the ball. I asked him what he learned after the Denver loss that helped in the New England win and what he thinks might work again this week in Cincinnati. Tell me about it. this week in preparation for this team because you look sharp, and that's coming off of a big win. How do you keep the edge?
00:14:29
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that's the edge, what you just kind of said, being sharp.
00:14:34
Speaker 5: We learned kind of last week going into.
00:14:37
Speaker 4: The week that practice, I mean, it equals game, game performance.
00:14:41
Speaker 5: That's been the message that Coach Cohen's been just telling us this entire time, and so that's what we're going to continue to do. And so stacked another great practice today, full pads, taking advantage of those opportunities because as the year goes on, you get less of those.
00:14:55
Speaker 4: So you have to be physical. You have to get that feel for the game. That's what we did today.
00:15:00
Speaker 1: How about your opportunities and your feel for the game? It just seems to grow week by week.
00:15:05
Speaker 4: For sure.
00:15:05
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think as I continue to just get more and more NFL experience, similar to college, the more experience you get, the easier it becomes, the more it starts to slow down. And so as we're into this next week, it's starting to slow down for me. Even just like during practice, just seeing the plays, hearing the calls, I'm starting to get to that place where it's like, OK, even less thinking compared to when I was last week and the week before. So I'm just going to continue to get to that place where it's just, hey, go out there and play ball.
00:15:32
Speaker 1: I've always heard that it's the speed of the game that surprises college football players who start playing on Sunday after playing on Saturday. Were you surprised by the speed of the game? And how long did it take for you to adjust to that?
00:15:43
Speaker 5: For me, I wouldn't say the speed is that much crazier to to tell you the truth i would just say the mental aspect from college to nfl that's the biggest jump it's a it's a night and day difference just just to be honest just the whole mental the film watch you have a little bit more time on your own so what you do in your free time is what separates um that's what say vets from like the pros of the pros type deal and so it's just more of the mental aspect for me i would say the speed is i mean everybody's fast everybody's big it was the same thing college and honestly.
00:16:15
Speaker 1: I have heard that you use your free time here. You're here on Tuesdays. Where'd you learn that?
00:16:20
Speaker 5: I mean, that was more so just... I guess it kind of started with Ross first and foremost, just kind of getting me up here to watch some special teams tape for the next opponent. And then really kind of after that, I was like, okay, I have this free time up here after I'm done. So like 30-minute meeting, like let me build my own routine. Let me go do something for my body. Let me take advantage of this off time that we have. And then also I like the rest of the day to just kind of chill, hang out type deal. So that was just kind of the mindset I had and how it kind of started to tell you the truth.
00:16:49
Speaker 1: Everybody's seen your mom on social media. Can you put into words what she means to you?
00:16:54
Speaker 4: It's kind of hard to put into words, but my mom's my world. She's my why. She's truly a big part of why I do this.
00:17:02
Speaker 5: Just kind of seeing her at the games, seeing her after the games, talking to her on the phone, just hearing that joy that she protrudes and just having the opportunity to share those moments with her, just remembering her journey, knowing that.
00:17:15
Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying?
00:17:16
Speaker 5: I was that close to not being able to share my dream with her type deal. So she just means the world to me, means everything to me for sure.
00:17:22
Speaker 1: Final thought, and you're focused on the game, but you're going to London next week. Have you ever played an international football game? And what are your thoughts about getting overseas?
00:17:30
Speaker 5: Yeah, I haven't played international before. So that would be a cool experience. I've been to Japan on a trip, but that's the furthest I've probably been. And so I kind of got that travel bug. So I've never been to London, so I'm really excited about that, especially to get in front of the UK Jags fans. I know they're big on social media and stuff, so that will be really exciting, real fun.
00:17:50
Speaker 1: If you get a win this week, you can enjoy the long plane ride over. For sure, for sure. Now back to our regularly scheduled program, the defense. I could listen to linebacker Foye Iluaka talk football for a long time. It's as if he has a graduate degree in the game. I'm not sure there is such a thing, but if there was, he'd have it. The hours he spends in the film room preparing each week are legendary, so I figured it'd be fun to pick a play so you could hear him lecture on ball, too. Tell me about the play on the interception that Travis made. When you watch the tape, you see you and all the defensive backs talking, and then you screaming over and making him make a decision. That shows the level that this defense is communicating at, right? I mean, that's what it looked like to me. Right.
00:18:43
Speaker 6: Was it third down, fourth down? I think they tried to run at one of them. Playing the percentages, you know, third in goal in two or three, they're probably going to try to throw it in. So they kind of lined up close. A lot of people over to the left. Quarterback's right-handed. Probably a lot of these coordinators do that roll pass, give them a run pass option to the left. So I just needed them to be on different levels and on their matches. You know, the tight end did a little fake shift inside trying to get our matches off. Assuming it was a confirmation key, the back does not go for a run. He goes straight to the flat. and we played our roll pass play, and then Travis got the interception off it. So it's kind of like film study, understanding what plays come, but it's just the confidence and trust in our defense, knowing what we're taught throughout the week and over the years now, second year here with the coordinator, what plays we get.
00:19:31
Speaker 3: In those situations.
00:19:32
Speaker 1: Two thoughts on that. First is trust and communication. I mean, that doesn't come just by showing up on the field. That takes a lot of time on task, right? Oh, for sure. It does. I mean.
00:19:43
Speaker 6: hit it right on the nail with that and we have to keep building it because we're going to see you know teams know that that's coming they're going to to maybe have something off of it, maybe a little throwback or something, and maybe a little shovel pass or something. So just trusting that own your play and that the guy next to you is going to do his part of the play. And then when you do have your play to make, go make it.
00:20:02
Speaker 1: How much time in the film room do you spend? I mean, it would seem to me that being able to execute at that level with communication and trust, You spent an awful lot of time preparing for that.
00:20:11
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think our coaches, they want everything to be right, too.
00:20:14
Speaker 1: So they give us a lot to look at.
00:20:16
Speaker 6: But as a leader and a couple of the older guys, we have our own little film sessions throughout the week. But then going on your own and watching the film and making sure that, you know, what you've been communicating to the room is what you're seeing so that you can see it just as fast in the game. I think everybody on the defense does a good job of going and owning the you know, what they're trying to see out there and playing fast right now.
00:20:37
Speaker 1: You've done this for a long time at a high level. How much of that film study and that extra work on your own away from everything else does it take for you to play at that level?
00:20:46
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, this is kind of, you know, going through the whole school part. Like, I've always been kind of an independent studier. Obviously, you go to class and learn what you're supposed to learn.
00:20:53
Speaker 3: But you got to see it how you see it.
00:20:56
Speaker 6: So going home and watching the film on my own, breaking it down, how I need to break it down in order to see the pictures. But I see in the game, I think you got to put those hours in. If I want to be successful, everybody learns differently, though. But if I want to be successful, I kind of got to do that. So when I see some stuff show up again, even if it's jump or routes, like a lot of times everybody's on their matches. Now the quarterback got to pull it down. We don't get a stat for that, but now the rest gets to go eat. So me being on top of plays. And being able to communicate the play that's about to happen gives me a lot of confidence that I put in the right amount of work during the week.
00:21:26
Speaker 1: How about just one final thought, and that is this defense through three weeks is playing at a very high level. Do you see it that way? Do you allow yourself to see it that way, or do you look at it through a different lens?
00:21:38
Speaker 6: I don't know the level. I know what it's supposed to feel like, though. So I think we've got another space to get to.
00:21:43
Speaker 1: We're playing fast.
00:21:44
Speaker 6: But there's another place we've got to get to, being a little bit matchier, being more coordinated in our rush.
00:21:49
Speaker 1: Stats are there. We're playing well.
00:21:50
Speaker 6: Could be strained, we're violent, and we're physical, and we play together. So stats are there, but we can't even get better. And when we feel that any time we step on the field, it should be squashed, whatever situation, that's when I feel like we're playing how you say them. But we're still building, we're still building. It's never a finished product. I think that's also key to tell everybody. But if we like what we're doing on the way, that's a good sign.
00:22:11
Speaker 1: Have you ever met Paul Prince listening?
00:22:13
Speaker 7: I haven't.
00:22:19
Speaker 1: The Jaguars can't score touchdowns and not field goals if they want to beat the Bengals. You probably knew that already, though. The guy in charge of the field goals is special teams coordinator Keith Farwell, and he's considered to be among the two or three best in the NFL. Special teams coordinators are the only coach, other than the head coach, who addresses the entire team during the week. So they have a little gravitas. And since players from nearly every position group contribute to teams, he has a global view of the roster. Plus, he was a Pro Bowl and All-Pro special teams performer himself who made it into the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent. So he not only has an understanding, but a perspective worth your time.
00:22:59
Speaker 8: I'm excited where we're at. Obviously, we haven't played our best game yet, which is a great thing. Things are trending up. I think the best thing we can say, and we've talked to our players a ton about this, we've got better each week. But there's still a lot of details we can clean up, and that's the cool part is these guys want to learn. They want to get better every day, every practice. And so we're enjoying the great plays that we have and then making the corrections on the little things that we can even do better. So the sky's the limits for this group. Just the way they come out here and practice every single day. You know, you watch them.
00:23:35
Speaker 1: It's really cool.
00:23:36
Speaker 8: It's fun to be around because it means so much to them.
00:23:39
Speaker 1: I watch you and Luke working in the special teams periods, and the attention to detail is down to the minute level. That's really what you have to do at this level, isn't it?
00:23:48
Speaker 8: Yeah, you're talking a game of inches, and sometimes that's the footwork of an inch. you know, every little detail matters. And if my guys are off by, you know, a couple inches, it shows up whether it's a missed kick or, you know, a missed block or a missed tackle. And so the footwork, all the little details, the pad level, the base, the position of their body, we're evaluating it when we're getting it better. And that's a huge part of football, a huge part of the game. And special teams are no different.
00:24:18
Speaker 1: When you had a couple of pickups in the return game how long does it take to get that fixed is that a one week thing or are you working on that all season long.
00:24:26
Speaker 8: That's an all-season thing i think that's a i i think that's something we've improved uh but it's all those fundamentals it's all those details uh there's a reason why we do so much drill work out at practice um you know we do a good amount of team reps but it's that drill work you can really detail up the fine uh the fine uh stuff with it so Um, that's what, that's what this game's about is how can we get them better? What tools can I give them to put them in those positions to make those plays on game days on Sundays, uh, where it shows up and it helps us get that win.
00:24:55
Speaker 1: I am amazed every time I watch round lane and the way that he runs down the field. When did you know he was going to be special?
00:25:02
Speaker 8: Watch him in college. He was a guy that I targeted out of college. He was a special player in college. And then when you get to know the kid, you really fall in love with him. And since he's been here, that's all we've seen. His ability to get down the field, get contacted with great balance. That contact balance, I don't know if you can talk enough about with him. And then the relentless effort to the ball. He can't be denied. He gets double teamed in most of the plays. and he still makes the tackle and still down disruption and makes plays. So he's a special player. We're so fortunate to have him here, and I love Ray. Ray's one of my favorites.
00:25:39
Speaker 1: Who else is rising? Folks don't pinpoint it like they do a quarterback or a defensive end. Who else is making a move on special teams right now?
00:25:48
Speaker 8: I think Caleb Ransaw is a cool guy to watch. He's gotten better every week. He comes up every day to the office to just learn more details about You know, you don't don't forget that he's you know, he's only played his third game in the National Football League. So he is improving tremendously and he's so talented. That's why we got him here. But he but he is the guy that I think is most improved in the last three weeks. And he made it. You know, he made a couple of tackles in that game the other day. I'm expecting he is trending up in the right direction. And and with those two guys as the Gunners, I think we two are the better Gunners in National Football League.
00:26:24
Speaker 1: I've got to get a global perspective from you. You have a Super Bowl ring. You know what championship teams are made of. When you listen to these guys, when you pay attention, when you're around them, has this team got championship medal?
00:26:37
Speaker 8: It does, and I think that's the cool part is whether we don't play so well in Denver in the second half, they come out on a Wednesday practice and they're laser-beamed in on how can we get better. And then we have a big win last week I saw the same focus. That's the cool part about it. Nobody was letting down. Nobody was saying, we're good. We got it made. We can just cruise this week. I could make a statement that we're having a better week of practice this week than we did last week. I think we're in the right shape. I think these guys have the right mindset. It means a lot to them. That's a big part of this league and the National Football League is is how much these guys care about it, how much they care about each other, and how much they care about winning.
00:27:24
Speaker 1: Did you think he was in? 70 yards. That's a long way away, and it looked like it had the distance. It did have the distance.
00:27:32
Speaker 8: You know, just watching his swing every single day and seeing that swing, I knew off his foot he hit it really, really well, and I just hope it stayed straight for him. He'll make that kick. There's no question in my mind. He'll break his own record. That's what he does. you know, it's just a matter of sending him out there. There was nobody on that sideline that was wavering on should we kick this or not. We want to send him out there. He wants those kicks and we want him to have those kicks.
00:27:56
Speaker 1: I almost wish this was a video segment because the smile on your face tells me how much fun you're having and having been around this game your whole life, right? It says something about where this team is at and what you guys have on Sunday.
00:28:07
Speaker 8: I love being around these guys. That's the best thing is as a former player, the closest thing I can do is get around these guys and I've said before, if I could play this game, I would, and I tell them all the time, I would play, trust me. And so to be around these guys, whether it's on the field, in practice or game days, but even in those meeting rooms and in the hallways, to have that camaraderie, that's why I'm here. That's my favorite part of this job.
00:28:32
Speaker 1: And we'll wrap the week with one of the best stories in recent memory. Defensive tackle Devon Hamilton is playing at an all-pro level. He leads the league, not just the Jaguars, in run stops. And if you care enough to watch the middle of the offensive line during a play, he's that wrecking ball that keeps offensive coaches up all night long. He is having a great season, but he almost didn't.
00:28:53
Speaker 7: I'm extremely blessed by God. Jesus really blessed me and really took me on a road of you know, adversity to get back to where I am right now, first and foremost. But I just feel like, you know, I worked very hard, you know, with the spinal abscess I had, which is an infection to the spine. I wasn't really sure if I was going to play football again. I wasn't really sure how things were going to go as far as.
00:29:16
Speaker 1: Just living life.
00:29:17
Speaker 7: But like I said, I prayed and God answered my prayers, and he's gotten me to this point today.
00:29:23
Speaker 1: From that point, not knowing, to the certainty of playing your best football. The emotional side of that, as you watch the tape, is there pride? Is there relief? How do you feel knowing that you're playing your best football?
00:29:36
Speaker 7: Oh just again extremely blessed man I mean like I said from where I was to where I'm at right now I mean I always had the confidence to do the things I'm doing right now but I'm I couldn't do anything without God.
00:29:47
Speaker 1: So on the grass when did it turn when when did you know oh I'm back.
00:29:53
Speaker 7: Uh probably coming back after the obviously I played in 2023 which was all right you know but going into 2024, making the plays I had and having an extremely good year, in my opinion, that's when I felt like I was back.
00:30:08
Speaker 1: What did it mean to you at the end of last season when Josh Hines-Allen was telling anybody and everybody that would put a microphone in his face, you don't need to talk to me, you need to go talk to Devon, to know that people who know football understood what you were doing?
00:30:20
Speaker 7: You know, it was extreme respect, you know, I mean, he's seen me obviously through that time and see me put in work every single day. And I tried my best to be the best teammate and overall the best leader I can be on this team. And he can, he sees that and I appreciate him for it.
00:30:36
Speaker 1: In layman's terms, people who don't know all the ins and outs of football. Yeah. What are you doing right now that has you playing at such a high level? Is it, is it technique? What, what is it that's got you at that?
00:30:46
Speaker 7: It's definitely technique, but it's also experience at this point. You know, I've seen a lot of things over the last seven years now. And, um, I got a lot of good teammates to help me out with tips and stuff like that. So it's really a combination of a lot of things.
00:31:01
Speaker 1: And Jeff Lagerman had the video he put out this week, and he had people crowded around to see what you do. Most people, you work in the dark, right? I mean, for the most part, because guys can't see when the pile gets there. So how is it to have people pointing to you and saying, look at the way that the guy's playing when you're so used to maybe not having that adulation? You know, I just give all the glory to God.
00:31:21
Speaker 4: That's all it is.
00:31:22
Speaker 1: You know, just have fun with it. Where does that come from?
00:31:24
Speaker 7: My faith?
00:31:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's so strong. Have you always had that? Did it come from your mom? Where did it come from? It's definitely grown.
00:31:32
Speaker 7: It's just an example I want to give to my children and the people that look at me. I don't want it to be about me. I want it to be about Jesus Christ, someone that I leaned on in dark times and been working with and have a better relationship with.
00:31:46
Speaker 1: So there you have it. The story of the week around the Jaguars from a few of the good men who delivered the win over the Patriots. We'll try and bring one home from Cincinnati. We're live on the Public Tailgate Show starting at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning. And we'll have live coverage through the game and in the evening. Thanks for spending a few good minutes with us. We'll see you next week.
Speaker 1: Welcome to A Few Good Minutes. I'm Brian Sexton, and it's been a busy week in and around the Jaguars. I guess it's not that much different than any other week of the regular season. Maybe it's just the intensity I felt around this team this week as they get ready to try and tame quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals, something they've not done. He's 3-0 against them. Now, Cincinnati isn't Denver or Kansas City or Seattle. It's not a terribly difficult place to play unless you factor in Burrow, who's one of the game's best, and wide receiver Jamar Chase, who is clearly the best pass catcher in football. I have the good fortune to have retired linebackers coach Mark Duffner, also one of the game's best, working with us here at Jaguars Productions. Duff was in Cincinnati from 2019 through 2024, which means he knows these two guys and what makes them so very good. Tell me who Joe Burrow is. I mean, people see him on TV. He's got those cold, steely eyes. Cold-blooded killer on the field, I think. Tell me about him.
00:01:18
Speaker 2: Superb person. I mean, a guy that's available to everybody. When you talk to him, you have his complete attention. He's a guy that enjoys a lot of things, likes to laugh, likes jokes. You know, he's a free-spirited guy. Again, I... I've said before that if you look for a template that you'd want a quarterback, the qualities to have, not just the physical skills, but the makeup, the character, the thought process, decision making, he's got it all. Just a superb guy.
00:01:49
Speaker 1: Because you practiced against him and had to prepare to practice against him. What makes him so good as a quarterback?
00:01:56
Speaker 2: I think his preparation. He's very much into preparation. He's thorough. He wants to know why. he's going to go beyond the actual structure of plays and scheme. As far as that's concerned, probably the most detailed. Peyton Manning, I know, was that way in terms of preparation skills and details and awareness. Joe's got all that and then some. And it's just because I think it stems from how competitive he is, how much he loves to make plays, to have fun making plays. I think that's part of what his makeup is.
00:02:33
Speaker 1: I was sitting in the end zone at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City the year that you guys beat Kansas City in the AFC Championship game and went to the Super Bowl. And I remember at the end of the game, the Chiefs fans, my brothers, were so confident because they had Patrick Mahomes. They didn't know enough about Joe Burrow. And yet I said, you guys are screwed because this guy, he's built differently. Tell me about Joe in big moments.
00:02:58
Speaker 2: That's when he thrives. I mean, that's what he lives for. He loves the big moments. I mean, again, in that particular game, I mean, he was superb. But when you looked at his senior season at LSU, my God, if anybody's had a better season and made more big plays and big moments than he did, show me. I mean, he thrives and lives for that. He works every day for those opportunities. And it's not just in ball. I think it's in life. I mean, it's the way he conducts himself. I mean, he's a great basketball player. I've seen him in the gym. playing against our guys, and the guy's got all the skills and competes fiercely. I mean, just a rare individual for sure.
00:03:39
Speaker 1: You've only had good things to say about him. Do you have a perspective on his fashion sense?
00:03:44
Speaker 2: I know he's got good fashion sense.
00:03:47
Speaker 1: According to who?
00:03:48
Speaker 2: Well, probably him, but no, he would never boast. He's a humble guy, but he's out there a little bit. He likes a lot of different things, and he's more, I'd say, up to date, if you will, in terms of fashion and and how he looks as far as those things are concerned than anybody probably. But, you know, he's not doing that for show. It's just something I think he likes. He's not a look-at-me guy for sure.
00:04:12
Speaker 1: Despite the fact that he owns a Batmobile, have you had a ride?
00:04:15
Speaker 2: I haven't had a ride. You know, I know that that was a bucket listing I think he had. He's done some great things. He bought the offensive line one year, these ancient– sabers or something, you know, I mean, that were, you know, really antique. I mean, more than antique, just rare swords, I guess you'd call it. But again, he likes to do things that are special.
00:04:40
Speaker 1: Can I ask you about Jamar Chase as well? Because your time with the Bengals, you're around one of the best quarterbacks and also one of the best receivers.
00:04:47
Speaker 2: Again, another superb person. Both of these guys are givers. You know, for guys that are so... read about and so famous in some respects you would never know it they're both humble guys they're both givers they they're always sensitive to the fan and to the to people that seek them out in a proper way they act properly i mean jamar i'm talking about as an athlete now you know parker washington we have high regard for here well jamar is a bigger parker washington both of them when you look at them from the waist down they've got running backs legs and and jamar are his ability to control his body, to handle different twists, turns, torques. I've never seen a defender tackle him on the first move. In other words, he's beaten the first tackler every single time. So, I mean, for any team, especially us as we play them, you've got to be ready. This guy will shake you every single time, the first tackler. Just a superb guy.
00:05:43
Speaker 1: The confidence you must have had on the sidelines as a defensive coach with the game on the line or in any circumstance, down a touchdown at halftime. The confidence you must have had with those two guys and Tee Higgins and a big offensive line to know that you were in every game.
00:05:59
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, there's no question about that. Our objective on defense was not to mess it up because we knew that that offense in particular led by those three gentlemen, Joe and Jamar and Tee, had a chance to be prolific, had a chance to be explosive and very much confident in them, watching them work day-to-day, competing against them, practicing against them and seeing them go against opponents.
00:06:21
Speaker 1: So if you were to pick one thing that the Jaguars absolutely must do to beat the Bengals in Cincinnati, I mean, there's lots of things. The list is long. But one thing that has to happen, you can't win if you don't do this. What would that be?
00:06:33
Speaker 2: Hold on to the ball. Ball control offense is going to be critical for us. Keep them on the sideline because they're that good, in my opinion. I've seen them operate like that. The six years I had the privilege to be there and So we've got to keep the ball, shrink the game, extend the clock, if you will, score when we get an opportunity to do that. They're not all world. I don't mean to make it like that, but I think that if you had an objective, shrink the game, control the clock, control the ball.
00:07:08
Speaker 1: I grab one-on-one interviews with assistant coaches as they leave the practice field on Wednesday and Thursday. Sometimes I have to wait a few minutes as they answer questions and go over details with the players. This Wednesday, I waited for more than 30 minutes because Matt Arujo's guys weren't close to being finished. Arujo coordinates the Jaguars' pass defense and coaches the cornerbacks. And with Chase and his buddy T. Higgins up next, those guys wanted to dot every I and cross every T. judging by the way that your group is the last one off the field, the way that I saw that you had them all huddled up a couple of different times, communication and trust are so important in the secondary. That's obviously something you work on every minute of every practice and even after practice.
00:07:56
Speaker 3: Yeah, for us, you know, one, we have to do our job, but part of our job is making sure the ball never gets past us. So no matter what happens at a second or first level, we need to not only be able to execute when the ball's in the air for us, but if something does break, We got to get the ball on the ground. You know, we're the insurance policy for whatever happens in front. So there's got to be a level of detailed discipline and execution that isn't going to be done just in the regular hours of the day. You know, there's not enough time to work on those things. So we take pride. And honestly, it's all on the guys. They buy into it. You know, I'll be there no matter what. It's on them to buy in, which they do. But I think you see that. It's continuing to improve each game, but as we continue to sharpen that ax, we have to make sure the game is never going to get out of hand because the ball's going over our head or it's getting past us.
00:08:46
Speaker 1: You've had these guys for a relatively short time, obviously your first year in Jacksonville. Do you have a group of good communicators of guys that trust one another? Is that something you're still working on?
00:08:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, our group, when you look at them, almost every guy plays a second or third position. So with that, And most of them have been here for two years. So they understand the defense. They understand what other roles should be, whether they're playing that role or the other guy in the room is playing it because of the package we're in. So with that, you get a lot of great communication because one, they're selfless, but two, they understand it. So that's where we're able to do so much because we've got a lot of smart players who take pride in knowing what they've got to know.
00:09:24
Speaker 1: Hopefully you don't hear the noise, but two weeks ago there was all kinds of noise about how much Travis was playing and rotating. But we saw last week, didn't we, what it means to have another guy who can get on the field and make a play for you in Jarion Jones. Tell me a little bit about the rotation process and what the methodology is.
00:09:38
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's simple. We have four guys who can all start in this league and all deserve to play. And on top of that, they make us better when they all play and they're all fresh. So, you know, for us, we want to win football games using our best players to win those games. So it gives us an opportunity When they can all be on the field, we do that. And when we can make sure they stay fresh and they're playing, we think every single one of those guys gives us an opportunity to win. So that's why you see them all playing.
00:10:05
Speaker 1: There's an energy about this defense. And Campanile obviously has a huge hand in that. Tell me, what about him struck you when you first worked with him and what you've noticed in the time since you've been back with him?
00:10:16
Speaker 3: Yeah, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Um, he trusts people with everything he has and he is as genuine of a person you're ever going to meet. So working for him or working with him, you have nothing but respect for him because he works as hard as anybody's going to work. He knows the information more than anyone's going to know it because he puts the time in to know it. And then the way he portrays himself and the way he shows up as the same guy every day, you have nothing but respect for, for the guy that you're day in and day out in the When I was working with him 10, 12 years ago, however long ago that was, he is the same exact guy now in a different role. So for me, getting a chance to work with him again, it makes me better. I learn something new from him every single day. And now that I'm older, I try to make sure it's a little give and take. But no, he's everything you'd want to work for as a leader and work with.
00:11:08
Speaker 1: Tell me about the challenge this week. Listen, it's a challenge every time you step on the field in the NFL. But these two guys are special. And the quarterback is, well, he's as good as they get.
00:11:16
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think as they're watching the film, it's got to be the same thing on their end. You know, as they watch us play with our technique and the way we attack the ball, the way we attack the line of scrimmage, they got to find a way to play us. So for us, that's our focus is what we do is good enough to beat anybody in the league. And that's what we're going to do.
00:11:33
Speaker 1: So that's what it's all about us means, because Liam talks about that all the time. How hard is it to get guys to buy into that mentality? Because, you know, people look at matchups so often. They hear about matchups so often. Is it a difficult transition for a guy to just think about what he has to do?
00:11:48
Speaker 3: I think if you don't have a culture that is about that every day, absolutely. When they leave here, they have their phones. I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff on there that I don't care to look into. But when we're in the building and we train a certain way, and the point you made earlier of us being out there past the whistle, all of that is so we have faith I shouldn't say faith. We have pride and understanding that no matter what we face on Sunday, we're more prepared because we put the work in to do it. And that just becomes a belief. And they're only going to believe in that if the work is truly put in. So we put in the work throughout the week, and then we show up on Sunday and just have fun.
00:12:26
Speaker 1: Liam went out of his way to talk about guys who need to just forget and move on. Because when you play some of these guys, they're going to make plays. They're professionals. They're great players. You've got to put your mindset on and say, next play, next play, next play. Sorry to hit you with a similar question, but how hard is it to get guys to trust themselves and go on to the next play?
00:12:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's absolutely. You're just fighting human nature on that. But again, it's if we just focus on doing our job over and over again, what we're trained to do, then those plays that are made, they're just flukes.
00:12:57
Speaker 1: It happened.
00:12:57
Speaker 3: You know, that's going to happen there. They're paid their professionals, too. But we we have the true belief that if we keep staying steady in the boat, we're going to get ours over and over and over again. They might make a play.
00:13:08
Speaker 1: Cool.
00:13:08
Speaker 3: Good for them. Pat them on the back and we're going to make the next one.
00:13:10
Speaker 1: Let's end on this. Liam's been here now for 20 games and this team, it has a mentality that we are expected to win. I can tell you, I've been here for 32 years. That has not always been the case here. There's something, I don't want to get ahead of it, but there's something distinct about this building and this group of players coming in from Miami and jumping into this organization. Did you see that? Do you feel it now?
00:13:31
Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely. When you have that, you can feel that on film. That's something you can see. So For me, it was a decision in coming here was because I knew the play style was going to be that. So being able to see that on film and feel that coming in here, it's how can I add to that? You know, we we have guys that believe in themselves and that's what you see. So it's a group of guys that really care about each other and love each other. And on Sundays, they just go let it loose.
00:14:00
Speaker 1: Everything kind of tilts towards defense this week. That's what happens when you play the Bengals. So let's pause and spend a few minutes with rookie wide receiver Josh Cameron, who's making a name for himself on that side of the ball. I asked him what he learned after the Denver loss that helped in the New England win and what he thinks might work again this week in Cincinnati. Tell me about it. this week in preparation for this team because you look sharp, and that's coming off of a big win. How do you keep the edge?
00:14:29
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that's the edge, what you just kind of said, being sharp.
00:14:34
Speaker 5: We learned kind of last week going into.
00:14:37
Speaker 4: The week that practice, I mean, it equals game, game performance.
00:14:41
Speaker 5: That's been the message that Coach Cohen's been just telling us this entire time, and so that's what we're going to continue to do. And so stacked another great practice today, full pads, taking advantage of those opportunities because as the year goes on, you get less of those.
00:14:55
Speaker 4: So you have to be physical. You have to get that feel for the game. That's what we did today.
00:15:00
Speaker 1: How about your opportunities and your feel for the game? It just seems to grow week by week.
00:15:05
Speaker 4: For sure.
00:15:05
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think as I continue to just get more and more NFL experience, similar to college, the more experience you get, the easier it becomes, the more it starts to slow down. And so as we're into this next week, it's starting to slow down for me. Even just like during practice, just seeing the plays, hearing the calls, I'm starting to get to that place where it's like, OK, even less thinking compared to when I was last week and the week before. So I'm just going to continue to get to that place where it's just, hey, go out there and play ball.
00:15:32
Speaker 1: I've always heard that it's the speed of the game that surprises college football players who start playing on Sunday after playing on Saturday. Were you surprised by the speed of the game? And how long did it take for you to adjust to that?
00:15:43
Speaker 5: For me, I wouldn't say the speed is that much crazier to to tell you the truth i would just say the mental aspect from college to nfl that's the biggest jump it's a it's a night and day difference just just to be honest just the whole mental the film watch you have a little bit more time on your own so what you do in your free time is what separates um that's what say vets from like the pros of the pros type deal and so it's just more of the mental aspect for me i would say the speed is i mean everybody's fast everybody's big it was the same thing college and honestly.
00:16:15
Speaker 1: I have heard that you use your free time here. You're here on Tuesdays. Where'd you learn that?
00:16:20
Speaker 5: I mean, that was more so just... I guess it kind of started with Ross first and foremost, just kind of getting me up here to watch some special teams tape for the next opponent. And then really kind of after that, I was like, okay, I have this free time up here after I'm done. So like 30-minute meeting, like let me build my own routine. Let me go do something for my body. Let me take advantage of this off time that we have. And then also I like the rest of the day to just kind of chill, hang out type deal. So that was just kind of the mindset I had and how it kind of started to tell you the truth.
00:16:49
Speaker 1: Everybody's seen your mom on social media. Can you put into words what she means to you?
00:16:54
Speaker 4: It's kind of hard to put into words, but my mom's my world. She's my why. She's truly a big part of why I do this.
00:17:02
Speaker 5: Just kind of seeing her at the games, seeing her after the games, talking to her on the phone, just hearing that joy that she protrudes and just having the opportunity to share those moments with her, just remembering her journey, knowing that.
00:17:15
Speaker 4: You know what I'm saying?
00:17:16
Speaker 5: I was that close to not being able to share my dream with her type deal. So she just means the world to me, means everything to me for sure.
00:17:22
Speaker 1: Final thought, and you're focused on the game, but you're going to London next week. Have you ever played an international football game? And what are your thoughts about getting overseas?
00:17:30
Speaker 5: Yeah, I haven't played international before. So that would be a cool experience. I've been to Japan on a trip, but that's the furthest I've probably been. And so I kind of got that travel bug. So I've never been to London, so I'm really excited about that, especially to get in front of the UK Jags fans. I know they're big on social media and stuff, so that will be really exciting, real fun.
00:17:50
Speaker 1: If you get a win this week, you can enjoy the long plane ride over. For sure, for sure. Now back to our regularly scheduled program, the defense. I could listen to linebacker Foye Iluaka talk football for a long time. It's as if he has a graduate degree in the game. I'm not sure there is such a thing, but if there was, he'd have it. The hours he spends in the film room preparing each week are legendary, so I figured it'd be fun to pick a play so you could hear him lecture on ball, too. Tell me about the play on the interception that Travis made. When you watch the tape, you see you and all the defensive backs talking, and then you screaming over and making him make a decision. That shows the level that this defense is communicating at, right? I mean, that's what it looked like to me. Right.
00:18:43
Speaker 6: Was it third down, fourth down? I think they tried to run at one of them. Playing the percentages, you know, third in goal in two or three, they're probably going to try to throw it in. So they kind of lined up close. A lot of people over to the left. Quarterback's right-handed. Probably a lot of these coordinators do that roll pass, give them a run pass option to the left. So I just needed them to be on different levels and on their matches. You know, the tight end did a little fake shift inside trying to get our matches off. Assuming it was a confirmation key, the back does not go for a run. He goes straight to the flat. and we played our roll pass play, and then Travis got the interception off it. So it's kind of like film study, understanding what plays come, but it's just the confidence and trust in our defense, knowing what we're taught throughout the week and over the years now, second year here with the coordinator, what plays we get.
00:19:31
Speaker 3: In those situations.
00:19:32
Speaker 1: Two thoughts on that. First is trust and communication. I mean, that doesn't come just by showing up on the field. That takes a lot of time on task, right? Oh, for sure. It does. I mean.
00:19:43
Speaker 6: hit it right on the nail with that and we have to keep building it because we're going to see you know teams know that that's coming they're going to to maybe have something off of it, maybe a little throwback or something, and maybe a little shovel pass or something. So just trusting that own your play and that the guy next to you is going to do his part of the play. And then when you do have your play to make, go make it.
00:20:02
Speaker 1: How much time in the film room do you spend? I mean, it would seem to me that being able to execute at that level with communication and trust, You spent an awful lot of time preparing for that.
00:20:11
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think our coaches, they want everything to be right, too.
00:20:14
Speaker 1: So they give us a lot to look at.
00:20:16
Speaker 6: But as a leader and a couple of the older guys, we have our own little film sessions throughout the week. But then going on your own and watching the film and making sure that, you know, what you've been communicating to the room is what you're seeing so that you can see it just as fast in the game. I think everybody on the defense does a good job of going and owning the you know, what they're trying to see out there and playing fast right now.
00:20:37
Speaker 1: You've done this for a long time at a high level. How much of that film study and that extra work on your own away from everything else does it take for you to play at that level?
00:20:46
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, this is kind of, you know, going through the whole school part. Like, I've always been kind of an independent studier. Obviously, you go to class and learn what you're supposed to learn.
00:20:53
Speaker 3: But you got to see it how you see it.
00:20:56
Speaker 6: So going home and watching the film on my own, breaking it down, how I need to break it down in order to see the pictures. But I see in the game, I think you got to put those hours in. If I want to be successful, everybody learns differently, though. But if I want to be successful, I kind of got to do that. So when I see some stuff show up again, even if it's jump or routes, like a lot of times everybody's on their matches. Now the quarterback got to pull it down. We don't get a stat for that, but now the rest gets to go eat. So me being on top of plays. And being able to communicate the play that's about to happen gives me a lot of confidence that I put in the right amount of work during the week.
00:21:26
Speaker 1: How about just one final thought, and that is this defense through three weeks is playing at a very high level. Do you see it that way? Do you allow yourself to see it that way, or do you look at it through a different lens?
00:21:38
Speaker 6: I don't know the level. I know what it's supposed to feel like, though. So I think we've got another space to get to.
00:21:43
Speaker 1: We're playing fast.
00:21:44
Speaker 6: But there's another place we've got to get to, being a little bit matchier, being more coordinated in our rush.
00:21:49
Speaker 1: Stats are there. We're playing well.
00:21:50
Speaker 6: Could be strained, we're violent, and we're physical, and we play together. So stats are there, but we can't even get better. And when we feel that any time we step on the field, it should be squashed, whatever situation, that's when I feel like we're playing how you say them. But we're still building, we're still building. It's never a finished product. I think that's also key to tell everybody. But if we like what we're doing on the way, that's a good sign.
00:22:11
Speaker 1: Have you ever met Paul Prince listening?
00:22:13
Speaker 7: I haven't.
00:22:19
Speaker 1: The Jaguars can't score touchdowns and not field goals if they want to beat the Bengals. You probably knew that already, though. The guy in charge of the field goals is special teams coordinator Keith Farwell, and he's considered to be among the two or three best in the NFL. Special teams coordinators are the only coach, other than the head coach, who addresses the entire team during the week. So they have a little gravitas. And since players from nearly every position group contribute to teams, he has a global view of the roster. Plus, he was a Pro Bowl and All-Pro special teams performer himself who made it into the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent. So he not only has an understanding, but a perspective worth your time.
00:22:59
Speaker 8: I'm excited where we're at. Obviously, we haven't played our best game yet, which is a great thing. Things are trending up. I think the best thing we can say, and we've talked to our players a ton about this, we've got better each week. But there's still a lot of details we can clean up, and that's the cool part is these guys want to learn. They want to get better every day, every practice. And so we're enjoying the great plays that we have and then making the corrections on the little things that we can even do better. So the sky's the limits for this group. Just the way they come out here and practice every single day. You know, you watch them.
00:23:35
Speaker 1: It's really cool.
00:23:36
Speaker 8: It's fun to be around because it means so much to them.
00:23:39
Speaker 1: I watch you and Luke working in the special teams periods, and the attention to detail is down to the minute level. That's really what you have to do at this level, isn't it?
00:23:48
Speaker 8: Yeah, you're talking a game of inches, and sometimes that's the footwork of an inch. you know, every little detail matters. And if my guys are off by, you know, a couple inches, it shows up whether it's a missed kick or, you know, a missed block or a missed tackle. And so the footwork, all the little details, the pad level, the base, the position of their body, we're evaluating it when we're getting it better. And that's a huge part of football, a huge part of the game. And special teams are no different.
00:24:18
Speaker 1: When you had a couple of pickups in the return game how long does it take to get that fixed is that a one week thing or are you working on that all season long.
00:24:26
Speaker 8: That's an all-season thing i think that's a i i think that's something we've improved uh but it's all those fundamentals it's all those details uh there's a reason why we do so much drill work out at practice um you know we do a good amount of team reps but it's that drill work you can really detail up the fine uh the fine uh stuff with it so Um, that's what, that's what this game's about is how can we get them better? What tools can I give them to put them in those positions to make those plays on game days on Sundays, uh, where it shows up and it helps us get that win.
00:24:55
Speaker 1: I am amazed every time I watch round lane and the way that he runs down the field. When did you know he was going to be special?
00:25:02
Speaker 8: Watch him in college. He was a guy that I targeted out of college. He was a special player in college. And then when you get to know the kid, you really fall in love with him. And since he's been here, that's all we've seen. His ability to get down the field, get contacted with great balance. That contact balance, I don't know if you can talk enough about with him. And then the relentless effort to the ball. He can't be denied. He gets double teamed in most of the plays. and he still makes the tackle and still down disruption and makes plays. So he's a special player. We're so fortunate to have him here, and I love Ray. Ray's one of my favorites.
00:25:39
Speaker 1: Who else is rising? Folks don't pinpoint it like they do a quarterback or a defensive end. Who else is making a move on special teams right now?
00:25:48
Speaker 8: I think Caleb Ransaw is a cool guy to watch. He's gotten better every week. He comes up every day to the office to just learn more details about You know, you don't don't forget that he's you know, he's only played his third game in the National Football League. So he is improving tremendously and he's so talented. That's why we got him here. But he but he is the guy that I think is most improved in the last three weeks. And he made it. You know, he made a couple of tackles in that game the other day. I'm expecting he is trending up in the right direction. And and with those two guys as the Gunners, I think we two are the better Gunners in National Football League.
00:26:24
Speaker 1: I've got to get a global perspective from you. You have a Super Bowl ring. You know what championship teams are made of. When you listen to these guys, when you pay attention, when you're around them, has this team got championship medal?
00:26:37
Speaker 8: It does, and I think that's the cool part is whether we don't play so well in Denver in the second half, they come out on a Wednesday practice and they're laser-beamed in on how can we get better. And then we have a big win last week I saw the same focus. That's the cool part about it. Nobody was letting down. Nobody was saying, we're good. We got it made. We can just cruise this week. I could make a statement that we're having a better week of practice this week than we did last week. I think we're in the right shape. I think these guys have the right mindset. It means a lot to them. That's a big part of this league and the National Football League is is how much these guys care about it, how much they care about each other, and how much they care about winning.
00:27:24
Speaker 1: Did you think he was in? 70 yards. That's a long way away, and it looked like it had the distance. It did have the distance.
00:27:32
Speaker 8: You know, just watching his swing every single day and seeing that swing, I knew off his foot he hit it really, really well, and I just hope it stayed straight for him. He'll make that kick. There's no question in my mind. He'll break his own record. That's what he does. you know, it's just a matter of sending him out there. There was nobody on that sideline that was wavering on should we kick this or not. We want to send him out there. He wants those kicks and we want him to have those kicks.
00:27:56
Speaker 1: I almost wish this was a video segment because the smile on your face tells me how much fun you're having and having been around this game your whole life, right? It says something about where this team is at and what you guys have on Sunday.
00:28:07
Speaker 8: I love being around these guys. That's the best thing is as a former player, the closest thing I can do is get around these guys and I've said before, if I could play this game, I would, and I tell them all the time, I would play, trust me. And so to be around these guys, whether it's on the field, in practice or game days, but even in those meeting rooms and in the hallways, to have that camaraderie, that's why I'm here. That's my favorite part of this job.
00:28:32
Speaker 1: And we'll wrap the week with one of the best stories in recent memory. Defensive tackle Devon Hamilton is playing at an all-pro level. He leads the league, not just the Jaguars, in run stops. And if you care enough to watch the middle of the offensive line during a play, he's that wrecking ball that keeps offensive coaches up all night long. He is having a great season, but he almost didn't.
00:28:53
Speaker 7: I'm extremely blessed by God. Jesus really blessed me and really took me on a road of you know, adversity to get back to where I am right now, first and foremost. But I just feel like, you know, I worked very hard, you know, with the spinal abscess I had, which is an infection to the spine. I wasn't really sure if I was going to play football again. I wasn't really sure how things were going to go as far as.
00:29:16
Speaker 1: Just living life.
00:29:17
Speaker 7: But like I said, I prayed and God answered my prayers, and he's gotten me to this point today.
00:29:23
Speaker 1: From that point, not knowing, to the certainty of playing your best football. The emotional side of that, as you watch the tape, is there pride? Is there relief? How do you feel knowing that you're playing your best football?
00:29:36
Speaker 7: Oh just again extremely blessed man I mean like I said from where I was to where I'm at right now I mean I always had the confidence to do the things I'm doing right now but I'm I couldn't do anything without God.
00:29:47
Speaker 1: So on the grass when did it turn when when did you know oh I'm back.
00:29:53
Speaker 7: Uh probably coming back after the obviously I played in 2023 which was all right you know but going into 2024, making the plays I had and having an extremely good year, in my opinion, that's when I felt like I was back.
00:30:08
Speaker 1: What did it mean to you at the end of last season when Josh Hines-Allen was telling anybody and everybody that would put a microphone in his face, you don't need to talk to me, you need to go talk to Devon, to know that people who know football understood what you were doing?
00:30:20
Speaker 7: You know, it was extreme respect, you know, I mean, he's seen me obviously through that time and see me put in work every single day. And I tried my best to be the best teammate and overall the best leader I can be on this team. And he can, he sees that and I appreciate him for it.
00:30:36
Speaker 1: In layman's terms, people who don't know all the ins and outs of football. Yeah. What are you doing right now that has you playing at such a high level? Is it, is it technique? What, what is it that's got you at that?
00:30:46
Speaker 7: It's definitely technique, but it's also experience at this point. You know, I've seen a lot of things over the last seven years now. And, um, I got a lot of good teammates to help me out with tips and stuff like that. So it's really a combination of a lot of things.
00:31:01
Speaker 1: And Jeff Lagerman had the video he put out this week, and he had people crowded around to see what you do. Most people, you work in the dark, right? I mean, for the most part, because guys can't see when the pile gets there. So how is it to have people pointing to you and saying, look at the way that the guy's playing when you're so used to maybe not having that adulation? You know, I just give all the glory to God.
00:31:21
Speaker 4: That's all it is.
00:31:22
Speaker 1: You know, just have fun with it. Where does that come from?
00:31:24
Speaker 7: My faith?
00:31:25
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's so strong. Have you always had that? Did it come from your mom? Where did it come from? It's definitely grown.
00:31:32
Speaker 7: It's just an example I want to give to my children and the people that look at me. I don't want it to be about me. I want it to be about Jesus Christ, someone that I leaned on in dark times and been working with and have a better relationship with.
00:31:46
Speaker 1: So there you have it. The story of the week around the Jaguars from a few of the good men who delivered the win over the Patriots. We'll try and bring one home from Cincinnati. We're live on the Public Tailgate Show starting at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning. And we'll have live coverage through the game and in the evening. Thanks for spending a few good minutes with us. We'll see you next week.
