Jacksonville Jaguars Hirings Will Be Determined By Blake Bortles’ Growth

The Jacksonville Jaguars have formally introduced their new head coach Doug Marrone. As other NFL teams have made coaching hires the Jaguars brought in Marrone and brought back former coach (courtesy of New York Daily News) Tom Coughlin, who will be their new boss. Are these NFL hires great ones for the Jaguars?

One thing is for certain, the Jacksonville Jaguars are putting together a well-respected coaching staff. Days after NFL.com announced that Doug Marrone was officially named to be the head coach of the Jaguars, he and Coughlin are adding coaches to a staff which needed some upheaval.

The reported hires (USA Today) of Perry Fewell and Pat Flaherty are familiar names from the New York Giants coaching staff. Todd Walsh was retained as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator, Joe DeCamillis will be the Jaguars’ special teams’ coach, and Tyrone will be the running backs’ coach. All big names, who will join a staff on a team that has bigger problems than its coaches. The problem for the Jacksonville Jaguars has been the players.

Can Doug Marrone turn Jaguars’ quarterback Blake Bortles into a star passer for all four NFL quarters? Marrone was a Bortles’ supporter (courtesy of the Florida Times-Union) when he became the Jaguars’ interim coach after the firing of Gus Bradley.

“A lot of the foundation is laid in place. My job is to make sure that the people that are touching the football team understand the direction we’re headed and how we feel and recognize that and to be able to move forward at a very difficult time.”

Bortles has been a stud for fantasy football league owners, but most of his fantasy points have come from Jacksonville Jaguars rallying from a deficit. Blake Bortles have played inconsistently throughout his tenure with the Jaguars. Much of that have to do with the overall play-calling. Although some of Bortles’ problems stem from the lack of a running game. That is where the addition of Tyrone Wheatley when come into play.

Doug Marrone has to help Blake Bortles understand that he has to use the entire field. The Jaguars’ receivers are open often. Plus, they can catch jumpball passes when they are covered by a cornerback. If Bortles was able to get the football to the receivers quickly, it would minimize the miscues.

Potential offensive coordinators for Jacksonville Jaguars should they hire Mike Smith https://t.co/bUbbQIsZ79 pic.twitter.com/4YSgG8Q3nm

— EndZoneScore.com (@OPSN_NFL) January 5, 2017

Mechanically, Blake Bortles could use some help. That was also the suggestion of an unnamed scout who addressed Bortles as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback going forward on Sports Illustrated’s MMQB.

“I don’t think he’s as terrible as everyone makes him out to be. He needs to clean up his mechanics obviously, but the offense hasn’t helped him. If your expectations are for him to be a top-five QB, then no, he’s not that. If it’s for him to be 15-20, then sure, they should be able to get him there.”

That same scout believes that Bortles can be fixed with the right offensive scheme.

“Yes, if you establish a run game, get him in a West Coast offense, with a quick rhythm passing game. His mechanics were f—- up all year.”

All signs could point to the Jacksonville Jaguars bringing in an offensive coordinator with experience in coaching the West Coast offense. It is not necessarily the only offensive scheme the Jaguars can run efficiently. There are other systems that can compliment Bortles’ talents.

Bortles throws a good deep ball, but playing in the West Coast offense would take away from that. Perhaps a variation of the West Coast offense would suffice. The offense that the New England Patriots run would work for Bortles. The onus is on Doug Marrone and Tom Coughlin to find an offensive coordinator who can implement the changes that Bortles needs for him and the Jaguars to make the next step.

Who the Jacksonville Jaguars hire as the offensive coordinator will be the overall deciding factor when judging their coaching hires. The Jaguars seem committed to Blake Bortles as their quarterback. Getting Bortles on track is the key to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ success.

[Featured Image by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]