All offseason, Jaguars special teams coach Mike Mallory worked with a particular set of guys, many rookies in key roles, but at least a similar set of faces.
But after the team made seven waiver claims after final cuts, he’s starting anew the week of the opener, teaching his system to a whole new crop of students. The Jaguars are young across the board under new coach Gus Bradley, but especially so on special teams.
“This is what we do,” Mallory said, via Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Get them on the same page and say, ‘Let’s go.’”
They were already going with a rookie punt returner and long snapper and perhaps kick returner, with a second year punter. But after final cuts, eight of the 11 players from the first kickoff return unit in the preseason finale are new, symbolic of their turnover.
“They’re all pretty similar,” Mallory said of the techniques he uses. “It’s just a matter of what we use. There will be nuances and variations that we’ll teach them but nothing they can’t overcome and understand quickly.
“It’s a great opportunity [for the new players]. In just seeing them and meeting with them [Monday], I know they’re excited to be a part of the program and get started. And as coaches, we’re excited to have them.”
Even if that means a good chunk of training camp time was wasted on guys no longer there.