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Clemson, Alabama overshadow Jaguars personnel moves

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The College Football Playoff Championship Game was a victim of bad scheduling. When news emerged that the Jacksonville Jaguars had hired Doug Marrone as their Head Coach and Tom Coughlin as Executive Vice-President of Football Operations, who cared about a silly college football game?

While Deshaun Watson and company were upsetting Alabama on Monday night, didn’t much of the nation miss part of it because they were glued to the NFL Network?

The answer is, of course, an emphatic NO.

This little exercise in sarcasm is designed to question the Jaguars’ timing, not the wisdom, of this all-important announcement for their fans and community.

Not that these are anything but quality hires. That will be determined later, but the rollout does cause a bit of head scratching.

Why would you make such an announcement on a day football fans are focused on the college championship? Yes, things were beginning to leak out, as they always do, but that does not mean the team had to comment unless they wished to do so.

“We cannot confirm those rumors,” is a line that always works, because it is always true.

The hiring of Marrone, Coughlin and the extension of team general manager David Caldwell represent the biggest moves the team will make until draft day. Jags.com described them as “eye-opening changes.” You bet they are.

On the other hand, by the time Hunter Renfrow caught the championship-winning pass for Clemson, how many were unaware – even in Jacksonville – about these eye-openers before closing their eyes to sleep early Tuesday morning?

By participating in the story on Monday, the Jaguars have allowed others to control the narrative until Thursday’s official introductory press conference. Owner Shad Khan said the right things, including the introduction of the three, but those things could have been said on a day where competition for news coverage was far less intense.

“I have confidence that one day soon, we’ll look back on today’s news as the moment that inspired and ultimately established the Jacksonville Jaguars as a football team that wins, week to week and season to season,” Khan said in his statement. “The results will speak for themselves in time, but with Tom coming in to join Dave and Doug, there is no question the Jacksonville Jaguars are a stronger football team today.”

These moves are not likely to be fully embraced by what is left of Jaguar Nation. All three, in some aspects represent the past and the present. Only winning will win them over.

Those buying the tickets wanted change. Make the Jaguars Great Again!

Or at least 10-6!

On Thursday, the Jaguars will be the center of attention in their community. It is then the questions will come about the circumstances behind Marrone’s departure as Head Coach of the Buffalo Bills, and will Marrone be intimidated by Coughlin hovering over him?

Hopefully the leadership team will be asked for their plan to make the Jags winners again.

Hopefully things will go well on Thursday. In the end, success will first be measured in season ticket sales before the team ever takes the field.

Confidence in the team’s direction will go a long way to putting people in seats at EverBank Field. The drive to make Khan’s statement come true begins now.

Correction; It began on Monday night.

Bob Sparks is President of Ramos and Sparks Group, a Tallahassee-based business and political consulting firm. During his career, he has directed media relations and managed events for professional baseball, served as chief spokesperson for the Republican Party of Florida as well as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Attorney General of Florida. After serving as Executive Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Charlie Crist, he returned to the private sector working with clients including the Republican National Committee and political candidates in Japan. He lives in Tallahassee with his wife, Sue and can be reached at [email protected]

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