Mike Mularkey was introduced as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars at a press conference this afternoon. Mularkey was joined by owner Shahid Khan and general manage Gene Smith as he faced the Jacksonville media for the first time.
Mularkey said he sees the Jaguars as a “team very close to making things happen,” and that he is here to “make it happen.”
In Mularkey, the Jaguars have a coach who is considered a top offensive mind. However, Mularkey said that he will not call his own plays and that the search for an offensive coordinator has begun.
For those expecting the Jaguars to throw it all over the field with Mularkey at the helm – think again. Mularkey believes that you still need a balanced attack to win in the NFL, and said that his offense is run-based but won’t be afraid to throw it down the field when the opportunity presents itself.
One of Mularkey’s priorities will be developing Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert, who struggled during his rookie season in 2011. Mularkey, who has already met with his quarterback, said that what he sees in Gabbert is a competitor, and that he sees a field command from him. Mularkey believes that the lockout put Gabbert behind the 8-ball from the very start, and that a full offseason will be of great benefit. Mularkey also said that it is important to play to a quarterback’s strengths and that the team must put him in a position to be successful.
Mularkey was asked if he planned to consider former Jaguars defensive coordinator/interim head coach Mel Tucker as a candidate to be his defensive coordinator. Mularkey said that he will talk to Tucker today and tomorrow. There is also rumor that some of Tucker’s defensive assistants have been asked to hold tight, which, if true, could very well be a sign that Mularkey does intend to seriously consider having Tucker join his staff.
Gene Smith said that the Jaguars talked to a lot of people during the coaching search. While declining to get into specifics, Smith said that a lot of phone calls were made and a lot of research was conducted before sitting down to interview people face-to-face.
The hiring of Mularkey may be disappointing to those fans who were hoping the Jaguars would make a splash by hiring a big-name coach the likes of Bill Cowher or Jeff Fisher. Khan said, “The issue here was not splash – it was smart. It’s about building the team for the long-term.” Khan went on to say, “This decision will serve Jacksonville well in the future.”
Mularkey summed up his expectations best, saying “One thing we’d like to be here is a consistent winner,” and that “Our ultimate goal is to win the Super Bowl.”
