As a former successful player and coach, could you explain the importance of playing in front of a full stadium?
“Having fan support is huge for our team because I know how much our players and coaches feed off that energy. I have played and coached in hostile and loud environments, and there’s a certain advantage that a team with passionate support gains from the crowd. When we’re on defence, and it’s loud on third down, and we get a stop or successful play, there is a feeling in the stadium that makes its way through our entire sideline.
How do you feel about playing at Wembley with the Jaguars? Is it a special feeling for the team to see the support of the Union Jax, the Jags UK fan club?
“It was a special game in our schedule to play at the iconic sporting venue of Wembley. It’s a passion for Shahid Khan and his family to take his team to London, so we’ve embraced the trip as a team and an organisation. I have been to Wembley twice in a football capacity, most recently in 2018, where I experienced being on the other sideline against the Jaguars, so I knew the Jags fanbase in the UK and at Wembley would be loud.”
What are the key elements this team has that will enable it to be successful?
“This is a talented and focused group. I appreciate their competitiveness. They’ve stuck together since I’ve been here and have really focused on progress. Our success begins with the coordinators putting plans together, educating our players in the classroom, and then taking that to the practice field What we sought in the spring and have seen this season is a collective willingness to learn, prepare and apply within the team dynamic.”
What are the main strategic points that you have in mind to allow the Jags to evolve as a team this season?
“We ask our players to consistently create energy, eliminate distractions, fear nothing, and attack everything that we do. That’s a message that applies to our coaches and our organisation. It takes everybody to build a championship culture, and if our team is accountable, takes their preparation seriously, and continues to work and stick together, the results will follow.”