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Michael DiRocco
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Travis Hunter made an even bigger splash on offense than he did on protection Friday evening, however Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen views the rookie’s two-way debut as nothing however profitable.
Hunter performed 38 snaps — 17 with the first-team offense and 21 with the first-team protection — within the Jaguars’ scrimmage in entrance of 11,000 at EverBank Stadium, the primary time he had performed on each side of the ball in coaching camp.
“I assumed it was nice,” Coen stated. “We acquired him the work that we needed to get with him on offense early on after which capable of get him on protection and get him sufficient reps. That was what we had been hoping to do tonight by way of simply get him on each side of the ball, high quality work. I do know he [didn’t] get a lot [action at cornerback] as a result of the [first-team] D-line was getting an excellent rush, so it was just a little arduous to see.
“I assumed when he had the ball in his palms [on offense] and he operated, he operated at a excessive stage.”
Hunter caught three passes for 43 yards — together with a 21-yard reception in the midst of the sphere that put the offense within the crimson zone — and was focused one other time ultimately zone. That throw from Trevor Lawrence was just a little behind, which allowed linebacker Ventrell Miller to knock it away.
“Fairly cool [with the ball in his hands] in house, is not he?” Coen stated.
Backup quarterback Nick Mullens didn’t throw at Hunter on protection.
Coen heaped much more reward on Lawrence than he did on Hunter, describing the quarterback’s efficiency as “superior.” The previous No. 1 choose accomplished 19 of 27 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Two of Lawrence’s landing passes went to second-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who had six catches for 65 yards.
Lawrence’s different landing cross was a 5-yarder to tight finish Brenton Strange on third-and-goal with lower than 10 seconds remaining within the scrimmage. His interception got here on a throw within the again nook of the top zone to receiver Parker Washington that cornerback Zechariah McPhearson snagged after dropping off his receiver.
The cross behind Hunter and the interception had been the one errors, Coen stated.
“I assumed he was making sharp, quick selections,” Coen stated about Lawrence. “The ball was getting pushed continuously. He missed a couple of for certain.
“… However I simply thought [other than those two throws] he made good, sharp selections. I assumed he ran the present properly. I assumed it was an excellent evening for him.”