Big Cat Country
With Phase One of the Jaguars’ offseason program in full swing quarterback Trevor Lawrence and linebacker Foye Oluokun met with the assembled media. Here are a few takeaways from their combined media availability:
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ welcomed players back to the Miller Electric Center on Tuesday, April 8th as the inaugural offseason program kicked off under the leadership trio of head coach Liam Coen, general manager James Gladstone, and Executive Vice President of Football Operations Tony Boselli.
With Tuesday kicking off phase one of the teams' offseason program - two weeks of meetings, strength and conditioning, and rehabilitation head coach Liam Coen spoke with the assembled media, followed up by linebacker Foye Oluokun and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Full Media Availability:
New scheme, new coaches, same Foye
Team Captain, MLB Foye Oluokun first took to the podium to discuss his introduction to new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile's scheme and discussed the natural difficulties in learning multiple schemes over multiple years of late.
“I think that’s a challenge every time you step into a new system or new coordinators, new coaches. One: just embracing coaching; two: just trusting what they have in store, trusting their plan; three: just understanding whatever the scheme is or whatever the plans are and still playing your best football. I think that’s always going to be a challenge when you’ve got new teammates, new coaches, and everything. So really embracing everything and trusting that everything is meant for the better of the team.”
Foye, as well as other veteran defenders in Jacksonville since 2022, will be entering their third defensive scheme after Mike Caldwell (2022-2023) and Ryan Nielsen (2024) were both relieved as defensive coordinator. And while that may be the nature of the sport, it doesn't make it any easier, as Oluokun took a moment of vulnerability to explain:
“If I can be real with you, I think that might be something that’s not talked about a lot, but I think going through a lot of coaches, a lot of systems, whether offensively or defensively, can take a toll.
I think if you go about it with the right mindset, of learning and understanding, that it can make your game better - accepting what they’re trying to coach you on and stuff."
However, one could say that Foye has been prepared for this NFL life of constant personnel and scheme change since his college days at Yale. Many fans may not be aware that Oluokun played cornerbacks, safety, and linebacker in college - forcing him to learn the entire defensive playbook (alignments, calls, coverages, and how it all works together). Foye discussed how those experiences helped to sharpen and develop the mental aspects of his game.
“I think so just because, one, you can understand what other positions are doing as you’re going. You can understand the ‘why,’ whatever your job responsibility is so important. Maybe it’s to help out a safety, maybe it’s to help out a corner and their...
