These are some key points to remember from the Jaguars ST Coach.

Jacksonville’s Special Teams Coordinator spoke with the assembled media before the fourth day of 2024 Training Camp. Here are a few takeaways from what he had to say.

Day 4 of Jacksonville Jaguars 2024 Training Camp kicks off on Saturday morning, with Special Teams Coordinator Heath Farwell heading to the podium before the team took to the field. Here are a few takeaways from his media availability.

Kickoff Rule Changes

The new kickoff rule changes have been a pretty large change league wide. When discussing his staff’s plan and strategy for coaching the schemes to his group, Farwell mentioned that former Jaguars Special Teams Coordinator Joe DeCamillis visited in the spring, reassuring him that he was moving in the right direction with his attack on the new kickoff plan.

“Early on, it was a little bit of stress of making sure I was right, going down the right path. And then when we brought in, JoeD, came and spent some time with us. And he kind of reassured me. He felt like we were on the right path and going the right direction. And that was helpful a ton, just kind of helped kind of calm me down a little bit, because there is so much unknown. But I think that’s ball.

I think every week is different. I think this is obviously a new play. But in football in general, there’s gonna be some different wrinkles. And we’re always trying to, as a coach, we’re always trying to anticipate what we’re gonna see and prepare our guys and try to stay ahead of it. This is a little bit different because there’s no history to it. A lot of the stuff I’m having to show them with these new rules that come out. For instance, the ball rolls off the tee, who’s the holder? There’s a new rule came out a couple weeks ago. Well, of course, I had to create a slide. I can’t show them videotape of a team in the past of doing this, create a slide, kind of makeshift as best I could and try to create it. And then, of course, work on it in a walkthrough and at practice.”

He later continued.

“He came in the spring. He came in the spring and it was great. He was part of his program with their South Carolina coaches getting out and with the NFL teams, and I took full advantage of it. He’s a brilliant guy, a good friend of mine, and said, hey, okay, explained it to him, detailed the best I could, literally presented it to him. Sat in the meetings, and then, of course, went out to practice. And then, of course, picked his brain after practice.

Are we on the right path? What do we need to fix? Do you see any wrinkles that can help us out? And he was great. He was a great, a lot of it confirmed what I already believed. And then with a couple wrinkles of some possible other stuff that I needed to try. And so he was a great resource.”

Heath also mentioned that there would me more kickoffs today than in prior practices – about nine.

“We did some the other day in practice and in fact, you’re gonna see some today. You’ll see some kickoffs today, a good amount of them hopefully get to probably seven to nine of them is kind of the goal. But we’ll see some today, get a good feel for it.

Keilan Robinson provides all-around value

Farwell raved over rookie Keilan Robinson’s value as much more than a kick returner, stating that he provides punt coverage, kickoff coverage, punt return, and offensive value to the team. He’s truly a core-four teamer, a rarity for a rookie addition.

“He’s been great. Obviously, his return to ability is unbelievable. He’s a kick returner. He’s doing a really good job as a punt returner. But I think what the other portion of that is, what can he do in other phases? He’s been great. His ability to play gunner, we did some punt gunner reps yesterday, more compete setting, and he was winning a bunch of them. And I thought he’s a guy that’s gonna be a four phase guy. He’s gonna be a good player for us.

I’m happy what I saw in college, and he’s even better than that. And his energy, like I said, he’s not exactly 100% right now. You don’t see that out there. He’s just a guy that flies around, has fun, plays hard, wants to be out there again, we love him in the room.”

Punt Coverage Gunner Competition

When discussing the punt coverage unit Coach Farwell gushed about the group of guys he had available to him, naming Daniel Thomas, Keilan Robinson, Jarrian Jones, and Antonio Johnson as his top potential gunner options.

“Yeah, and I think this is one of the best gunner groups I’ve ever had. Obviously, DT has done it for years for us, been really, really good. Antonio did a fantastic job last year, he’s a really good gunner.

Jarrion Jones is another one who’s had a really good offseason in camp, and then Keilan. So as far as I’m concerned, I feel like we have four really, really good gunners. And this is probably the best gunner group that I’ve ever had, and that’s a compliment to those guys. Those guys, and we have a bunch of guys top to bottom that are doing a really, really good job. Like I said, this is a really good group.”

Additionally, Coach Farwell mentioned rookie, UDFA Safety Josh Proctor as a rookie who has stood out on special teams

Cam Little to be challenged today

Farwell also mentioned that the fans and media would see more of Cam Little today in the teams settings, stating that he may get some additional opportunities.

“Cam’s done great, he’s been really, really good. He’s so consistent, he’s locked in, he’s competitive, and he is everything I thought when I went and worked him out. When I met with him, all those great interactions I had pre-draft. He’s exactly what I thought, if not better. He’s talented, he’s doing it, he’s been consistent. He’s shown the leg strength, he’s done all those things.

And then the more we could put him in these tougher situations, he’s gonna kick today in team period. But he’s also potentially getting a kick or two in move the ball situations – kind of move the ball to win a game in the two minute. And so just let’s see how he reacts in those.”