Grant Udinski is getting a bigger slice of the preseason spotlight for the Jaguars, and he sounds eager to hand the ball to the work he and his offense have been building all camp.
On Aug. 15 in New Orleans, Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator will have full control of the play sheet when the Jaguars face the Saints. It’s not the regular season, and it’s nowhere near the Super Bowl stage, but for Udinski it still carries real weight. He also had play-calling duties in Jacksonville’s final preseason game last year against the Miami Dolphins.
After practice No. 10 in training camp, Udinski made it clear what he’s most interested in seeing: the offense against someone else in live action.
“I think more than anything, I'm excited to see these guys go out and compete against somebody else,” Udinski told reporters after the conclusion of practice No. 10 in training camp.
He emphasized that the operation isn’t built around his voice alone. The play calls are the product of a group effort, and the point is to put the players in positions they already know well.
“It's really not about me or the plays I call because these are the plays we've been practicing," he continued. "It's such a collaborative effort to put together a list of plays that the guys know and are comfortable with that we can go out there and run.”
That focus on the immediate job is in keeping with the way Udinski has handled the rest of his offseason. He drew multiple head coaching interviews and advanced through several rounds with the Cleveland Browns before taking himself out of the running and returning to Jacksonville.
If the Jaguars have success, that process could come around again next offseason, with the possibility of a different team making the push. For now, though, the 30-year-old isn’t looking past New Orleans.
“I'm just looking forward to seeing those guys go out there and run the runs that we've practiced a hundred times against our defense and do it live with tackling against somebody else,” he said.
Jacksonville will be in New Orleans for a joint practice with the Saints on Aug. 13 before the preseason game two days later.
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