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Did the Jaguars Running Game Improve?! · Duval Daily: A Jacksonville Jaguars Podcast

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacksonville Jackworth fans, welcome in to Dove All, daily presented by Gen Jack.com.
• 0:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Jordan Aluga, thanks so much for being here Wednesday, May 20th.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right now, we are talking about the Jack Wars running back room and I have got a very bold prediction for y'all about the Jack Wars running back room and their rushing attack in general heading into 2026, uh, not a ton of turnover in terms of sheer volume, but
• 0:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: They did lose their starting running back, Travis HN as he likes to be referred to now.
• 0:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis HN, Travis HTN, whatever you want to say, this is a guy who was very productive for the Jack Wars for a very long time as both a runner and receiver as somebody who could bust off big runs, make big plays in their saving game.
• 0:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: But efficiency wasn't really the name of his game, Inter, Chris Rodriguez.
• 0:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: and bashedltun, who figured to be the Jaguars 2 leading SNAPCators at the running back position.
• 1:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've also got Lee Quint Allen who was not going anywhere, and DJ Dallas, you also went and got Amirabdulla, and Jamari Taylor is going to be fighting as well, the undrafted free agent, who should have been drafted.
• 1:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: in my opinion, out of Virginia.
• 1:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you've got a lot in that running back room, even after losing Travis HN, Travis ETN to the Saints, he went and got himself a very nice bag.
• 1:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Jaguar is kind of went the cheaper route with Chris Rodriguez, but a player who they feel very good about.
• 1:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: My bold prediction, we will get to
• 1:34
  [SPEAKER_00]: Right after I remind you, I'll please like and subscribe if you enjoy the content.
• 1:38
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• 1:43
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• 1:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, thank you so much for tuning in.
• 1:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: Love talking Jacksonville Jaguars football with y'all.
• 1:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, my bold prediction.
• 1:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Jack Wars, they finished 2026 as the 20th team in the NFL in Russian, right, about 115 yards per game.
• 2:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: They finished in terms of average per carry, 27th, I mean, they were not good down the stretch for the most part.
• 2:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Although they were very good against the buffalo bills who basically dared them to throw
• 2:24
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't know why.
• 2:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: Or I guess I should say they dared them to run the ball, and they did it well, and I don't know why they stopped, but that's neither here nor there.
• 2:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the Jack Wars learned their lesson from 2025, they want to be a more balanced football team, both by personnel and by formation, and just being able to run the ball more.
• 2:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: So how do you do that?
• 2:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: How do you improve that?
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: You go get Brian Picucci, who
• 2:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Coach Liam Cohen, who had been a Liam Cohen assistant coach for a long time, they've worked together forever.
• 3:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: He was stuck in Tampa last year, Tampa fires their staff.
• 3:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: They get to go get Brian Pukuchi and Jacksonville.
• 3:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's their run game coordinator.
• 3:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: Somebody who will help a lot with the offensive line and the running game in general, I think.
• 3:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Not that Sean Sarah did a bad job last year, but he's an offensive line coach.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: bandwidth there I think and in terms of how he will contribute to it.
• 3:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Liam Cohen will get it going as well.
• 3:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's going to be focused on improving that wrong game.
• 3:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: He's always had pretty good rushing attacks and then you have continuity on the offensive line.
• 3:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: The offensive line when you did bring in is a moller.
• 3:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: If he's able to get on the field, Emmanuel Pregnant, absolute moller at guard.
• 3:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you go get Chris Rodriguez to replace Travis ETN, Travis HM, you go get Baseltoot and Anne Lee Quint Allen in the draft last year, and then competition at the back end.
• 3:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: But you're big three, it's going to be Rodriguez to an Allen.
• 4:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think I feel pretty confident about that.
• 4:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think, again, we haven't even gotten to my old prediction yet.
• 4:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm just kind of trying to lay the groundwork here.
• 4:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: I believe the Jaguars,
• 4:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: We'll have a much, much better rushing attack in 2026 than they did in 2025.
• 4:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think they're gonna average over 140 yards per game on the ground.
• 4:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I don't think they're gonna have to throw the ball as much.
• 4:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: I still think they'll want to.
• 4:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I still think that there will be games where it's the Trevor Lawrence show with all those receivers.
• 4:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think that they will have a much more consistent rushing attack, because like the jag wars to their credit.
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: In situations where the opponent wasn't really respecting the run as much or whatever it may be, they were able to run the ball early on in the season.
• 4:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: They were running the ball like gangbusters.
• 5:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Later on in the season, it really slowed down.
• 5:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think part of that had to do with injuries up front.
• 5:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: a little bit of regression at times from Travis E. T. N. with his vision, and then you saw on the playoffs, I mean, they were dominating on the ground.
• 5:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: So it's not like it was a total horrible, awful season running the ball, but Liam Cohen, he was asked, you know, about what he wanted to fix and he wanted to fix the stink in the run game.
• 5:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: That was his big thing, offensively.
• 5:30
  [SPEAKER_00]: right and so they're planning on doing that.
• 5:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they're going to average over 140 yards per game on the ground.
• 5:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: What would that really mean from a statistical standpoint like where would that put them in the NFL?
• 5:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'll pull that up right now.
• 5:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: But that's just to say I strongly believe in their plan with this backfield.
• 5:51
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that when it comes just just purely running the ball and specifically inside the tackles, Chris Rodriguez is going to be so much more efficient than Travis C.T.N.
• 6:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: was.
• 6:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: Rodriguez is a top five, top 10, depending on which statistical database you're looking at in terms of rushing efficiency last year.
• 6:12
  [SPEAKER_00]: Travis C.T.N.
• 6:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: was in the 40s, right?
• 6:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: You talk about,
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_00]: basal tootin.
• 6:19
  [SPEAKER_00]: Again, top 10 and rushing efficiency, or top 5 based on which database you're looking at.
• 6:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, I think ESPN had them both top 5.
• 6:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think Sumerous sports had them both, like right around top 10.
• 6:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: So these guys were much more efficient than Travis CTN who again, in terms of rushing efficiency, was in the 40's rushing success rate is basically, basically,
• 6:41
  [SPEAKER_00]: Are you keeping your offense on schedule by getting a percentage of the yardage required for that given situation?
• 6:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: And so their success rates were just much higher than Travis E. T.Ns.
• 6:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Their first down rates were higher, all that stuff, their broken tackles, yards after contact.
• 7:00
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you look at the jaguars in their rushing.
• 7:06
  [SPEAKER_00]: I predict that they're going to have 140 yards per game
• 7:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: That would have put them forth in the league last year.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_00]: Also think that average is going to be up probably over 4.5.
• 7:20
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think they're going to be a really good running team.
• 7:25
  [SPEAKER_00]: Part of the reason I think that is again, they got more efficient.
• 7:31
  [SPEAKER_00]: They got tougher.
• 7:33
  [SPEAKER_00]: They also now have the ability I think to run the ball better.
• 7:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: from 12 personnel and 13 personnel, but 12 personnel will be more prevalent than 13 personnel with the addition of NA Borkercher with keeping Quentin Morris, right?
• 7:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: You've got to be able to pass from 12 personnel for the wrong game to work in 12, right?
• 7:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think that they can.
• 7:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: And what do you mean by that?
• 7:57
  [SPEAKER_00]: So you get the 12 person out there.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_00]: You get two tight ends out there.
• 8:03
  [SPEAKER_00]: You have to be able to throw from that look effectively enough to scare the defense to not just hone in completely on the run.
• 8:13
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think when you talk about 12 person I'll be in a combination of Britain Strange, Nate Borkiccher,
• 8:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: Jacobi Myers, and then at the other receiver spot, you know, Brian Thomas Jr., or Parker Washington, or Travis Hunter, yeah, I think that that is enough to scare opposing defenses to allow the 12 personnel to work as a, a change up that continues to allow you to pass the ball, but also allows you to run the ball.
• 8:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: All right, I really do.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's my belief on that.
• 8:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think the Jaguars were able to run from 11 personnel.
• 8:56
  [SPEAKER_00]: I like that they have a combination of backs where Chris Rodriguez is more of this tough physical back.
• 9:01
  [SPEAKER_00]: Bacial Tutan has some toughness to him, but he's also an absolute dynamo incredibly fast.
• 9:07
  [SPEAKER_00]: They need to get him the ball more in space.
• 9:09
  [SPEAKER_00]: They need him to get the ball more outside the tackles.
• 9:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: And then you have Lee Quint Allen who is like this perfect third downback because he's a great receiver as proven at Syracuse and he did the job as a receiver last year as well.
• 9:21
  [SPEAKER_00]: but he's also an ass kicker who wants the smoke in past protection, right?
• 9:27
  [SPEAKER_00]: And he's also like a fine runner of the football too, but he was targeted 12 times last year, you got 11 of him, he didn't drop the football, he did a good job.
• 9:37
  [SPEAKER_00]: Of course, that's not like down the field stuff, it's this short stuff, which that's what most running backs are getting.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: Um, when it comes to Tutan, he was targeted, I think, 13 times and caught 10 of them, something like that.
• 9:49
  [SPEAKER_00]: No drops.
• 9:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.
• 9:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: So, and he scored two, he made some really impressive plays as a receiver.
• 9:54
  [SPEAKER_00]: He actually made some, some catches down the field a little bit.
• 9:58
  [SPEAKER_00]: That one touched down really comes to mind where he had to do that full extension, make a great play on the ball.
• 10:05
  [SPEAKER_00]: But I think they're set up well.
• 10:08
  [SPEAKER_00]: I really do, um, I think there's going to be more of an emphasis on what works for Chris Rodriguez, what works for Bacial Tutan, and they're going to be able to impose their will more with the running game.
• 10:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: They're going to be able to use it more consistently.
• 10:26
  [SPEAKER_00]: I also just think, man, when you think about the Jaguar passing attack,
• 10:35
  [SPEAKER_00]: You're putting teams in a bot, like, in my mind, teams should be gearing up to try to stop the pass, to try to slow down Trevor Lawrence.
• 10:46
  [SPEAKER_00]: But it's kind of this thing, like, do you take away their ace or do you take away their number two thing?
• 10:52
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's difficult to figure out, especially with Liam Cohen dialing it up, I mean, he's such a great offensive play collar and coach, and there's so much talent in the passing game,
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_00]: I think teams are going to have to try to do what the bills try to do in the playoffs, which is stop the pass.
• 11:11
  [SPEAKER_00]: They did it to a varying levels of success.
• 11:14
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Jaguar is aware of what would have passed the ball, but they also turn the ball over one or two times that they shouldn't have in the passing game.
• 11:22
  [SPEAKER_00]: And I think teams try to stop the pass.
• 11:28
  [SPEAKER_00]: The Jaguars punch him in the mouth, a lot in 2026.
• 11:32
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's kind of my, my thought process there.
• 11:36
  [SPEAKER_00]: Gear up to stop Trevor Lawrence, could we mire his Brian Thomas Jr. Travis Hunter Parker watching him written strange.
• 11:42
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's going to be the Chris Rodriguez and Leequan Allen and Chris Rodriguez and Bacial Tudon and Leequan Allen show.
• 11:48
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to know what you think in the comment section below.
• 11:50
  [SPEAKER_00]: If you enjoy the content, please like and subscribe.
• 11:53
  [SPEAKER_00]: Y'all have a good one.