Jaguars stick with Travis Hunter plan ahead of Eagles game in London

Liam Coen knew where the question was going.

The Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) head coach was asked whether he thought anything of cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter's athleticism after he put it on display on a would-be interception return, sparking ideas to use his skills on offense.

Hunter played 100% of the team's defensive snaps last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, a career-high 76 snaps as a cornerback, and for the first time in his pro career, he didn't take a single offensive snap.

STAR IN THE MAKING: Travis Hunter's growth on defense validating Jaguars' draft-day gamble

With Jacksonville dealing with injuries, Hunter's defensive responsibilities have taken priority. Coen acknowledged the team couldn't take risks and needed to protect

Hunter's health, as he was relied on to play cornerback.

Yet one of his most memorable moments came on a play that didn't count. After picking off Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Hunter put a move on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on the return, bringing him to the ground and offering another glimpse of what he could do with the ball in his hands.

"No," Coen said with a smile. "I don't think anything of it."

He wasn't quite finished.

"I'm not being an ass. I'm not," Coen continued, before cracking a smile and reconsidering. "No, I was being an ass, but I'm not."

The response drew laughter from the media corps, but Coen's underlying message was serious.

Despite continued calls for Hunter to get more offensive opportunities, Coen and the Jaguars are not abandoning their plan for the two-way star. In fact, the head coach believes Hunter's performance over the past two weeks has reinforced that approach.

"What you guys want more of, and I get it, but look at the last two weeks, what he's been able to do while we stay firm on the plan," Coen said. "And so, will it come? Absolutely."

As the Jaguars prepare to face the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) in London, the question is: What will the next step in that plan look like?

The game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Travis Hunter remains focused on winning, not his Jaguars role

For Hunter, the debate over his usage in Jacksonville doesn't seem like much of a concern.

When asked about Coen's assertion that winning matters more to Hunter than anything else, the second-year player didn't hesitate.

"He's right," Hunter said this week. "I really don't care about anything but winning, like I said before and when I got here, is I'm here to help the team in the best way I can."

That approach meant Hunter needed to take on a heavier defensive workload late, especially as injuries to Montaric Brown and Christian Braswell have tested the team's depth at corner.

He doesn't care about snap counts.

"Snaps is not a number for me. It's nothing to me. I played 160 in college," Hunter said, referencing his full-time, two-way split during his college years.

Rather, Hunter pointed to his growing comfort in Jacksonville's defensive scheme and his trust in the coaching staff.

"Just these last two games, just me being able to trust in my coach, trusting the technique, and trusting the scheme that we got going and just continue to play is pretty much all I look forward to," he said.

His defensive impact hasn't gone unnoticed inside the building, either.

After teammates saw his hit at a team meeting Monday, Hunter said a few were surprised.

"A lot of guys talking, saying 'I ain't know you could do that," Hunter said with a laugh. "But I just got my opportunity to show them what I can do."

For now, those opportunities are coming primarily on defense. Whether that changes against Philadelphia and beyond remains to be seen.

Vig Fangio helped shape Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile

Anthony Campanile doesn't need anyone to explain why Vic Fangio's defense is difficult to attack.

He understands firsthand just how influential it has been throughout the NFL.

Campanile spent the 2023 season working under Fangio with the Miami Dolphins, an experience He says helped shape his coaching career and still influences Jacksonville's defense.

"He's one of the best coaches I've ever been around in my life," said Campanile. "He's meant a ton to me. He's had an incredible impact on me."

Campanile pointed to Fangio's attention to detail and work ethic, which made those around him better, including himself.

"He's one of the best coaches I've ever been around in my life," Campanile said. "He's meant a ton to me. He's had an incredible impact on me."

That influence indirectly benefits Jacksonville's offense as it prepares to face Fangio's Eagles.

Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski said in the lead-up to the matchup that practicing against Campanile's defense has helped the team prepare for multiple systems, including Philly's.

Udinski acknowledged differences between the two systems, but the familiarity gives the team an edge as they prepare for Sunday.

Of course, that doesn't make Fangio any easier to solve. Udinski described the Philadelphia defense as able to shift its fronts and coverages based on opponents' tendencies, making what appears straightforward difficult to decipher.

"Things are simple for them and complicated for us to attack," Udinski said.

Jaguars could benefit from Eagles' offensive line changes, Saquon Barkley injury

The last time the Jaguars faced off against Saquon Barkley, he hurdled cornerback Jarrian Jones in reverse, a moment later enshrined as the cover of the football video game simulator Madden NFL.

They won't have to deal with that Sunday, though, as Philadelphia ruled Barkley out on Friday.

Barkley won't be the only player the Eagles will miss on Sunday, though. Earlier in the week, Eagles tackle Lane Johnson announced his retirement from football in surprising fashion. A day later, the team traded interior OL Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens.

Johnson's retirement will force rookie Markel Bell to tackle for a second week, while Jurgens' trade will impact the team's guard position. The team moved Jurgens from center to left guard after placing Landon Dickerson on IR.

Another OL wrinkle: Philadelphia's Drew Kendall missed practice this week with a knee injury and was also ruled out. With Kendall out, center Jake Majors could get his first NFL start, and left guard Willie Lampkin could do the same.

For Jacksonville, that's a chance to test Philadelphia's pass protection and disrupt its rushing game.

Still, Coen acknowledged the significance of losing a player of Johnson's caliber but pointed to Philadelphia's history of overcoming injuries and relying on depth.

"From a game plan standpoint, it doesn't change much," Coen said.

The Eagles are also dealing with receiver attrition. DeVonta Smith and Hollywood Brown, who are dealing with hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively, will also miss Sunday's matchup.

Whether those personnel issues translate to an advantage for Jacksonville remains to be seen.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @Demetrius82 or on BlueskyatDemetrius.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars stick with Travis Hunter plan ahead of Eagles game in London