No, the first preseason game of the year for the Jacksonville Jaguars isn’t as big as the Super Bowl, but it’ll still be pretty special for offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.
Udinski will get full autonomy of the play sheet on Aug. 15 as he’ll have play-calling responsibilities when the Jaguars take on the Saints in New Orleans.
“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 had the opportunity to call plays in Jacksonville’s final preseason game last season against the Miami Dolphins as 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.”
Udinski had several head coaching interviews during the offseason, making it through multiple stages with the Cleveland Browns before ultimately removing himself from consideration to return to be Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator.
It’s a process he’ll likely go through again this offseason if the Jaguars have success, but this time he might land a role with a different team. That’s too far ahead for the 30-year-old coordinator to think as he’s focused on preparing himself and his players for competition.
“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.
The Jaguars will travel to New Orleans where they’ll have joint practice with the Saints on Aug. 13 ahead of their preseason game two days later.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Grant Udinski opens up about calling plays in the preseason
