Which move or lack there of upset you the most in the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise history?
Was it letting Coughlin go to NY to win SuperBowls? Was it all of the 1st round busts, that the franchise swore wasnt a reach (cough Tyson Alualu)? Was it not hiring the college coach or NFL available coach you really wanted or GM? Was it anything that the franchise can still go back and fix now or learn from their mistakes? State what and why (only had so many options on the poll) but as I type I can think of so many things that had us scratch our heads over the years...
The only one that stands out is passing on JPP. This I think is a direct result of Gene Smith's flawed team building strategy. I don't even mind that he allegedly overdrafted AluAlu, but just the fact that a player like AluAlu was that high of a priority at the time and not a player like JPP was the issue. This is his base-hit strategy at work, one of the few things I disagreed with Gene Smith on during his tenure. Obviously he blew the Gabbert pick, but still I like the idea that he went and got the QB he wanted and didn't settle for what he had.
As for the Russel Wilson/Anger thing, that really doesn't bother me. People are making this connection between the two players, but there really isn't one. The fact that he drafted a punter in the 3rd round is a separate issue from him passing on Russel Wilson. Almost nobody expected the Jaguars to draft Russell Wilson, or any quarterback that high. Drafting a punter was dumb, but there was a huge possibility that whatever other non-QB player he would have picked wouldn't have made a huge impact. I'm more bummed they passed on Alshon Jeffery for Andre Branch that draft (even after drafting Blackmon). But hopefully Branch can make that more of a non issue this season.
How about firing Coughlin?
Of the choices available I'd say Anger over Wilson, but I doubt many people really saw Wilson coming.
The move I disagreed with the most was drafting Byron Leftwich. Not as bad as other moves like Alualu or Gabbert but I was bummed when we picked Leftwich to replace Brunell.
All those bad moves led to what we have now, so can't complain really. Replacing one miss with a big hit may have just extended our purgatory of mediocrity.
Gene Smith didnt just pass up on JPP. He also passed on Earl Thomas that same yr.
Quote:Gene Smith didnt just pass up on JPP. He also passed on Earl Thomas that same yr.
Of the two Earl Thomas is the one that upsets me. I'd take JPP over Alu Alu, but I think he's incredibly over rated.
Quote:As for the Russel Wilson/Anger thing, that really doesn't bother me. People are making this connection between the two players, but there really isn't one. The fact that he drafted a punter in the 3rd round is a separate issue from him passing on Russel Wilson. Almost nobody expected the Jaguars to draft Russell Wilson, or any quarterback that high. Drafting a punter was dumb, but there was a huge possibility that whatever other non-QB player he would have picked wouldn't have made a huge impact. I'm more bummed they passed on Alshon Jeffery for Andre Branch that draft (even after drafting Blackmon). But hopefully Branch can make that more of a non issue this season.
I like Jeffery, but I don't think he would be as successful without Marshall on the othe side or a threat in the running game or out of the backfield in Forte or Bennett occupying safeties and linebackers. He gets a lot of one on one coverage and whatever your opinion of McCown or Cutler, either is better that Gabbert or Henne.
I'd say Alualu over Earl Thomas and Plain Garbage over Kaep.
Taking Gabbert over JJ Watt
Passing on Earl Thomas.
To this day I'm baffled as to why we passed on him
JPP was far from a sure thing. Likewise Wilson and Foles. I was more upset by the failure to trade down with SF (and maybe SD) when Gene picked Alualu. I didn't want either Alualu or JPP at 10
(or even Earl Thomas).
Of your choices, I go with hiring Mularkey. It was an obvious mistake at the time. Most of the others were either not big mistakes, or only mistakes in retrospect.
If we allow retrospect, I think making Gene Smith GM was the biggest mistake the Jags ever made. Any single player or coach decision pales in comparison.
I disagree. I think the biggest mistake this franchise ever made was to fire Tom Coughlin when they did. Even Weaver said as much years later.
Quote:I disagree. I think the biggest mistake this franchise ever made was to fire Tom Coughlin when they did. Even Weaver said as much years later.
He couldn't have stayed. After three losing seasons there was just too much bad blood between him and the fanbase.
And just because he had success in NY doesn't mean that he would have had he stayed here. The firing might have been what he needed to take him to the next level (not to mention his reduced role of not being the GM or OC).
I'll say the hiring of Mularkey -- and by extension, promoting Gene Smith.
Any one single miss is understandable. Wilson/Foles are hindsight choices, and who knows if they would've worked out here as well as they have in Seattle/Philadelphia. Gabbert being a bust would have been okay if everything else hadn't went wrong too.
The accumulation of mistakes by Gene Smith is ridiculous though. The hire of Mike Mularkey was one of those decisions that made you ask "What was his thought process?" I know people like to point to Khan approving the hire. But let's not forget that Khan was a rookie owner, who didn't have time to surround himself with great football minds.
The thing about the Mularkey hire is -- that it wasn't a pick in a lottery like the draft picks. He was a choice that made no sense. His record as head coach was poor -- and all but the most optimistic fans were saying "WHAT?!" This wasn't a case of bad luck, like Gene Smith seems to have had in the draft over the course of 4 years.
I know Coughlin spoke highly of Gene Smith when he was leaving and Gene may have been a good scout. But making the decisions wasn't his strong suit. And it's most clearly seen by his choice of Mike Mularkey as head coach. Promoting from within wasn't a good choice after the Shack era. I think we'd have done better to have armchair scouts doing the drafting for the first 3 rounds for those 4 years. Which doesn't speak well of the armchair GM's so much as it speaks poorly of Gene Smith.
The Gabbert pick followed by the punter in the third top my list. I understand the reasoning behind most everything else even if a few of them are odd.
Anything that involves "not signing so-and-so free agent" doesn't really belong on the list IMO. I find it odd to criticize a GM for not spending big money on free agents. Especially when they aren't young.
I picked Mularkey from what was given, I didnt really follow Willson or Foles. I do wish we had JPP but he has also been lacking.