Jaguars Coaching Search: Jacksonville Hires Mike Mularkey, According To Reports

Running a football organization is about a lot more than just the product that goes out on the field. New owner Shahid Khan has hired Mark Lamping to oversee all non-football aspects of the organization, according to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union.

Lamping will oversee all non-football operations starting February 27. He and Jaguars general manager Gene Smith will both report directly to Khan. This hiring did not change Jaguars CFO/Senior Vice President of Stadium Operations Bill Prescott's position, nor any others at this time. Lamping was the president of Major League Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals for 13 years. Since 2008, Lamping has been president and CEO of MetLife Stadium, where the New York Giants and Jets play.

Having a team president is not an essential part of the organization, in fact the Jaguars didn't even have one for the past ten years, but the Jaguars and Khan must have felt it was necessary for an organization that is such an important state of transition.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and head coach Mike Mularkey are finished putting together a coaching staff for the 2012-13 season Thursday, as Ron Prince was hired to coach special teams. Price was the last of 21 assists coaches that were hired by Mularkey, who is hoping his second head coaching stint goes better than his first.

"Prince has 20 years of coaching experience, 18 in the college ranks, including three years as the Kansas State head coach from 2006-2008."

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have already filled a lot of the spots in their coaching staff, and are now working on some of the ancillary characters. According to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, they brought in former NFL assistant and college head coach Ron Zook to interview for the special teams coordinator position.

The Jaguars interviewed former Florida Gators head coach Ron Zook for their special teams coordinator position on Wednesday morning. Zook coached at Illinois from 2005 to 2011 after being the head coach at Florida from 2002 to 2004. He hasn’t coached in the NFL since 1999, when he was the defensive backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. Zook worked on the same Pittsburgh Steelers staff as Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey from 1996 to 1998. He was the special teams coordinator for the Steelers.

Zook would bring a lot of experience to the position.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Mike Mularkey to help with the offense, but it seems like he is content to let things ride on the defensive side of the ball. According to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, Mularkey has already retained two defensive assistants, including coordinator Mel Tucker.

Jaguars defensive line coach Joe Cullen will return to Jacksonville's staff next season, according to a source. The Jaguars hired Cullen before the 2010 season and tasked him with fixing a unit that had 14 sacks in 2009. Cullen's return is the second defensive coach known to be returning to Jacksonville from last season's staff. New Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey also retained defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.

Mularkey does not have a lot of experience with the defensive side of things, so it makes sense that he would try to establish some continuity in this way.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

Just two days after hiring Mike Mularkey to be the new head coach, the Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Bob Bratkowski to be the team's offensive coordinator. Bratkowski is 56 years old and served as the quarterbacks coach alongside Mularkey with the Atlanta Falcons last season. He had served as the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2001 to 2010 before he was replaced in that role by Jay Gruden. Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the hire.

Via Adam Schefter of ESPN:

The Jacksonville Jaguars plan to hire former Atlanta Falcons quarterbacks coach Bob Bratkowski as their offensive coordinator, according to a team source.

Bratkowski will once again work with new Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey, as they did in Atlanta.

Bratkowski is often cited for his success in developing former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. The Jaguars are making a concerted effort to hire a coaching staff which will aid the development of young quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Mularkey, and now Bratkowski, accomplish that end.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Mike Mularkey to coach their football team, and there are some mixed reactions about the hire. On the positive side is Tom Donahoe, who hired Mularkey when he was the GM of the Bills, according to Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union.

“He’s an outstanding candidate to be a head coach,” Donahoe said “He’s a tough guy who understands the game and what it takes in terms of practice, and offensively he’s very creative. He does a good job of utilizing personnel.”

But the Jacksonville media and some National outlets weren't so positive.

In The Sports Xchange, veteran NFL writer Len Pasquarelli wrote after the Falcons’ loss that, “chances are that, on the flight home from here, [team owner Arthur] Blank was penning letters of recommendation, perhaps hoping for some addition by subtraction.”

For Shahid Khan, the hire wasn't about sizzle so much as it was about building a consistent winner in Jacksonville, according to Tania Ganguli.

"To me, it was after the splash are they going to be successful?" Khan said. "When you start sobering up, how does it feel? That’s the key issue. After the binge, how do you feel? ...

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

Once the list of candidates that the Jaguars were going after started to get whittled down, it became clear that they were looking to bring in an offensive coach to help their woeful performance on that side of the ball this season. They ended up hiring Mike Mularkey, and according to National Football Post, it is partly because of his ability to mold Matt Ryan into a successful quarterback, and the hopes that he can do the same with Blaine Gabbert.

With the Jaguars finishing last in the league in passing offense, the team targeted offensive coordinators from other teams in its coaching search. Mularkey helped to quickly develop Matt Ryan in Atlanta and now will be charged with improving Blaine Gabbert, who was thrown to the wolves as a rookie and often looked to be overwhelmed, especially in terms of pocket presence and reads.

If Mularkey could have the same kind of impact with Gabbert that he had with Ryan, then his hiring would be a boon for the franchise. Considering he also has Maurice Jones-Drew to work with, there is no reason to believe that he can't establish a successful offense over time with the Jaguars.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

After focusing on several offensive coordinators as candidates in their head coaching search, the Jacksonville Jaguars have hired Atlanta's Mike Mularkey to be the team's next head coach. The Jaguars had requested to interview Mularkey last week, but he declined at that time while he prepared the Falcons for their playoff game with the New York Giants. Mularkey interviewed earlier today, and it apparently didn't take long for new owner Shahid Khan to make the move. Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union first reported the news.

Via @TaniaGanguli:

The Jaguars are hiring Mike Mularkey, according to a source. Mularkey interviewed today.

The Jaguars zeroed in on an offensive-minded coach to help guide young quarterback Blaine Gabbert. On the defensive side, SB Nation's Alfie Crow tweeted that he expects Mel Tucker to stay on board and serve as Jacksonville's defensive coordinator.

Via @AlfieBCC:

Expect Mel Tucker to stay on as the #Jaguars defensive coordinator, according to a source.

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

The Jaguars appear to be focusing on offensive oriented coaches in their search for a new head man, and one of the coaches they are focusing in on is Rob Chudzinski, the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers. According to Jeff Hawkins of CBS via our very own Big Cat Country, the Jaguars have invited Chudzinski back for a second interview.

A Jaguars official on Monday would not comment via e-mail on the possibility of OC Rob Chudzkinski receiving a second interview for the head coaching vacancy. Initially interviewed last Thursday, "Chud" is one of at least six reported candidates, including Bengals OC Jay Gruden, Broncos OC Mike McCoy and Jets OC Brian Schottenheimer.

The Panthers didn't have a particularly good season this year, but considering they were working with a rookie quarterback and only one difference maker at wide receiver, the Panthers had a pretty successful year on offense.

For more coverage of the Jaguars, please check out Big Cat Country, SB Nation's Jags blog.

ESPN's Adam Schefter tweets that the Jacksonville Jaguars will interview Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for their vacant head coaching position on Tuesday.

Mularkey has been in his position with the Falcons since 2008. This past season, his offense was ranked No. 10 in yards per game, No. 8 in passing yards per game, No. 17 in rushing yards per game and No. 7 in points per game under head coach Mike Smith.

He has previous head coaching experience with the Buffalo Bills. After a 9-7 record in his first season with the team in 2004, he was fired after a 5-11 record in 2005. He's served as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Miami Dolphins.

The 50-year old Miami native spent his playing career in the NFL with the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.

For more coverage of the Jaguars, please check out Big Cat Country, SB Nation's Jags blog.

Though Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator had appeared to be the frontrunner to earn the Jacksonville Jaguars' open head-coaching job, Gruden may have some reservations about taking it, according to a report, because he feels he may not be ready.

This year is Gruden's first at the NFL level, having spent most of his professional career playing and coaching in minor leagues such as the Arena Football League and United Football League. A former quarterback, Gruden is credited with helping develop second-round draft choice Andy Dalton into a solid NFL prospect. Dalton threw for 3398 yards and 20 touchdowns, with just 13 interceptions, during the 2011 season, completing 58.1 percent of his passes. If he were able to translate his success with Dalton to Jags quarterback Blaine Gabbert, then the organization would no doubt be thrilled.

For more coverage of the Jaguars, please check out Big Cat Country, SB Nation's Jags blog.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have some public candidates for their head coaching vacancy and two of those candidates have already interviewed with the team. Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski was interviewed by Jaguars general manager Gene Smith in Charlotte on Thursday according to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union.

In the same report, Ganguli states that it is unknown where New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Shottenheimer's interview took place, but Jaguars owner Shahid Khan was in the New York ares on Friday. Khan had stated in a press conference earlier that he would like to sit in on some of the interviews and ask the coaches question directly himself. Given that, it's unlikely Khan interviewed with Chudzinski, because he was in Jacksonville on Thursday and the interview took place in North Carolina.

If Gene Smith flew to Charlotte to interview Rob Chudzinski on Thursday, as @bradbiggs reported, Khan likely wasn't involved. #Jaguars

— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) January 7, 2012

For more on the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching search, visit SB Nation's Jaguars blog Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have added Jay Gruden of the Cincinnati Bengals to their growing list of head-coaching candidates, reports Albert Breer of NFL Network. Gruden, the Bengals' offensive coordinator, "told the Jaguars that while he's interested, he wants to focus on Saturday's AFC Wild Card Game against the Houston Texans," says Breer. Further, Breer cites sources as saying Gruden learned "he's a strong candidate" for the position.

Gruden is credited for helping Andy Dalton, the Bengals' rookie quarterback, adjust to the professional game. Dalton completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his first professional campaign. As a head coach, perhaps Gruden could work with Jags quarterback Blaine Gabbert to similar effect. In his rookie season, Gabbert completed only 50.8 percent of his pass attempts while throwing 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

The Jags appear to be set on hiring an offensive coordinator to be their next head coach, as their rumored top candidates have all held that position previously. Prior to joining the Bengals, Gruden's only NFL experience came in his seven-year tenure as an offensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, then coached by his brother John.

For more on the Jaguars, please visit Big Cat Country, SB Nation's Jaguars blog.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been interviewing a handful of candidates for their vacant coaching position, but according to Tania Ganguli of the Florida Times-Union, new owner Shahid Khan might have just three candidates in mind to get the job.

“It’s nonstop,” Khan said in an interview with the Times-Union. “This is a one-owner-at-a-time league, [but] that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare. We’ve had our first 25 plays and we’re executing them. This is not something you wait for. We know who our top three choices are. All three are excellent.”

There are some roadblocks into getting maybe the right guy for the job because he (whoever he may be) could still be coaching a team in the Playoffs. But speed is still one of Khan's first priorities.

“Discretion is a very valuable asset,” Khan said. “So, keeping this stuff confidential serves the Jaguar fans as well as any prospective candidate.”

For more on the coaching search and all things Jaguars football, head over to Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have had a number of coaching candidates come through for interviews, but they haven't been able to find the right candidate to fill their head coaching vacancy. According to Rotoworld and the Chicago Tribune, the Jaguars might eventually focus their search on Mike Mularkey of the Falcons.

A source tells the Chicago Tribune that Falcons OC Mike Mularkey is "the leading candidate" for the Jaguars' head-coaching job. The same source says Colts OC Clyde Christensen, once let go in Indy, will follow Mularkey if he lands the top job in Jacksonville.

There's too much going on, especially this time for any of us to be worried about anything but this game.

For more on the coaching search and all things Jaguars football, head over to Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will reportedly interview two offensive coordinators as their coaching search continues. One will be New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien. He has been with the Patriots since 2007 and has also recently been linked to the open Penn State position. Adam Schefter of ESPN first reported the Jags' interest in O'Brien.

Via @AdamSchefter:

Jaguars requested and received permission to interview Patriots OC Bill O'Brien, who still is squarely on Penn St.'s radar.

The second interview, according to reports, will be with Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. He has been with the Broncos since 2009, and would be the fifth offensive coordinator that the Jags have lined up for an interview. They are clearly targeting a coach to work with young quarterback Blaine Gabbert.

We'll have more updates on this search as it continues, but for more on all things Jaguars football, head over to Big Cat Country.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are still without a head coach. Their search continues, and it might not be resolved until the Playoffs are over and they have the opportunity to interview the various assistants on their wish list. One of those assistants, according to this tweet from Jason La Canfora, is Falcons' offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey.

Jags have asked Falcons for permission to interview offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey for their head coaching job #insideslant

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 2, 2012

Mularkey has been all over the NFL in different coaching capacities since 1994, including two years spent as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2004-05. Needless to say those weren't very prosperous years for the Bills, otherwise his stay might have ended up lasting a little bit longer than it did.

We'll have more updates on this search as it continues, but for more on all things Jaguars football, head over to Big Cat Country.

There has not been a lot of news coming out about the Jacksonville Jaguars and their search for a head coach, and there is a good reason for that. According to outgoing coach Wayne Weaver via Vito Stellino of Jacksonville.com, the team might be looking for a coach who is busy with their teams in the Playoffs this coming year.

“Most of the people we can’t talk to now because the league year is in process and some of the teams we might be looking at might be in the playoffs,’’ he said.

“We’re waiting until we finish all of our research and then we want to narrow it down to a short list of five or six people,’’ he said. . . “It’s very confidential,’’ he said of the process. “We’ll just see how it plays out the next couple of weeks.”

We'll have more updates on this search as it continues, but for more on all things Jaguars football, head over to Big Cat Country.