Travis Hunter has yet to make the type of franchise-changing impact that many anticipated from him in the NFL, and Liam Coen says the Jacksonville Jaguars’ coaching staff needs to do a better job of setting Hunter up for success.
Hunter has played on offense and defense in all three of Jacksonville’s games this season. He has 10 catches for 76 yards as a wide receiver and nine total tackles and a pass defended as a cornerback. Some have wondered if the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is struggling to learn two positions in the NFL.
Coen told reporters on Wednesday that he does not feel Hunter is behind, but the coach thinks the Jaguars’ staff can do a better job of putting Hunter in spots where he can excel.
“I think we can probably do a better job of helping him in some ways. We had a great talk with Trav after this past game in terms of just man, like, alright, how can we help you and [where can we] put you, because what is he learning? It’s a lot,” Coen said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “So, we’ve got to, I think, be a little bit more diligent in terms of putting him in positions to maybe not have to do as many moving parts so that we can just let him go play.”
The Jaguars are trying to have Hunter focus only on the F — or slot — wide receiver spot for now. Other receivers might be asked to learn all of the different receiver spots, but Coen and his staff are not taking that approach with the No. 2 overall pick.
Skeptics have argued that it is a mistake to have Hunter play on both sides of the ball in the NFL. Coen has consistently defended the approach, but he feels there are areas where Jacksonville’s staff can do a better job with Hunter.
