Jack Del Rio shows lack of confidence in David Garrard
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio made an appearance on the Jim Rome Show on ESPN yesterday afternoon. Del Rio had an interesting choice of words when he was asked about his starting quarterback, David Garrard. (You can view the interview here)
Jim Rome asked, “Hey Jack, is David Garrard a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback?”
Del Rio hesitated and then gave him answer — which wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for his starting QB.
“Well that’s a, uh, good question,” said Del Rio. “I think I would say a quarterback like David Garrard can be that with a great supporting cast. You know, I don’t know. When you look at teams that have won multiple championships, I think they’ve had elite quarterbacks
He added, “Peyton Manning type guys, Joe Montana type guys. The elite quarterback? He’s not that. I do think David’s a good football player.
Del Rio was being honest and accurate in saying he did not have a quarterback on the roster, but he should have been a little careful with his comments. You want your players to believe you have confidence in them and Del Rio did not show that in Garrard.
Many rumors and a lot of speculation has pointed to Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow winding up in Jacksonville. Tebow would bring a spark to ticket sales and build up some excitement for the franchise, however, he does not appear to be an “elite” prospect at the position.
Jacksonville will need to look at more options when it comes to finding the teams signal-caller.
The Jaguars went 7-9 in the 2009 season and they hold either the 10th or 11th overall selection — depending on coin toss — in the 2010 draft.
