We've all seen the immediate reaction on new Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey, including some fans from the Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons chiming in. I decided to ask Dave from SB Nation's Falcons blog The Falcoholic what his thoughts were on the Jacksonville Jaguars new head coach.
Hit the jump to see what he had to say.
Falcons fans the world over poured champagne, fired their guns into the air and generally acted like a bunch of crazy fools when we learned that Mike Mularkey was heading to Jacksonville. You could be forgiven for seeing all that and fearing for the future.
You need not fear. Mularkey's offensive philosophy was becoming a terrible fit for the Falcons, who have dynamic receiving options and an aging, plodding running back. When I look at the Jaguars, I see a terrific fit.
Mularkey is great at developing a young quarterback. I give him a lot of credit for turning Matt Ryan into a top ten passer in today's NFL, and for his emphasis on short, accurate passing. He also gave Michael Turner an insane amount of run, simultaneously turning him into a franchise record holder and wearing him down. It's just that as the team evolved, Mularkey didn't evolve with it.
He's not perfect. In a few years, if your offense develops into something dynamic, you may come to loathe the fact that his offenses seem to turtle in big games. He's also a man who loves control, so expect any OC he hires to be firmly under his thumb. But for now, with Blaine Gabbert needing guidance, receivers to develop, a wonderful weapon in the running game in Maurice Jones-Drew and a good defense he'll probably leave alone entirely, he should be a quality head coach for you.
Good luck.