With a new offensive coordinator comes new wrinkles to the Jacksonville Jaguars offense, and Greg Olson is no exception... including lining up Tyson Alualu up at fullback this year.
Jaguars DL Tyson Alualu getting reps as a blocking FB in short yardage
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) August 6, 2015
The need for a lead blocker won't change in short-yardage situations and the Jaguars coaching staff confirmed yesterday that Alualu will get some reps on offense.
"The size and his mentality and his athleticism and some of the things that we’re going to ask him to do... we’re just trying it out and seeing how it works," head coach Gus Bradley said after practice on Thursday. "He got in there for a session today. I think it will be more important to see him in a live rep. You can see it in preseason."
So, whose idea was this?
"Coach [Greg] Olson," defensive coordinator Bob Babich said.
It's not a terribly unique thing to have a strong, athletic defender on offense lining up at a non-skill position like fullback. Alualu isn't some lumbering defensive lineman -- his 40-yard dash time is 4.87, just a little slower than tight ends Marcedes Lewis (4.80) and Nic Jacobs (4.82) -- and he's got a strong punch and good technique to get some leverage at the point of attack.
The only advice Babich has for Olson when utilizing Alualu as a fullback?
"I said don’t give him the ball."