Why Jaguars Coaching, Organizational Changes Are Damaging for Blaine Gabbert

He's 22 years old and when he is on the football field, Blaine Gabbert looks at times like a scared ninth-grader.

Take away all the pundits that talk about his confidence in the locker room and his dedication to study films and the way he looks in practice.

There is a big difference when it comes to winning football games. Gabbert was already behind the learning curve when the Jacksonville Jaguars decided to start the big rookie from Missouri in the third game of the season, and now, with a new coach on the horizon and the changes that will be made to the Jacksonville Jaguars offense, Gabbert looks to be in for another long season next year.

Over the past two weeks, the Jacksonville Jaguars organization has found a new owner, fired a head coach, named the defensive coordinator to the post on an interim basis and signed the general manager to a three-year contract extension. That is a lot of work and a lot of dollar signs being thrown around at EverBank Field.

But what the Jacksonville Jaguars have to do now is control the psyche of a youngster who has not had the best of rookie campaigns where he needed to learn the system on the fly and now will probably undergo a complete offensive change in the off season.

Oh, and whether he likes it or not, Gabbert's performance is being graded against some hometown guy named Tebow, who just wins in the ugliest form imaginable.

It's enough to drive a man insane.

In listening to comments made Monday night by Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden, the rookie may be a good kid, show a bit of swagger and look unflappable at times. But what I see and the Jacksonville fan base sees is a kid who is not ready for prime time, and until then, this team will rely on a running game of Maurice Jones-Drew and a depleted defense that is run down, run over and hurt beyond recognition.

Gabbert's issues finding an open target, throwing in the pocket and not aiming at a receivers' feet compound those issues.

It's a wonder punter Nick Harris isn't in pain from so many punting situations this year.

If the Jaguars want to find a winning combination for the next few seasons, simplify things for Gabbert. Implement a system of short passes and play-action situations like they have done. Keep Mel Tucker and the offensive staff as well. And most of all, keep him throwing. Find receivers that can catch the ball.

If there are any more drastic changes, you could do permanent damage to an already fragile situation.