Travis Hunter‘s snap count became a talking point after Week 2, and for all the wrong reasons. Liam Coen sold two-way vision for Hunter over and over the entire offseason. Then, the regular season started, and every report asserting the Jacksonville Jaguars will limit Hunter mainly to defense proved to be true.
That was in Week 1 against the Browns.
In Week 2, though, Hunter didn’t even get to play defense full-time, let alone get more snaps on the offense. The two-way star constantly going on and off the field attracted attention to Coen’s CB rotation plan and turned it into a debate.
Liam Coen on Giving Travis Hunter Potentially More Reps
Before it got out of hand, Coen addressed it in his press conference previewing the Jaguars-Patriots‘ week, even teasing that Hunter may see an uptick in snaps, even the offensive ones.
“Any time you struggle offensively, you look at the totality of it all,” Coen said in his media appearance Wednesday. “Travis is a big part of that obviously. We’re looking at continuing to find different ways to get him involved. You’re also looking at the other side of the ball. … We’re gonna look at giving him some more this week.”
Coen called Hunter’s offense-defense splits “a balancing act that you’re continuously working through.”
According to post- game reports, Hunter only played 37 snaps — 60% of the Jaguars’ total plays on defense. The rest were divided among him, Montaric Brown, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis.
On the offense, he played six snaps, which made up about 10% of their plays on Sunday.
Coen Seems to Have a Plan
Coen explained it’s all part of his pre-planned CB rotation system. One that’s been going on since last season, and went on even when Hunter was out due to injury.
“We did it for the most part last season as well before Travis got hurt,” Coen said earlier this week. “It’s something we have to continue to do. We have corners we have confidence in. Those guys can all make plays for us. They can all communicate for us.
“They’ve been in the system now. We have to play it better, but we also have to get to the quarterback to help those guys out as well in the back end. It’s a rotation based on pregame. We have it all laid out. The players know it. They all know the rotation. It has been clearly laid out to them what the expectations and standards are.”
Both Brown (49 snaps) and Jones (39 snaps) played more than Hunter in Week 2, and yet Coen still promises Hunter more “two-way” snaps every week.
The two-way star, however, holds no grudge against Coen’s schemes or even a complaint against him.
“That’s the plan. Coaches tell me what I’ve got to do, I just follow their plan, follow their lead,” Hunter said after the game. “My job is to go out there and play, no matter when they put me out there. That’s what I’ve got to do.”
Jaguars HC Liam Coen Teases Change for Travis Hunter Amid Snap Count Debate