Jaguars coach promotes former CFL coach after firing co-ordinator, benching Bortles

The Jacksonville Jaguars sacked offensive co-ordinator Nathaniel Hackett and quarterback Blake Bortles one day after the team’s seventh consecutive loss.

Coach Doug Marrone fired Hackett and benched Bortles on Monday, making sweeping changes to one of the league’s worst offences.

Marrone also promoted quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich to offensive coordinator.

Milanovich spent five seasons (2012-16) as head coach for the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts before landing in Jacksonville.

Marrone believes Milanovich and backup quarterback Cody Kessler will energize a lacklustreoffence Sunday when the Jaguars (3-8) host Indianapolis.

Kessler lost all eight starts for Cleveland in 2016.

“Hopefully he can stay healthy and win some games for us,” Marrone said.

Bortles failed to reach 150 yards passing in four of the last six games. Marrone already yanked Bortles once this year, only to give him the job back a day later.

Now, the biggest question is whether Bortles is done in Jacksonville.

The fifth-year starter signed a three-year, $54 million contract in February and is due to count $21 million against the salary cap. Cutting Bortles still would cost Jacksonville $16.5 million against the cap.

Hackett ended up being the first scapegoat in Jacksonville’s ultra-disappointing season.

He failed to get Bortles and the offence to play anywhere close to the way they did early in the season or even in 2017.

Injuries have been the biggest issue, but not enough to save Hackett’s job.