Beavers in the NFL: Jake Luton to Start This Weekend

Former Beaver Jake Luton is getting his first shot at a starting job. Jacksonville Jaguars’ Head Coach Doug Marrone announced today that the team will be going with Luton as their starter for this weekend’s game against Houston.

Gardner Minshew, the Jaguars’ starting quarterback, is out with a thumb injury. In addition to Luton, the Jaguars also have veteran backup Mike Glennon on the roster, but Marrone appears to be interested in seeing what potential Luton has. “We might as well look, we might as well see what we have. Go ahead and play him, and let’s go,” Marrone said in a press conference earlier today.

Minshew and the Jaguars have struggled so far this season. The team holds a 1-6 record, with Minshew posting a 54.3 Quarterback Rating. As a rookie last year, Minshew brought a lot of excitement to the Jaguars, throwing 21 touchdowns compared to 6 interceptions. For a team that has struggled to rebuild in the wake of former GM Tom Coughlin’s alienation of their most talented players, it was a promising sign.

Similarly to Luton, Minshew was a sixth round draft pick, so the Jags are clearly comfortable trying out fresh talent under center, regardless of where it was picked up. The Texans and the Jaguars will kick off on Sunday, November 8th, at 10 AM PST if you’d like to check out Luton’s NFL debut.