Jaguars confident Fournette will bounce back from down year

Tom Coughlin and the Jacksonville Jaguars have moved past their frustrations with Leonard Fournette and are counting on the running back to rebound from his miserable sophomore campaign.

"With Leonard, a prepared Leonard coming into camp with a mindset that he discussed and we talked about ... I have full confidence in him," said Coughlin, the Jaguars executive vice president of football operations, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.

"He does have some things he's got to prove when he comes back about his preparation, but he's a young, young player, he loves football, had an outstanding year, had a very disappointing year," Coughlin said. "I think he wants to - we want him to be a great player and I think he's in the same mindset."

Fournette was slowed last season by a lingering hamstring injury, which he later attributed to poor physical conditioning. He also received a suspension from the NFL for fighting in Week 12 versus the Buffalo Bills.

In total, the former No. 4 overall pick rushed for 439 yards and five touchdowns over eight games, averaging a woeful 3.3 yards per carry.

Coughlin criticized Fournette at the end of last season and labeled his behavior "selfish." The Jaguars voided the remaining guarantees in his rookie contract late last year, though Fournette reportedly challenged the decision.

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