NEU » n -- losing only to Florida State and Temple

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars want and need to see more of quarterback Blaine Gabbert. Coach Gus Bradley named Gabbert the starter Thursday, two days before the Jaguars face the New York Jets in their second preseason game. Gabbert played the first four series in the teams exhibition opener against Miami, completing 5 of 10 passes for 19 yards. He had two passes dropped and another one go off a fullbacks hands for an interception. "We feel like he needs the reps right now considering he missed six games last year at the end," Bradley said, referring to the forearm injury that ended Gabberts 2012 season. "He got 17 snaps in the opener, and we just felt like wed like to increase it this week and get a better chance to evaluate where hes at." Chad Henne, whos competing with Gabbert for the starting job, also will see playing time with the first-team offence. Henne got some work with the starters against the Dolphins, completing 8 of 11 passes for 87 yards. Both quarterbacks should benefit from the return of three starters. The Jaguars will have centre Brad Meester, running back Maurice Jones-Drew and receiver Justin Blackmon back on the field against the Jets. "Its going to be a big difference having those guys back," Gabbert said. "Theyre anxious and ready to play. ... It will be the old crew back there playing ball." The Jaguars will, however, be without receiver Cecil Shorts III (calf) and rookie right tackle Luke Joeckel (hip). Bradley has rotated both quarterbacks throughout training camp, giving Gabbert and Henne plenty of work with the starters while trying to figure out who will win the job. Many believe it will be Gabbert, whos younger, more mobile and coming off consecutive seasons in which Jacksonville had issues around him. Gabbert had no off-season as a rookie because of the NFL lockout, was thrown into the starting lineup in Week 3 and played with one of the worst receiving corps in the league. He was expected to show significant improvement last year, but he played behind a patchwork offensive line and with two young receivers in Shorts and Blackmon. Jacksonville also lost Jones-Drew to a season-ending foot injury in October. So Bradley and new general manager Dave Caldwell believe its difficult to truly evaluate Gabberts viability as an NFL starter. "I know that conventional wisdom tells us that, Hey, we start one and the other one starts," Bradley said. "But theres a lot of things that we do that arent conventional. I know maybe some of you felt that way. But to us it made sense in our evaluation process. "We just looked at the whole thing and said, OK, he had 17 reps, didnt play the last six games of the season and we just need to get more looks at him. Knowing our situation, we just took that approach. This isnt any determining factor. Were just still figuring the whole thing out." Gabbert was the 10th overall pick in the 2011 draft. The former Missouri standout has completed 54 per cent of his passes for 3,876 yards, with 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions, in two seasons. He is 5-19 as a starter. "Im just looking at it as another opportunity to go out there and prove to the coaches and prove to the guys on the team that Im the right guy for the position," Gabbert said. "But its also another opportunity to learn our offence, another chance to go against a different defence and perfect the things weve been working on all week." Henne handled the news well, saying he understands Bradleys plan. "Weve been splitting the reps in practice again," Henne said. "Nothings really changed. And for me, its just take full advantage of what I have and show them what I can do on the field."Alex Sandro Jersey .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. Sami Khedira Juventus Jersey . The Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers all won on Sunday meaning the Rangers will host the Rays in a play-in game on Monday. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Paulo-Dybala-Jersey/ . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Mario Mandzukic Jersey .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Miralem Pjanic Juventus Jersey . The Australian is competing in his final season in Formula One and still looking for his first win this year. He will look to end Vettels run of six straight race wins on Sunday. Webber, who is fifth in the championship, earned his second pole from the past three races and 13th of his career.TAMPA, Fla. -- South Florida co-offensive coordinator T.J. Weist will lead the 25th-ranked Bulls in the Birmingham Bowl following coach Willie Taggarts departure to Oregon.Taggart resigned Wednesday to take over a program that appeared in the national championship game just two seasons ago. He went 24-25 in four years at USF, including 18-7 and two bowl berths the past two seasons.Weist will serve as interim coach the rest of the season, which concludes with a Dec. 29 matchup against South Carolina in the Birmingham Bowl.Meanwhile, athletic director Mark Harlan said a national search for a permanent successor will begin immediately.We will work quickly, but with careful thought and discussion to find our next football coach. ... I want to thank Willie Taggart for the leadership, energy, and excitement he brought to our program over the last four years, Harlan said, adding that the strides the Bulls made under the former Jim Harbaugh assistant both on and off the field speak for themselves.Taggart lost 21 of his first 28 games at USF before going 17-4 over his past 21.We now have the foundation of our football program in place, school president Judy Genshaft said. We have a terrific group of student athletes who are laser-focused on the Birmingham Bowl and next yearrs season.ddddddddddddTaggart leaves USF (10-2) with four seasons remaining on a five-year, $9 million contract he received for turning around a program that fell on hard times after climbing as high as a No. 2 ranking in 2007. The deal he received last winter included a provision for a $1.7 million buyout.The Bulls won a school-record 10 games this season -- losing only to Florida State and Temple -- with quarterback Quinton Flowers and running back Marlon Mack leading Taggarts high-paced Gulf Coast offense.The Oct. 21 road loss to Temple cost the team the American Athletic Conference Eastern Division title and an opportunity to play in last weeks AAC championship game.Weist, completing his first season at USF, shared offensive coordinator duties with Darren Hiller.The trajectory of USF athletics is strong. It has elevated the spirit of our campuses as well as our national profile, USF Board of Trustees chair Brian Lamb said. I know that the young men in our football program will continue to be highly successful on the field and in the classroom.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 . ' ' '