By Beth Jones
Trevor Lawrence led the Jacksonville Jaguars to an AFC South division title and a playoff berth this season, and Fernandina Beach native Ronald Veal isn’t the least bit surprised.
Veal, who was Lawrence’s quarterback coach from middle school until he signed with the Jags in 2021, is pleased with his former student’s performance, especially his fifth season in Jacksonville.
“They played well,” Veal said of the 13-5 Jaguars, who lost to the Buffalo Bills 27-24 on Jan. 11 in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs. “That was a good game. They were just a couple of plays away from going to the next round.”
Veal was a three-sport standout at Fernandina Beach High School, where he also played basketball and was a pitcher and third baseman for the baseball team.
“We were 7-3 and ranked in the top 10 in the state of Florida,” said of the Pirate football team his senior season.
Veal said that success, “and going to camps,” helped him land a scholarship to play football at Arizona. After a stint in the Canadian Football League, he swapped his cleats for a whistle.
“I was coming home, and I saw this kid throwing at the field by my house,” Veal said. “I told him, ‘I can help you be a better quarterback.’ And, that’s how it started.”
That was 2003, and Veal guesses he’s trained at least 100 quarterbacks. He’s still at it, when he’s not at the fire station.
“I’ve been a fireman for 20 some years,” he said. “I’m retiring in 2027, and I’ll just be coaching after that.”
Lawrence is one of two quarterbacks Veal coached currently playing in the NFL. He also coached Justin Fields, former Ohio State QB who now plays for the Jets.
Some of Veal’s other “kids” play in the Canadian Football League, the USFL and for colleges around the country.
“We’ve got some good ones,” Veal said.
And, they all hail from the Atlanta area, where Veal and his family now call home.
He still visits family often in Fernandina Beach, where he was “born and raised,” and credits the coaches from his hometown for his success as a player and coach.
“I had like a village,” Veal said. “Coach (Joel) Stockstill, Coach (Johnny T.) Smith, Coach Pete (Leonard Peterson). Just all those guys who helped me on the way, from the neighborhood at the Elm Street Rec.”
Veal is happy to pay it forward, and he can watch the fruits of his labor on Saturday and Sunday afternoons during the football season.
No, Veal isn’t surprised that “tall, lanky kid trying to find his body” back in seventh grade has turned into the phenomenal athlete Lawrence is today.
“He’s a level-headed person, and he’s always been that way,” Veal said. “He knows what he wants to do and how he wants to do it, and he goes from there.”
Respectful and humble are the words Veal chose to describe Lawrence, whom he still texts about “games and celebratory stuff.”
“Now, he’s a father, with a wife and a family. He’s just a solid individual,” Veal said, reflecting on the five years since relinquishing his coaching duties.
The season may be over for Lawrence and the Jaguars, but Veal sees a bright future for his star pupil and his teammates.
“I just think the sky’s the limit for him, if they keep doing what they’re doing and get some key pieces around him,” Veal said.
bjones@nassaunewsline.net
