Liam Coen Addresses Repeat Concern That Showed Again vs. Steelers

After a terribly disappointing 4-13 campaign last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars came away with plenty to work on ahead of the 2025 NFL season. The franchise tasked new head coach Liam Coen with the responsibility of rejuvenating this team's offense, restoring quarterback Trevor Lawrence's progression, and leading them back to the playoffs.

Jacksonville showed plenty of room for improvement on both sides of the football in 2024, but Coen's specialty is on the attack. He's a former collegiate quarterback, served as offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, and orchestrated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' top-four scoring season last year.

The world got an early look at Coen's approach with the Jaguars in their first preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The starting offense played just one series but showed some encouraging signs, marching 44 yards in 12 plays, resulting in a field goal. Jacksonville was looking to score a touchdown with its first-team, and even converted a fourth-and-one in pursuit of one, but, ultimately, some unforced errors kept them out of the end zone.

Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, NFL, preseason — Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen talks with the back judge before the first preseason game where the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday Aug. 9, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Liam Coen addresses the Jacksonville Jaguars' issue with penalties

On their first drive with the starters, the Jacksonville Jaguars offense committed three penalties, two of which came on the same play. They started their preseason with a false start from tackle Anton Harrison that caused them to begin the game behind the chains.

They were able to overcome that first-and-15, but penalties would go on to halt their drive and force them to send in the kicking unit. The Jags got down to the Steelers' 27-yard line, and Trevor Lawrence found Travis Hunter Jr. for a seven-yard gain. Unfortunately, the play was negated by an illegal block below the waist from Walker Little, which sent them back to the 37-yard line for a first-and-20.

That proved to be too much of a hurdle, and Jacksonville had to settle for three points on what could have been a touchdown on their opening drive. When asked about those setbacks after the game, Liam Coen stated that discipline has been a focal point for this team and acknowledged how disappointing it was to have their first offensive preseason possession end that way:

"I thought [the drive] was obviously, you know, well executed in terms of the majority of it, and then the theme of the day showed up for us on that one drive, which was self-inflicted wounds."

Coen expanded on how he's been working with the Jaguars to avoid costly penalties:

"I think that ultimately it's something that takes no talent to do... This is something we've been preaching for a long time... We cannot start to beat people until we stop beating ourselves."

Jacksonville already has plenty of question marks along its offense, and it'll take a concerted team effort to put together a better campaign than they showed in 2024. This isn't a unit that can afford to continually take steps backward, and Liam Coen knows that deeply. Discipline will be a major point of interest when the Jaguars take on the New Orleans Saints in preseason Week 2.

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