How Liam Coen Found His Blueprint in First Year as Jaguars' HC

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars saw Liam Coen turn in one of the best coaching performances in franchise history in 2025, and even that doesn't do it justice.

After a 4-13 season the year before, the Jaguars reached the playoffs with a 13-4 mark and an AFC South title in Coen's debut season. But the coach of the year runner-up had to find his own style and his own way before he started stacking the wins, and the Jaguars are better off for it.

Coen's blueprint

Speaking to CBS Sports' Pete Prisco, Coen was asked what the biggest hurdle he faced in his first season as a head coach was. For Coen, the answer seemed to fall right in line with what one would imagine a young and ascending coach must deal with in his early and defining days.

"I think, just, you know, really putting your blueprints on everything, right? Like the schedule, the format, OTA, phase one, phase two, phase three, training camp, when you've been to a couple good places, right?" Coen said.

liam coen — Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen runs off the field before an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"L.A., Tampa, you have coaches from so many good places. Well, it can become a challenge to figure out, okay, how do we want to do it, right? And I never really created a lot of schedules before, only for an offensive staff."

"And so that process, going through that, bouncing ideas off of coaches, I think that was a challenge, you know? And then also, look, it's not just the offense anymore, right?" Coen said. "You've got to have every decision you make is what's best for the Jags. What is best for the Jaguars, not the offense, not the defense, not special teams. And getting a helmet on game day is challenging."

Coen certainly found his blueprint. It makes sense that this would be the biggest transition for a young coach whose highest role previously had been offensive coordinator. And while we are all guilty of playing up to the Sean McVay and Los Angeles Rams factor when it comes to Coen and the Jaguars, any coach from any tree who begins their own head coaching journey can't just be a copy and paste. They have to find their own voice.

Coen certainly did that. His ability to coach with a chip on his shoulder and motivate the Jaguars to play with the same edge he carries himself with proved to be the critical turning point the Jaguars' culture needed.

Coen also was able to develop franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence better than anyone else ever has been. Coen's ability to coach Lawrence hard, while also adapting himself and his scheme to his skillset, proved to be all the diference in Lawrence's career season.

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