How the Jaguars' Staff Has Revived the Running Game

The Jacksonville Jaguars have been placed in the spotlight for a unique reason heading into their Week 12 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Jacksonville's run game has come alive in recent weeks and shone in a big way last week in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers, with two running backs tallying for 70-plus yards and leading the charge of the fifth-best team in rushing success rate, according to Next Gen Stats. However, all of this is coming together because of the key collaboration between the backs and the offensive line coaches, as head coach Liam Coen detailed on Friday ahead of Sunday's game.

The importance of RB/OL collaboration

Coen is the mastermind behind the team's successful rushing attack, which is averaging 127.5 yards per game. However, it is also the coaches, including offensive line ringer Shaun Sarrett and running backs coach Chad Morton, who have pushed forward a quality group of players that have become a strength to the success of the team.

The Jaguars' head coach explained that the coaches and players are together a significant amount, starting early in the week with initial game planning and making sure everything from communication to understanding the concepts of the plays and designs is on the same page.

Etienne Jags — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs off the field after the Jaguars defeated the Charger 35-6. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"It starts early in the week with the initial run game plan with all those guys being in there together, get back together in the afternoons to kind of re-review and then they're again, back together for the protection meetings and being locked in and on the same page with the calls, the things we're seeing, how we can get on the same page as much as possible," Coen explained.

"I think that they've all taken it pretty personally when it comes to the communication, collaboration, understanding of what we're trying to get accomplished in the run game, first and foremost, what schemes might be best this week against that opponent, and being on the same page about how we want to maybe attack those front structures."

Coen Jags — Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen gets his team up before the start to the game against the Los Angeles Charger in an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, November 16, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One player that Coen mentioned as a standout, specifically in pass protection, is running back LeQuint Allen Jr., one of the best players in the league in this area at his position.

"Then you look at the pass protection, obviously with LeQuint Allen so much of the time being in there in third down," Coen said. "The pride that he takes, the continuity that they have with those guys, he's in there passing off stunts with them, like he's an offensive lineman, so you can tell there's a lot of time that goes into it."

This goes back to what Coen had explained about the work, communication, collaboration, and effort that goes into what the offense continues to hone in on with the run game, which has led to the success it has had in that facet of the unit. At practice, it is more of the same, whether they are working through protections, runs, and more.

Allen Jags — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Lequint Allen Jr. (36) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers safety Kendall Williamson (40) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 35-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"When our offense is not on the grass in practice, whether it be via defense or special teams, they're doing something for the most part, they are walking through the runs, walking through the blitz protections, as much repetition as we can get those guys collaborating together, the better off your run game and protection's going to be," Coen said.

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