Jaguars' Liam Coen Just Gave the Bhayshul Tuten Hype Even More Fuel

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- There has certainly been no shortage of hype for Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten entering 2026, and that doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.

Tuten was an exciting rookie a year ago who has been a fan-favorite since draft night, and the departure of Travis Etienne in free agency has opened the door for him in a backfield that is wide-open. All of these factors are ingredients for training camp hype, and the final piece was introduced this week by Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.

Coen's Expectations for Tuten

Speaking on 'The Schrager Hour' podcast, Coen explained why the Jaguars are high on Tuten entering the 2026 season. Part of it has to do with what he showed for the Jaguars in a backup role a year ago, while part of it is about his still immense unfulfilled potential.

"Yeah, Tuten I thought had a really good spring. You know, year one coming from Virginia Tech, and really was North Carolina Central to Virginia Tech, and man, so he had a little bit of a learning curve to, with the protections and a lot of the things that comes with playing running back as a rookie," Coen said.

"You look at the playoff game against Buffalo. You look at some of the other games down in the red zone. He does a great job of finding the end zone, he does, and his yards after contact and rushing yards, man. When he can get going and get downhill, I mean, he was 4.28 coming out. So he can fly."

tuten jaguar — Jacksonville Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten (33) returns a kick off return during the first quarter in 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] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tuten himself has noted that his grasp of the Jaguars' offensive scheme since he was drafted has been where he has grown the most. Tuten was a valuable short-yardage specialist for the Jaguars a year ago, but there was always going to be room for his role to expand. And expanding that role is exactly what Coen expects.

"Now it's more so, he was so conscientious about ball security last year and doing right. Okay, now Tuten, you got it. You understand it more. Now just go be you, like go do what got you here. Go be special, that's who you are. And we're definitely expecting Tuten to have a big year for us."

Why Coen's Take Matters

As Coen has proven since being hired, he is remarkably transparent when it comes to his public comments. He speaks his mind and does not ever leave much room for interpretation, so you can typically buy what he is selling you. When it comes to the topic of Tuten specifically, Coen has gone on record before saying Tuten has impressed him, but there are still leaps that have to be made.

LIAM COE — Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen talks after the Jaguars final Organized Team Activity on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Whether Tuten has truly made those leaps will not really be known until the Jaguars take the field in the regular season, but it is clear that Coen likes what he has seen from the second-year back and, one way or another, he will be an important part of what the Jaguars do on offense. Just how big of a part of the offense that is still remains to be seen considering the other faces in the backfield, such as Chris Rodriguez Jr. and LeQuint Allen.

But the running game is where Coen clearly wants to see the Jaguars improve the most in 2026. Tuten was a small piece of the rushing attack a year ago, and that will certainly change this year regardless of what the backfield split with Rodriguez looks like. That is why Coen's take matters, and why the Tuten hype should only go into another gear from here.

Is Tuten going to be a true bellcow or No. 1 running back who eats the bulk of the carries, like Etienne was for the Jaguars a year ago? That feels unlikely considering the investment made in Rodriguez. But will he serve as a pivotal part of Coen's run scheme? That seems like it is one of the safest bets to make on the entire roster, regardless of how many snaps and carries he has to share.

Tuten had a strong offseason program and is expected to now carry that momentum into training camp next week. Camp is when his game should really shine, at least when the shoulder pads come on and he is able to display his power and ability to break tackles.

Simply put, it appears the Jaguars are expecting a different Tuten than the one they got fresh out of college a year ago, and it is his time to show them why they are right.

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