JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen knows exactly what he wants out of his team: Play fast, be fundamentally sound, have an attack mentality, be good at situational football, and be mentally and physically tough.
Coen then elaborated on that last category, which he intimated may be the most important of all when it comes to culture and identity, two things that were notably missing in 2024: «I want savages.»
That certainly wasn't the way you'd describe the 2024 Jaguars, a team that went 3-10 in one-score games (the most such losses in a single season in the Super Bowl era), finished 31st in total defense, forced the fewest turnovers in the league, and finished 25th in the NFL in point differential.
One of Coen's top priorities is getting that flipped.
«Just that physical mindset. When our opponents turn on the tape, what are they looking at? Are they seeing guys playing through the echo of the whistle?» Coen told reporters Monday afternoon following his introductory news conference. «You might get a flag or two early on. Man, hey, let's pull back a little. OK, here we go. But I want them playing on the edge. It's a violent game. They have to be that way. I want them to play that way. So that's where it starts. If we can get that out of these guys, I think we'll be moving in the right direction.»
Among the Jaguars' issues that resulted in a 4-13 record and owner Shad Khan's decision to fire coach Doug Pederson: lacking a strong identity, strong vocal leadership in the locker room, and on-field discipline. In the limited conversations he's had with several Jaguars players — notably quarterback Trevor Lawrence and defensive end Josh Hines-Allen — Coen said improving on those elements was a priority
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