Buccaneers voice explains what makes Liam Coen a great candidate for Jaguars job

The Jacksonville Jaguars are running a search for a new head coach after dismissing Doug Pederson. They've already met with several candidates but there doesn't appear to be a clear-cut frontrunner, at least for the moment. Having said that, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen has a strong case. An NFL voice recently discussed one of his biggest strenghts, and why he would be an appealing choice for the job.

Evan Closky of WTSP made an appearance on 1010 XL to speak about the things that made Coen a great coach in 2024. He says that his biggest flaw would be the lack of execution the Buccaneers showed at the time, but he did a fine job overall.

"He presents so much as defenses, and he makes them defend every blade of grass that's north and south, east and west," Colsky said. "He really stretches you to think about what is going to happen. And a lot of plays look similar, but then have different functions. So I think that he's a dynamo coach, a dynamo offensive mind."

Closky continued, "And maybe the one weakness that I would say, maybe the only weakness, I would say, from his first year in Tampa Bay were there were execution issues throughout the year, and that's why you saw so many turnovers from this team. And you saw it in the worst way possible, on the biggest stage, which is partly the reason why they're out of the playoffs right now."

During his exchange on 1010 XL, Closky says that one of Coen's strengths was the ability to adapt to the personnel he had, noting that good coaching is "able to recognize the talent and then mold it the way it should be that fits their best strengths."

When asked what signature things make a Liam Coen offense, he mentioned physical, tough, and explosive.

In Tampa Bay, Coen has been able to get the most out of quarterback Baker Mayfield. He could do the same for Trevor Lawrence. Moreover, the Buccaneers had one of the best offenses in the league last year, and he would have a similar amount of talent to work with if he were to become the Jaguars' next head coach.

Liam Coen appears to be a realistic choice for the Jaguars

While there seems to be mutual interest between the Jaguars and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Liam Coen is the betting favorite to land in Jacksonville. One big reason is the presence of general manager Trent Baalke.

Although the Jaguars ousted Doug Pederson, they kept Baalke around because owner Shad Khan trusts his football acumen. However, the general manager is a controversial figure in league circles, and his presence has been dubbed a potential red flag for head-coaching candidates. In fact, one has stated that he's less inclined to take the Jacksonville job because of him.

And that's the thing, Johnson has made it clear that he wants to work with a general manager who shares the same vision. Meanwhile, there aren't reports of Coen having that kind of demand. Maybe he does, but there's also a chance it wouldn't be an issue for him in Jacksonville.

Either way, it's hard to tell who the Jaguars' leading candidate is right now, at least from an outside perspective, but Coen appears to have a favorable chance of getting the job.

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