Colts reporter just learned what every Jaguars fan already knew about Liam Coen

After trouncing the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14, it's time that teams across the NFL take the Jacksonville Jaguars seriously. Expected to win six or seven wins, they're already 9-4 with four weeks to spare. And through all the ups and downs, Liam Coen has been the engine that's propel the Jags to relevance.

After finishing 4-13 in 2024, Jacksonville decided to part ways with head coach Doug Pederson (general manager Trent Balke also got the boot not long after). And after an extensive search to find their new head coach, the organization chose Coen. Fast foward to Week 14 of the regular season, and he's proven to be a home run. In fact, he's had so much success that a Colts beat writer tipped his hand.

Zach Hicks acknowledges the Jaguars have a keeper in Liam Coen

Late in the Colts game, Zach Hicks of Sports Illustrated heaped praise on Liam Coen, pointing out that he respected him for not take his foot off the gas pedal during the 36-19 beatdown. Here's the skinny.

"I respect Liam Coen for just stomping on the Colts grave," Hicks wrote on Twitter. "That's how you play a divisional opponent. Jags have a good one."

Hicks wasn't the only one who gave Coen his flowers, though. In the aftermath of the matchup, running back Travis Etienne met with the local media and talked about how good a job the first-year head coach does to hype up his players.

"Just do sound bites, just things throughout the facility, just like I remember just this week, going to the facility, just seeing pictures on the TV is just where we are, not the pitch, and just how everyone just keeps talking about everyone else besides us," Etienne said (18:20 mark). "And I feel like subconsciously, you kind of might not think about it, but this plays in the back of your mind, especially going to the game and then just his speeches Saturday night before the game."

Etienne continued, "Coach says, smoke is smoke. So I just love that He has that mentality and just trick it down to us as a team."

Now, Etienne would have no reason to lie, but in case you were wondering, here's a look at Coen celebrating the 36-19 win and telling players how proud of them he is.

Related: Updated AFC playoff picture: The Jags hype is through the roof

Liam Coen has suddenly turned the Jaguars into a winner

The Jaguars could've gone in a different direction during their coaching search, and nobody would've batted an eye. The fact that they went with Liam Coen, who had no prior experience at the head-coach level was certainly a reason for concern. However, the signs where there that he was going to succeed.

Aside from getting the most out of every quarterback he previously coached at each one of the his previous stops, Coen turned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into an offensive juggernaut in his sole season as the offensive coordinator. Moreover, he impressed the Jaguars' brass, not only with his knowledge of both offense and defense but his leadership skills as well. So far, his football acumen and his ability to lead a team has been on full display throughout Jacksonville's surge.

Ultimately, it's too early in Liam Coen's stint with the Jaguars to tell how things will play out. However, there's no doubt that he's off to a strong start.