After getting hired as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Liam Coen has wasted no time filling his staff. He's already conducted several interviews for the defensive coordinator position. On the other hand, the Jags have only met with one candidate for the offensive coordinator job. Then again, the one they've set their sights on would be a great addition, and they might need to get into a bidding war with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to land him.
Whereas the Jaguars have announced interviews with four candidates for the defensive coordinator position, they've only met with Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase for the offensive coordinator job.
We have completed an interview with Nate Scheelhaase for our Offensive Coordinator position. pic.twitter.com/GdMFAl82X0
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 29, 2025
Although incumbent offensive coordinator Press Taylor remains in place, he's expected to get the boot, alongside defensive counterpart Ryan Nielsen, according to John Shipley of Sports Illustrated.
On the other hand, Coen is keeping special teams coach Heath Farwell, who's signed a one-year deal to stay in Duval. The move makes sense when you take into account that his unit has consistently been one of the best in the NFL since he took over in 2022. Moreover, he's played a huge role in punter Logan Cooker and long snapper Ross Matiscik earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors.
Circling back to Scheelhaase, began his coaching career at Illinois. He landed at Iowa State in 2018 and worked his way up until becoming offensive coordinator. With him at the helm, the Cyclones offense improved considerably, going from 20.2 points per game to 26.2 points in 2023.
After his impressive work at Iowa State, Scheelhaase bolted for Los Angeles as an offensive assistant and a passing game coordinator last year. While it's hard to tell just how much of an impact he had, the Rams ranked a respectable 20th in points scored and 15th in total yards despite the fact that they missed receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp at different points of the season.
Why the Jaguars could lose Nate Scheelhaase to the Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in need of an offensive coordinator after losing Liam Coen to the Jacksonville Jaguars in this past hiring cycle.
Unlike the Jags, Tampa Bay has already interviewed several candidates for their offensive coordinator vacancy. Aside from Nate Scheelhaase, they've also met with Los Angeles Rams tight ends/pass game coordinator Nick Caley and their quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone to fill their vacancy. Similarly, the Bucs have considered promoting their passing game coordinator Josh Grizzard from within.
While the Buccaneers appear to have cast a wider net, they may want to land Scheelhaase for the position, and if that's the case, the Jaguars may need to outbid them for his services, especially if he's the favorite to replace Press Taylor.
Now, there's a chance Jacksonville is just getting started and may interview more candidates for their offensive coordinator position. That said, Nate Scheelhaase is an intriguing option, which is why he's also earning consideration for the same job with the Bucs.