Jaguars' search for offensive coordinator taking shape after slow start

New head coach Liam Coen is moving quickly to fill his staff. After hiring Anthony Campanile as their defensive coordinator, the Jacksonville Jaguars are now focusing on finding a new offensive coordinator to fill the void left by Press Taylor's departure to the Chicago Bears. After a slow start, the search is taking shape.

The Jags have interviewed three candidates for their offensive coordinator vacancy: Los Angeles Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Minnesota Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski, and Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard.

Maybe they'll add more names to the ongoing search, but all three candidates bring something to the table. For instance, Scheelhaase has had offensive coordinator experience at the college level. He was part of the Iowa State staff when San Francisco 49ers star quarterback Bruck Purdy was their quarterback.

Once Scheelhaase took over the offense, the Cyclones saw a noticeable improvement in their red-zone offense and points per game. Once he was with the Rams, he had to make chicken salad without star receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Despite the challenges, he was able to keep the passing game afloat with the likes of Demarcus Robinson, and Tutu Atwell.

On the other hand, Pritchard's stock in coaching circles got a massive boost after mentoring one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2024 season. Drafted after Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye, the former LSU Tiger played a massive role in the Washington Commanders making an appearance in the NFC Championship game.

The Commanders ultimately lost the game, but having made it that far showed that they're better off without Daniel Snyder and Daniels is a keeper.

Last but not least is Udinski, who's arguably the least experienced of the bunch, but appears to be a rising star. He began his coaching career at Baylor in 2019 and made the leap to the NFL ranks in 2020 as an assistant with the Carolina Panthers.

Udinski bolted for the Minnesota Vikings in 2022. He's since worked his way up the coaching ladder and is currently garnering demand for offensive coordinator openings. Aside from Jacksonville, the Seattle Seahawks, the Houston Texans, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have inquired about his services.

Granted, quarterback Josh McCown and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips have a bigger impact in molding the Minnesota offense, but it's clear that teams recognize Udinski's work.

Offensive coordinator is one of many boxes the Jaguars still have to check off

Back when Liam Coen canceled his second interview with the Jaguars, it looked like their coaching search had gone off the rails. However, they fired general manager Trent Baalke and got back on track.

So far, the decision to fire Trent Baalke has paid off. Since then, the Jags brought in Coen as their head coach, kept special teams coach Heath Farwell, and hired Anthony Campanile to be their defensive coordinator. But as promising as things look, Jacksonville still has its work cut out.

Apart from needing an offensive coordinator, they must find an offensive line coach. They might've already checked off that box if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hadn't blocked a couple of requests. For the time being, they are redirecting their search to Buffalo Bill's assistant offensive line coach Cam Clemmons.

Moreover, the Jaguars must hire a general manager. Ethan Waugh is currently serving as the interim, and he could get the job full-time, but they must run a proper search to ensure they land the best possible candidate.

The bottom line is that the Jacksonville Jaguars have taken several steps forward since hiring Liam Coen as the head coach, but there's plenty of work left.

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