After a disappointing 2024 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars underwent a surprise turnaround in 2025, winning 13 games and seizing the AFC South for the first time since 2022. Without a doubt, hiring Liam Coen was one of the biggest catalysts for the surge, as the first-time head coach managed to get the most out of his players, including Trevor Lawrence.
Although Lawrence got off to a slow start to the year, he eventually hit his stride and went on to have a banner season. The former Clemson Tiger should be even better in 2026, as he'll have a firmer grasp of the scheme.
Rigthly, the Jags' quarterback/head coach tandem got a high spot in a recent ranking.
The Jaguars got a high spot in a ranking thanks to Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence
Lou Scataglia of NFL Spin Zone ranked all quarterback/head coach duos in the NFL and placed Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen at No. 11, arguing that the Jaguars could win more games in 2026 if the sixth-year quarterback can sustain his level of play from last year.
"Lawrence was on fire over the last month and a half of the 2025 season, finishing the year as an MVP candidate," Scataglia wrote. "If Lawrence can sustain that kind of success for most of 2026, the Jacksonville Jaguars might win more games than they did last year. It's rare to see that kind of success we saw from the 2025 Jaguars from a first-year head coach, but that may only further prove that Coen was the right man for the job."
You could make the case that the Jaguars failed to crack the top 10. On the other hand, they probably wouldn't have made the top half in the later years of the Doug Pederson era. That they managed to get such a high spot just one year after Liam Coen became the head coach is a positive development.
Moreover, Lawrence got a higher spot than quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. Both of them are objectively better but were held back by Jesse Minter and Joe Brady, respectively. That just goes on to show how important Coen is for No. 16 and the Jaguars.
Of course, Jacksonville has its work cut out. Other more experienced coaches (Kyle Shanahan, Sean Payton, Andy Reid, and Sean McVay) ranked higher because they've shown that they can put their teams and quarterbacks in a position to succeed year in and year out.
Why the Jaguars should make yet another leap under Liam Coen
As successful as the Jaguars were in 2025, Liam Coen wasn't fully satisfied. Sure, they made strides in just his first season at the helm. However, Jacksonville also demonstrated that it has a long way to go when it got steamrolled by the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs.
Understandably, Coen and general manager James Gladstone got to work as soon as the season ended. One of the biggest goals is to get rid of the stink (the running game) that held the offense back last year. Sure, the Jags generally did a good job of toting the rock, but the team's brass is also aware that there's massive room for improvement.
If the Jags fix the running game, Lawrence will benefit, as opposing teams will have to bring in extra defenders to the box to stop the run. This could, in turn, leave their defensive backfields exposed.
Speaking of Lawrence, most of his arsenal of weapons is back. Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers gave him a pair of trusted targets last year. If Brian Thomas Jr. truly bounces back and his connection with Lawrence improves, Jacksonville will not hesitate to dial up deep shots next season.
If that wasn't enough, Lawrence should be more comfortable in Coen's scheme. Without having to rehab injuries or tweak his mechanics, he's been able to focus on mastering the offense. That should lead to another leap.
When you add it all up, the Jaguars are in a position to make noise in 2026. If they pull it off, it will have been possible thanks to Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen.
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