New Jaguars coach Liam Coen fills out his staff, which totals 174 years of NFL experience

By Canadian Press on February 7, 2025.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — New Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen filled out most of his staff Friday, including adding some veteran assistants on both sides of the ball.

The group combines for 174 years of NFL coaching experience and averages 42 years old.

“What I really like about this staff … is that we already speak the same modern, NFL language,” Coen said. “With this shared terminology, we can accelerate past the standard learning curve that most staffs face, and instead prioritize installations on offense, defense and special teams. I am excited to get started.”

Coen hired two guys who coached with him at UMass in 2015: pass game coordinator Shane Waldron and quarterbacks coach Spencer Whipple. Whipple’s father, Mark, was the head coach of that UMass team that finished 3-9.

Waldron was fired as Chicago’s offensive coordinator last season, and Spencer Whipple spent the last six years in Arizona.

Former Minnesota assistant Shaun Sarrett will serve as Jacksonville’s offensive line coach. Sarrett held the same position in Pittsburgh for two seasons (2019-20), when the Steelers had one of the league’s least-productive rushing attacks.

NFL coaching veteran Edgar Bennett, who was born and raised in Jacksonville, returns home as receivers coach. Coen retained Richard Angulo as tight ends coach and hired NFL veteran Chad Morton as running backs coach.

John Van Dam followed Coen from Tampa Bay and will be the team’s offensive pass game specialist. Coen also retained Tyler Tettleton as assistant receivers coach.

On defense, Coen hired Matt Edwards (defensive line), Tem Lukabu (linebackers), Anthony Perkins (defensive backs), longtime NFL assistant Ron Milus (secondary), Derrick LeBlanc (assistant defensive line) and Ken Wilkins (assistant linebackers) and Drew Lascari (assistant defensive backs).

Coen also retained Mario Jeberaeel as a defensive assistant and Luke Thompson as assistant special teams coach.

The 39-year-old Coen previously hired 29-year-old Grant Udinski as his offensive coordinator and 42-year-old Anthony Campanile as his defensive coordinator.

Together, they give the Jaguars a first-time head coach, a first-time OC and a first-time DC. They also have a first-time executive vice president after hiring Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli. And they could end up with a first-time general manager, a position they expect to fill after the Super Bowl.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

The Associated Press