Liam Coen on Prep for Cardinals in Week 12 | Jacksonville Jaguars

Liam Coen on Prep for Cardinals in Week 12 | Jacksonville Jaguars

Thanks, Liam. In terms of uh Robert Hannesy, how well has he playing and and how meaningful has he been to you building this thing in year one? Yeah, Rob, you know, I thought he played really well last week especially. Um, you know, he’s had some games where he’s, you know, played at a really high level and then, you know, he’s play had some games, but his drop off like is not he he’s just so consistent. And then when he is freaking running around and has uh the energy and buzzing around like on the pulling and and playing physical and feisty, he’s played really consistent for us all year. And just the leadership obviously and uh the ownership of not just the run game, but the protections, the continuity and chemistry in the room. Um you know, just the way that those guys have played kind of uh at a lot of times this year at a high level for us. And you know, you everybody, you know, you looked at last night, a pretty pretty darn good team, you know, had eight sacks and um, you know, I think our guys are battling their tails off up front and and really doing a nice job and it’s led by him. And then you guys are second defensively in stopping the run. How important has Devon Hamilton been in and uh, unsung hero in a lot of way. I mean, obviously had a huge moment against the Raiders that he got, you know, the credit that he deserves for, but he’s been uh again so consistent, but that he’s a huge reason why we’ve been able to stop the run um up front. Massive reason. Um he helps others. obviously makes plays on his own, but he helps others in so many ways that when you really talk about a group effort of stopping the run and flat wall defense and playing square and using your hands and shedding blocks and um making the plays that come your way. Um Devon’s been so consistent that way and um you know he’s just a pros pro as well. The guy just he just goes about his business, does it at a high level week in and week out and um that’s his standard and expectation. about Eric Armstead. What are you getting out of him? I saw Sag, you know, leading the, you know, interior DL in sacks throughout the NFL right now, I think it was, or whatever. And I mean, the Eric Armstead the last, I would say really going back since the buy, I mean, has practiced on obviously the, you know, the Thursdays when we go padded specifically out of his mind. Out of his mind. every single rep he’s in the back field in practice every single time and um you know getting to know Eric more and more. We talk a lot about our time to you know separate in in terms of LA San Fran and what that was like for him coming up and and that in a new system with new firstear coaches and GMs. We’ve talked a lot about that culturally and um to see him disrupting as much as he has. Not. It’s showing up in practice, though. I mean, that’s where he’s doing it every single day. It’s not like he’s a 13-year vet that’s just kind of hanging out on the sidelines during practice and then going out in the games and doing it. Um, he’s doing it every single day in practice. He’s trying to set an example as to what we’re looking for from that penetration and getting vertical. And, um, you know, I’ve been really pleased with Eric and the kind of guy that he’s he’s been so consistent and um, I’ve appreciated that from him as well. How important has the collaboration between coaches in different rooms, namely like the like the running back room and the offensive line room? How important has that been to sort of meet together and talk? Yeah, they’re they’re together a lot, right? I mean, the it starts early in the week with the initial run game plan with all those guys being in there together, get back together in the afternoons to kind of re-review, and then they’re again back together for the protection meetings and being locked in and on the same page with um the calls, the the things we’re seeing, how we can um get on the same page as much as possible. And I think that they’ve all taken it pretty personally with when it comes to the communication, collaboration, understanding of what we’re trying to get accomplished in the run game first and foremost, what schemes might be best this week against that opponent. Um, and being on the same page about how we want to maybe attack those front structures. And then you look at the the pass protection. Um, you know, obviously with Laquin Allen so much of the time being in there on third down, the pride that he takes, the the continuity that they have with those guys, he’s in there, you know, passing off stunts with them like he’s a an offensive lineman. So, you can tell there’s a lot of time that goes into it. I mean, so much of our when when our offense is not on the grass in practice, whether it be via defense or special teams, they’re doing something for the most part. they are, you know, walking through the runs, walking through the blitz protections, as much repetition. If we can get those guys collaborating together, the better off your run game and protection’s going to be. On the defensive side of the ball, I know James and Tony mentioned it a little bit last night on the podcast, but with Trayvon status potentially in doubt for Sunday, BJ, Danny getting more run, what’s your expectation for kind of what the availability not just of Trayvon, but of that edge room and also Dan Smooth playing more inside of late. Can you kick him more out to outside of Trayvon? Absolutely. That would be the the some of the plans there is, you know, if if Trayvon can’t go, um, you know, we have a lot of confidence in those guys that are able to continue to play and and elevate their play. And um you know, Smoot’s been a huge asset in terms of just the the his versatility to be able to uh maybe not always show up in every stat, but like how much he can help us in terms of going inside, going outside, being able to be involved in either the games, the stunt, the pressure, the fourman, and and helping try to stop the run. I’ve appreciated that from him especially because he isn’t a big huge body that can jump in at three three technique or four eye but he does it you know he does it and he doesn’t you know say anything about it and he goes and does it and I’ve appreciated that from him and then we obviously saw BJ and Danny uh you know make some plays over the last few weeks. Um, but a guy like Smooth that’s been doing it all season, you know, and doesn’t again get a ton of recognition for that. Um, you know, we’re going to need those guys again this week to continue to elevate and step up. Um, and just go be creative, go be yourselves, and and that because we see it all the time, every day at practice with BJ and Danny on the show team, we see it every single day. And so, um, you know, really looking forward to them taking another step in their development and and obviously with, uh, that whole crew, it’s going to be a huge mix. Like last week when we rushed it and we covered it better, you know, that together, it’s not ever just one group and the other to to defend the pass, right? They have to be in coordination. when it’s connected, whoever is up there rushing, usually it’s gonna uh be good for you. And then Dennis, I know this past weekend got a little bit more creative. I know you guys have talked about potentially bringing him in over shading him over a guard, which is what you were able to do. How does that maybe I don’t want to say makes you feel more encouraged if Trayvon doesn’t go Sunday, but having that weapon as well? another piece, you know, pivotal piece to where um in base defense, right, he’s on the edge, you know, being able to do what he does against tight ends or in the run game shedding blocks and then uh Dennis is a very smart football player and you can put him in multiple different spots, whether it be on the edge to rush um in sub defenses or in obviously stand up inside, being able to work the games and work some of the straight rushes on um whomever they deem is a good matchup for these guys, right? And so, um, Dennis and I have talked obviously a lot this week knowing that, you know, him being in that defensive structure for a few years and, um, you know, I know he wants this one pretty bad. Those split blocks went last week earlier in the year. Why has that play been so successful for you guys this year? Which one? Split split zone. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, man, I don’t know. It’s it’s uh split zone in itself I think always causes a defense a little bit of a problem because you’re just violating a their eyes b their gap responsibilities by creating a new gap that they have to fall back into. And so, um, you know, I think and also with the ball being able to hit either front side or the ability to kind of bend and and cut up, if you will, off of that split zone kick out block. can um our tight ends are athletic enough to be able to adjust I think on that block a lot because yeah often times the defensive end is there and you’re you know trying to go kick him out but then if he moves or squeezes down you have to be able to adjust and react accordingly and I think our guys have done a nice job of understanding uh the play and what goes into it what are the issues with it um and I think the backs have a good feel for the ability to hit it either front side or what we call backside side like facial’s explosiveness. You guys have always known what he can do on the ground. How’s he kind of grown in the passing game of pass protection like that? He is. Man, he had a great step up the other day. Um, you know, he’s taken it very seriously. I think like I’ve mentioned about Chad, I think, you know, he’s one of the best I’ve ever been around and if not the and the way that he can break down pass protection for guys to really put it in buckets and try to simplify as much as possible the calls because there are a lot of calls that go into it based on what the front structure is and the look. So, um, it’s easily the most challenging thing for any rookie running back to to get down, but to has done a phenomenal job of being up here every Tuesday with Chad and being up here and getting extra work and, uh, he’s taken pride in getting better at it and improving because I think every back wants to be in as much as they can and and to be able to not have to move pieces around if you know to not make a tell especially. So, um, been pleased with the way he’s been able to run and I think he’s close to breaking some of those to to create more explosives there. I think I’d be I want to see him in the open field like that and see what that could look like. But, I’ve been proud of the way he’s been able to pick up the pass protection. Trevor said the other day with Jacobe when you w he’s watching him run from a quarterback perspective, it’s really very clear what he’s going to do and where he’s going to be. Can you explain that a little better than maybe he did? Yeah, I think like if you’re a receiver and you understand leverage and zones and uh where people may be, then you can set up your route accordingly. And um I think he just Jacobe does a nice job of giving the quarterback indicators as to where he may go based on his body language. Um and also just his soft feel like he has a just yesterday we had a and mamba third down another great example of him kind of hooking up in the middle of the field just finding a soft zone behind foyer foyer is like pretty close to him and Trevor just rips in the middle and it’s bang bang first down just has a feel for the game and his body language as a receiver um I think is very quarterback friendly you know like you just have you just know when he’s going going to be breaking in or out or sitting down. He doesn’t make these quick herkyjerk movements that can spook a quarterback. It’s all pretty fluid and and uh deliberate is I guess what I would say. And so, you know, he has good hands. So, that allows the quarterback to even if he’s maybe off a little bit, know that he will still, you know, be able to adjust and make some of those plays. So, um yeah, you’ve seen some chemistry from them early on, which is nice. Is that something that you got to develop over years and years in the league? You don’t just show up and have a lot of feel, man. You know, I mean, it’s the definition of, you know, he was a quarterback, too, which I think helps some of his savviness and feel for the game. I, you know, uh, definitely can see where that can come into play. And he’s seen a lot of ball. He’s done a he’s had a lot of snaps. He’s run a lot of routes, seen a lot of coverages. And um when you accumulate those and also have some general natural football IQ and feel, I think that’s kind of what you’re seeing. From a philosophical perspective, in your opinion, in your estimation, having coached in the NFL, does a player have to practice during a week to be available on Sunday? You know, it’s it’s definitely a challenge for sure. Jar and I, a couple guys were talking about it yesterday is just um the nature of the National Football League at this time is very difficult to get a ton of meaningful ops and reps in practice. Um I’m talking about full speed, right? Like we can you can do as much jog through as possible and that’s kind of where uh you have to go a little bit towards the end of the season with the bodies and the injuries being what they are. the goal is to get them to Sunday, but there is a a different challenge of preparing as a pro uh with very limited full speed snaps in a game, especially as a younger player. So, that’s um a great that’s just part of this though, like so many guys have had to do it. I do believe you can do it because of the jog through, because of the walkth through. Um, I mean, we didn’t do any full speed on Wednesday anyway. So, you’re talking about uh a couple periods on Thursday, a couple periods on Friday. The jog through walkthrough reps are so valuable that you have to take advantage of everyone. And you the amount of that you have to be locked into the plan and taking reps when others are like taking mental reps has got to be key and critical to our players that are having to take some limited opportunities this week and are expected to go play on Sunday. Um we can’t miss those ops. So it’s doable. It’s just definitely harder.

Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen meets with the media on Friday ahead of the matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12 of the 2025 NFL Season.

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