In Jacksonville, Florida, the Jaguars’ new head coach, Liam Coen, has significantly shaped his staff, completing most of the appointments as of Friday. This newly assembled group boasts a combined total of 174 years of coaching experience in the NFL and has an impressive average age of 42 years.
Coen expressed enthusiasm for his coaching team, emphasizing their shared understanding of the contemporary language used within the NFL. He acknowledged that this common terminology will help them navigate beyond the typical learning curve that many coaching staffs encounter. Instead, they can prioritize the installation processes for offense, defense, and special teams, prompting Coen’s eagerness to commence work.
Among the first appointments made by Coen were two coaches he previously worked with at UMass in 2015: Shane Waldron, who serves as the pass game coordinator, and Spencer Whipple, the quarterbacks coach. Whipple is the son of Mark Whipple, who was the head coach during that challenging 3-9 season at UMass. Waldron had a stint as the offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears last season before his recent hiring, while Whipple has held coaching roles in Arizona for the past six years.
Adding to his offensive staff, Coen has brought in Shaun Sarrett as the offensive line coach. Sarrett has prior experience in this role with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which were marked by the team’s struggles in rushing offense. In addition, longtime NFL coach Edgar Bennett, who has ties to Jacksonville, will take on the role of receivers coach. Coen has also retained Richard Angulo as the tight ends coach and appointed Chad Morton, a seasoned NFL veteran, as the running backs coach.
John Van Dam, who joined Coen from Tampa Bay, will work as the offensive pass game specialist, and Tyler Tettleton will continue as the assistant receivers coach. On the defensive side of the ball, Coen’s staff includes Matt Edwards (defensive line), Tem Lukabu (linebackers), and Anthony Perkins (defensive backs). Notable long-time NFL assistant Ron Milus will handle the secondary, alongside Derrick LeBlanc as assistant defensive line, Ken Wilkins as assistant linebackers, and Drew Lascari as assistant defensive backs.
Coen also decided to keep Mario Jeberaeel in a defensive assistant role and Luke Thompson as assistant special teams coach. At just 39 years old, Coen has previously appointed 29-year-old Grant Udinski as the team’s offensive coordinator, while 42-year-old Anthony Campanile has assumed the role of defensive coordinator. Collectively, this coaching setup features a head coach, an offensive coordinator, and a defensive coordinator, all of whom are stepping into these positions for the first time.
Furthermore, the Jaguars have introduced a first-time executive vice president to their ranks with the hiring of Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli. The franchise is also looking to fill the position of general manager in the near future, aiming to finalize this role following the conclusion of the Super Bowl.
