Former Kentucky OC Liam Cohen makes history as first-year NFL head coach
By David Wasson
Published:
The Jacksonville Jaguars have been one of the best stories in the National Football League in 2025, improving from a 4-win disaster last season to win 12 games so far and take a 1-game AFC South lead into the season’s final week.
First-year coach Liam Coen, a former offensive coordinator at Kentucky, is credited for the Jaguars’ turnaround – as Coen has harnessed the ability of quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne despite a revolving door at wide receiver.
Per ESPN, Coen is the only first-year head coach in NFL history to win 12-plus games after taking over a team that had four or fewer wins in the prior season.
Coen, who served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kentucky under Mark Stoops in 2021 and 2023, is in his rookie season as head coach. He replaced Doug Pederson, who was fired after a 4-13 season in 2024.
Jacksonville has won seven straight games and is currently 12-4 following a 23-17 victory at Indianapolis. Lawrence has passed for 3,489 yards and 26 touchdowns this season, the most TD passes in a season in his five-year career and has added 322 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Etienne has amassed 229 carries for 999 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Etienne can post his third 1,000-yard rushing season next Sunday when the Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
