JACKSONVILLE – He believes in the run – and believes the Jaguars can excel there.
Liam Coen made that clear Tuesday, with the Jaguars’ second-year head coach speaking about the area extensively – and emphasizing its importance – when meeting with the media during the NFL 2026 League Meetings.
The Jaguars must run well. And Coen believes they will do so.
“I gotta believe we can run the ball effectively next year with the guys we have,” he said.
Coen, speaking at the annual AFC Coaches breakfast at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Ariz., discussed multiple topics Tuesday – and early in the 40-minute session he focused on a running game transitioning following the offseason departure of 2025 leading rusher Travis Etienne Jr.
“We’re always looking for better balance on offense,” Coen said. “The run game for the first eight weeks of the season really kind of carried us offensively and allowed us to win some of those games.
“The pass game in the second half of the season really allowed us to go offensively. We have to create a little more balance there.”
The Jaguars’ running back room as it stands now:
Second-year veteran Bhayshul Tuten, fourth-year veteran Chris Rodriguez Jr., second-year veteran LeQuint Allen Jr., seventh-year veteran DeeJay Dallas and first-year veteran Ja’Quinden Jackson – with Etienne signing with the New Orleans Saints as an unrestricted free agent last month and Rodriguez signing with the Jaguars as a restricted free agent from the Washington Commanders.
Rodriguez played for Coen at the University of Kentucky when Coen was offensive coordinator there.
“Losing a guy like TJ (Etienne) – a first-round pick, the ability in the run and the pass, some of the production … that’s going to be hard to match for anybody,” Coen said. “What I always appreciated about C-Rod (Rodriguez) has been his rushing yards over expected and his yards after contact. Those are the two areas you look at where you say, ‘Did you get more than what the play was blocked for?’ and ‘Did you make people miss?’