Nov 30, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen smiles to the crowd as he walks of the field against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Jaguars' Maintain Close Connections With High-Profile SEC Program

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Jared Feinberg | Last updated Dec 4, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The SEC is the powerhouse of college football, putting a handful of their programs in contention for the College Football Playoff each year. However, one prominent program, the Florida Gators, has seen inconsistencies and hardship in past years, recently hiring its newest head coach of the program last week.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a strong connection with the Gators, as they play their rivalry game against Georgia each year at EverBank Stadium. That connection will continue to grow with the hiring of new Florida coach Jon Sumrall, who brings on defensive coordinator Brad White, a coach with a key connection with the Jaguars head ringer, Liam Coen.

Coen on relationship with White

Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coen spoke about White at the end of his Wednesday press conference, sharing his unique relationship with the Gators' defensive coordinator. The two coached together at Kentucky when White held the same position in Lexington, while Coen was the offensive coordinator on two separate occasions.

The two are now separated by an estimated 72 miles, as Coen calls him one of the smartest coaches and person's he's been around and a "true teacher" of football.

I learned so much from Brad in terms of the way that he saw the game," Coen said. "He is one of the more detailed, organized coaches I've been around in terms of his process throughout the week, his checklists throughout the week and then his game plans to be able to go and cause issues for people. It gave me problems every day in practice, it's multiple. He knows how to scheme people up. He does."

Coen is excited to have White and Sumrall close by, knowing that the two will connect well, especially White. The two former coaching mates' families are close with one another, as Coen and White were high school rivals growing up, with the former remembering the days of how White dressed up for Friday nights in Rhode Island.

Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"It was crazy that two coordinators in the SEC were both from Rhode Island. I was a couple years younger than Brad, but I went and watched Brad play," Coen said. "I think I was in eighth grade, he was playing at Bishop Hendricken High School with Will Blackmon and my dad was the head coach at Salve (Regina University), and we were going there to scout and watch those guys play. I still remember Brad with his big neck roll playing linebacker and fullback there. So, we go way back and we're very close."

Make sure to follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and make sure you like our Facebook page, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE

This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: