What Pleased Jaguars HC Liam Coen About Practicing in Pads

Jacksonville Jaguars Training Camp ramped up on Day 5 when practicing in pads began. Of course, this particular step is vital in observing certain position groups, but it also introduces injury potential and aggression.

For Head Coach Liam Coen, it wasn't the offense or defense that pleased him the most, but it was his team's professional behavior that made the biggest impression on him. Coen discussed this while addressing the media throng after work on Monday.

Coen on how he felt after seeing his team in pads for the first time as the head man

“I was pleased," commented the first-year head coach. "I thought that the offense came out and kind of set the tone a little bit offensively in the run game, throughout the course of the day. Now, there were still some good plays here and there on both sides, but I was pleased to see physicality but taking care of one another. It didn't get sloppy or stupid. It was just good quality work."

"We put the pads on. That doesn't mean we have to cheap-shot each other or do anything ridiculous. I thought it was just good quality work from both sides and got our first day of pads in.”

With the Jaguars' running game having a down year in 2024, only ranking 26th of the NFL's 32 teams, it was important for all of Duval Football Nation to see a rejuvenated offensive line leading the way for Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, and LeQuint Allen with Bhayshul Tuten out nursing a hamstring injury.

Coen on if the length and intensity of practice for Day 6 on Tuesday

"We cut it a little bit short today. We got the good work that we wanted in pads. We're limited to the time when you do put the pads on, and the last thing I wanted to do was make it sloppy just by adding another 12 plays or so. So tomorrow we'll probably keep that period that we had up today and be
able to get a little bit extra work," continued Coen. “It'll be full pads. Yeah.”

As work continues in pads, the Jaguars will find their true selves, but the manner in which the players took care of each other in a simulated battle on Monday shows that this team has established a great rapport early on under Coen.

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