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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jaguars coach Liam Coen expecting big things from Trevor Lawrence: He needs to ‘take over'
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence's career has hit a pivotal stretch. The Jacksonville Jaguars franchise quarterback and No. 1 pick of the 2021 NFL Draft appeared to be on the brink of a meteoric rise. But then a couple of injury-plagued seasons stunted his progress, while unmet expectations on a team-wide level resulted in the second coaching change of his short tenure. Advertisement Now, however, with offensive guru Liam Coen running the show and a couple of exciting receivers at his disposal, Lawrence has his best opportunity to match the hype that's followed him throughout his career. 'I have a ton of confidence in what we're doing, and that feels really good,' Lawrence told The Athletic recently. 'From a scheme perspective, I've never been in a system like this. I've seen it work with other teams and players, and you can plug and play all these different types of quarterbacks and receivers, and they've all had success. That makes me excited for the group we have.' Lawrence's command of the offense will take time, but he's already given Coen reasons for optimism. The quarterback room took a 100-question pop quiz about the offense on their early-report date for training camp, and Lawrence easily outpaced the group with 85 correct answers. The test covered concepts, formations, motions, assignments in the run game, protections, criteria for changing plays at the line and a host of other elements that will arise during games. While such a score could be viewed as a reasonable expectation for a starting QB, Coen was legitimately impressed Lawrence performed markedly better than John Wolford and Nick Mullens, who have longer histories in the scheme. And these tests have a reputation for being stressful and challenging. 'He blew the doors off (the test),' Coen said. 'And it's showed (in practice). It's showed in his command of the huddle, the way he calls plays. He's being asked a lot on every single play.' Coen broke into the NFL under Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, and, like his former boss, Coen is known to be demanding of his quarterbacks. Coen rode Baker Mayfield hard last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Bucs QB produced the best season of his career. But for Coen, the hard coaching comes from a place of mutual respect, along with his desire to draw the absolute best out of the position. There's a reason Coen and Mayfield have remained close. Now in Jacksonville, Coen has challenged Lawrence to excel as the team's leader, which is even more important after losing respected veterans like Christian Kirk and Evan Engram over the offseason. Lawrence has to rally every position together more than ever. Coen also has demanded Lawrence take total command at the line of scrimmage. Nearly 90 percent of Coen's play calls include two plays, and it's Lawrence's responsibility to get everyone set under the better call from the line. Advertisement 'That's where we'll need him,' Coen said. 'If I call a crappy play on third-and-8, how can you go put the team on your back and gain a first down? You might have to use your legs or run through somebody. You might have to go make a play. Ultimately, we're trying to get him to the point to go play freely. Just go play, have fun, cut it loose, let it rip because this is your team, and everybody is going to have to play up to your standards every single day. 'To this point in his career, he hasn't maybe always had to do that; he's maybe had some vets who could lead their own groups. Now, it's, 'Dude, you need to lead all those guys. They're looking to you, and we're looking to you.'' Lawrence has already felt the effects of the change. While he might be a more natural leader by example, he's consciously working to hold everyone to a certain level of accountability. If someone wasn't studying enough or a receiver was off a route a step short or missed their landmark out of a break, Lawrence has gotten in his ear. He's not the type to chew out a teammate, but he has a way of delivering a message while staying true to himself. 'It has to be natural,' Lawrence said. 'I've also learned how important it is to speak up and hold people accountable, to set the standard, to let other guys know little things aren't OK to let slide. Early in my career, it was hard for me. 'But this offseason, I let people know how critical the details are. I've gotten better at addressing all the little details and not letting things slide. I think that's the first step for me.' Lawrence's trajectory was on the uptick when he delivered a historic comeback victory during the 2022 postseason, but a high ankle sprain, concussion and sprained shoulder disrupted his 2023 season. He sprained his left AC joint in 2024, which resulted in his second surgery on the shoulder since his rookie year. The 25-year-old also suffered a concussion that ultimately ended his season. Advertisement Lawrence worked to strengthen both shoulders over the offseason, with a particular emphasis on avoiding more AC joint injuries, as part of an effort to have a healthier year. To be fair, the Jaguars need to help Lawrence, too. They've beaten themselves with too many drops and ill-timed mistakes over the past couple seasons, a complete reversal from the way they mastered clutch moments in 2022. Back-to-back first-rounders Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter should be one of the most explosive receiver duos in the league, so there will be an emphasis on getting them into space with the ball. And Coen's run-centric offense will take pressure off Lawrence as well. 'We need him to play well, but we're going to have to play well around him and help him,' Coen said. 'We've got to run the football better to help Trevor Lawrence. We've got to turn over the ball more on defense to help Trevor Lawrence. But Trevor needs to take it over, and he's done a phenomenal job of learning the system, putting in the time and work.' Lawrence's last season opened with his five-year, $275 million extension, but it closed with shoulder surgery and coach Doug Pederson's firing. The Jaguars have since turned to Coen and general manager James Gladstone to reignite the spark the organization seemed to find in 2022. And for that to happen, Lawrence has to take his game to the highest level of his career. That's been the mission so far. 'Everything feels like it's being done the right way,' Lawrence said of the Jaguars' approach to the season. 'I'm really excited for the future. Every year is its own year. Who knows how things are going to go, and I have a lot of belief and confidence it's going to be a great year for us.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence highlights what makes Travis Hunter so 'unique'
It's uncharted territory for the Jacksonville Jaguars as they onboard second overall pick Travis Hunter at both cornerback and wide receiver. This means learning two different playbooks, two sets of terminologies, and trying to squeeze all of that--the meetings and practice reps--into a daily schedule. But having previously praised Hunter's work ethic, quarterback Trevor Lawrence reiterated again on Wednesday that he is confident in Hunter's ability to handle the challenge. "He can handle it,' Lawrence told The Athletic. 'That's what's unique and special about him. He's the best-conditioned guy I think I've ever seen. He can run all day up and down the field. I haven't seen him tired one time. He's fresh when he goes into the locker room after practice. Everybody else is gassed, and he's like, 'I feel great.' It's unique. I don't know what he does, or if he's just born that way. I know he works really hard, but it's impressive to see him (in action).' Lawrence's comments on Hunter being the "best-conditioned" player isn't the first time we've heard that. Liam Coen has mentioned it this offseason, as has GM James Gladstone. While many wonder how Hunter will be able to handle playing both ways, a key factor in that equation is that he never seemingly gets tired. Through offseason programs, the bulk of Hunter's practice time came on offense. As Coen described to The Athletic, wide receiver is where he "needs the most development," given all the fundamentals, details, timing, and technique that comes with playing that position. The next step for Hunter, however, will be routinely practicing on both offense and defense during the same practice--something he hasn't done much of yet. Through the first six training camp practices or so, we will see Hunter playing either offense or defense before he is then regularly playing offense and defense on the same day. With that said, throughout this entire process, the Jaguars will remain fluid when it comes to how they handle Hunter's schedule. While everything from practice reps to meeting times for training camp is already laid out, the Jaguars will be quick to adjust things if needed, which, coming off the offseason programs, is something they've already done. This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jaguars training camp: Trevor Lawrence on what makes Travis Hunter unique
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Inside Jaguars' plan to help Travis Hunter become two-way NFL star: ‘I've never seen him tired'
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence thought he had plenty of time. As the first round of the NFL Draft began in April, the face of the Jacksonville Jaguars was wholly unaware his team was preparing to steal the spotlight from the rest of the league. So Lawrence handled his daughter's bath-time routine, assuming the Jaguars wouldn't be on the clock until they were up at No. 5. Advertisement And then Lawrence's phone blew up with the news. The Jags traded a haul of picks to the Cleveland Browns to move up to No. 2 for two-way sensation Travis Hunter, effectively dotting the exclamation point on the new regime's bold offseason. 'I'm like, dammit, I missed it,' Lawrence told The Athletic on Wednesday after the Jaguars' first practice of training camp. 'Everybody was calling me. It was awesome. We got a special player.' General manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen were among the many who fell in love with Hunter during the pre-draft evaluation. They didn't want to feel regret over any wasted opportunities during their initial draft together in Jacksonville, so they reached out to the Browns and New York Giants, who were picking third. The Giants were still sorting through their plans at quarterback, so they weren't wholly ready to engage, but the Browns were receptive from the start. The Jags and Browns had the framework of the deal in place with less than two weeks to go before the draft. So long as quarterback Cam Ward went to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1, the Browns would flip the pick to Jacksonville. They just needed to stifle the news. No nonsense. No leaks, not even internally to the quarterback. They accomplished that mission, of course, dishing out a package that included two first-round picks and a second-rounder to secure Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner who dazzled at Colorado as a wide receiver and a cornerback. Now, the more important mission involves Hunter's integration. His first practice of training camp mirrored much of his spring workload. Hunter lined up with the receivers during each offensive period, but he spent special teams periods with defensive coaches to go over various fundamentals. WR day for Travis Hunter but he is getting some DB work during the special teams part of practice — Jamal St. Cyr (@JStCyrTV) July 23, 2025 Of the Jaguars' first five practices of camp, Coen estimated Hunter would have three offensive days and two defensive days, pending any necessary adjustments. Hunter's routine will flip during defensive days, as he'll spend special teams periods with the offensive staff. Eventually — and soon, by all indications — Hunter will practice at wide receiver and cornerback during the same sessions, even switching from his green offensive jersey to the white defensive jersey. It only happened once before, the final day of minicamp, but the Jags know the ramp-up is likely imminent. Advertisement 'It's more about us trying to make sure he's prepared for that moment,' Coen told The Athletic. 'He's one of the most crazy in-shape players I've ever seen. His stamina is crazy. He can just go … forever. I think he's itching to do it more, and we're trying to make sure we do the teaching progression (correctly), so he can go play fast. Ultimately, how do we deploy him on both sides of the ball? We've still got to kind of figure that out. What's he truly best at?' The simple question comes with a complex answer. While the majority of teams polled by The Athletic prior to the draft believed Hunter would be best suited as a full-time corner who could be a difference maker with 10-15 snaps per game at receiver, the Jaguars had a different outlook. (Coincidentally, so did the Browns, who were almost certainly going to take Hunter at No. 2 if the Jaguars didn't make such a strong offer, according to league sources.) Hunter has game-breaking ability at wideout, and the Jaguars thought he was at his best on offense when he could get into the rhythm of the game. And since Hunter won't be playing full time at both spots, they envision a scenario where he could play high-leverage defensive situations where he could attack the ball. 'He can handle it,' Lawrence said. 'That's what's unique and special about him. He's the best-conditioned guy I think I've ever seen. He can run all day up and down the field. I haven't seen him tired one time. He's fresh when he goes into the locker room after practice. Everybody else is gassed, and he's like, 'I feel great.' It's unique. I don't know what he does, or if he's just born that way. I know he works really hard, but it's impressive to see him (in action).' At this moment in time, Hunter is a better corner than receiver simply because he's got more experience on defense. Plus, Colorado managed his practice workload to keep him fresh for games, so he didn't have the time to refine his fundamentals. That's partly why teams — not just the Jaguars — were salivating over Hunter's untapped potential. They truly don't know how great of a player he can become until he gets more consistent exposure to NFL coaching over a longer period. Advertisement 'That's why we're (starting with) more offense, not necessarily to say that he's going to play more offense this fall,' Coen said. 'It's because that's where he needs the most development right now. There's so much more fundamentals, technique, detail, timing, being at the right spot at the right time, a lot more verbiage.' Still, the possibilities are tantalizing. There were numerous occasions Wednesday when Hunter lined up at receiver alongside 2024 first-rounder Brian Thomas Jr., certainly leading Lawrence to dream about the matchups they could create in Coen's system. But conversely, Hunter and cornerback Tyson Campbell could also become an elite tandem. Oh, and the plan is always pending. Hunter could play 75 percent of the offensive snaps in one game and 75 percent of the defensive snaps in the next if the matchups are more advantageous. At minimum, it'll give the opponents something to think about. They surely won't be able to make assumptions about where he'll be. As Lawrence has already seen firsthand, the Jaguars aren't afraid to be bold when it comes to Hunter.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Trevor Lawrence shares confidence in staff, system, and new players heading into '25
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence shares that he has a lot of confidence in the staff, system, and new players heading into 2025 NFL season.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jaguars' Travis Hunter shares offseason training video with Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas
Training camp is underway for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but before that first practice, Travis Hunter, along with Trevor Lawrence, Brian Thomas Jr., and others, got together to work out. On his YouTube channel, Hunter uploaded the video for everyone to see. As was the plan during offseason programs, Hunter spent most of his time at wide receiver--although he's been learning the defensive playbook and terminology since arriving in Jacksonville. Now with training camp here, Liam Coen detailed after the first practice what the next steps in Hunter's development plan entail. Ultimately, it's about ramping up so that he routinely practices on both sides of the ball during the same practice. "He will," Coen said about Hunter playing both ways. "Probably within the first six practices or so. You want to give him a couple days offense, a couple days defense, then give him the opportunity to flip-flop within the same practice. Then that will become the norm. Once we do that, that will become the norm in how we operate, but it'll probably be within the first week or so." In the first training camp practice, Hunter spent his time with the offense, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco, during the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 periods. This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Travis Hunter shares training video with Jaguars' Lawrence, Thomas Jr.
