Hold up, because Jaguars head coach Liam Coen just dropped some serious truth about his backfield, and it is a complete flip from what we heard earlier this offseason. Back then, Coen called the running back competition “truly wide open,” a three-way battle between Chris Rodriguez, Bhayshul Tuten, and LeQuint Allen. Now, with training camp about to kick off, it sounds like Coen is dialed in on one guy’s massive upside: Bhayshul Tuten.
From Learning Curve to Leap Forward
Tuten’s journey to this moment hasn’t been a straight shot, but it sure sounds like it’s about to hit warp speed. He came into the league as a fourth-round pick out of Virginia Tech last year, but his college career actually started at North Carolina A&T. That kind of background meant he faced “a little bit of a learning curve” when he got to the NFL, according to Coen on The Schrager Hour podcast. But that was then. Tuten’s got a full year under his belt, he’s adjusted, and get this: Travis Etienne is no longer ahead of him on the depth chart. That changes everything for the kid. Coen is looking for a “major leap forward this fall” from Tuten, and frankly, who isn’t hyped to see what that means?
“Go Do What Got You Here”
When Coen talks about Tuten, you can practically hear the excitement in his voice, and it’s all about unleashing this guy. Coen raves about his natural talent, saying, “He does a great job of finding the end zone and his yards after contact and rushing yards, man , when he can get going and get downhill, I mean, he was 4.28 coming out. So he can fly.” Think about that speed! A 4.28, man, that is absolute wheels, pure lightning on the field. The coach also noted that Tuten was super careful with ball security last year, wanting to do everything by the book. Now, Coen’s telling him to let loose. “Okay, now Tuten, you got it. You understand it more. Now just go be you. Go do what got you here. Go be special, that’s who you are.” That’s a coach giving his player the green light to shine, to be the explosive playmaker everyone knows he can be. It’s a huge vote of confidence, and it points to a player ready to blow up.
The Jaguars already showed what they’re capable of last season, winning 13 games and totally exceeding expectations. Now, heading into training camp, it’s clear they’re banking on Tuten to take a massive step forward and continue that momentum. Coen’s explicitly stated, “We’re definitely expecting Tuten to have a big year for us.” This isn’t just a hopeful wish; it’s an expectation from the guy running the offense. Keep an eye on Tuten as training camp gets going; his performance could be absolutely pivotal for the Jaguars as they gear up for the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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