Jacksonville Jaguars fans, get ready—head coach Liam Coen is already sharpening his playbook for the 2026 season opener. By the time you finish reading this, Coen will likely have the full schedule in hand: the tough stretches, the manageable matchups, the prime-time showdowns, the short weeks, and, most importantly, that all-important Week 1 opponent.

Speaking after the Jaguars' rookie camp practice on May 8, Coen didn't hesitate when asked how soon he'd dive into game tape for the lid-lifter. "Relatively quickly," he said with a grin. "It just gives you something a little bit competitive to build on and start to just get your mind going." And with the projected Sept. 13 opener sitting 18 weeks and one day away, that competitive spark is exactly what fuels a coach's off-season grind.

There's something electric about a season opener from a schematic standpoint. It's the first chance to set the tone, to show the league what this team is made of. Coen is aiming for his second consecutive 1-0 start, and you can almost picture him in his second-floor office at the Jaguars' facility—projector screen glowing, clicker in hand, rewinding and pausing as he plots the perfect game plan. (Trust me, I've been in that room. Last October, I watched him dissect a single offensive play with the intensity of a chess grandmaster, and I barely looked down at my notepad for fear of missing a single insight.)

Let's be honest: the offseason program can feel a bit like Groundhog Day. Returning players run the same plays as last year. There's no hitting. And Week 1 feels like a distant mirage. But for Coen, that's exactly why getting a head start on the opponent matters. "I think it just gives you a little of excitement," he said, and you can hear the anticipation in his voice.

Here's the thing: when training camp kicks off in late July, the first several weeks are all about the Jaguars themselves—reinstalling systems, building chemistry, and evaluating talent in pads. "Your focus, it's so internal," Coen explained. "Everything is self-scout and worrying about ourselves and I want to keep that focus the same." The offseason program isn't a race against time; there's no game looming. So, Coen will spice up the voluntary workouts, using that early prep to keep the competitive fire burning without breaking the team's internal focus.

For Jaguars fans, this kind of dedication is exactly what you want to hear from your head coach. Whether you're gearing up for game day in your favorite team gear or just counting down the days until kickoff, one thing is clear: Coen is already locked in, and he can't wait to get started.