When the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Liam Coen as head coach, it was to make an impactful offense. When they drafted Travis Hunter, it was to give quarterback Trevor Lawrence a certified weapon. However, one thing remained to be solved: the running game. It wasn’t the best feature on the team last season, so questions were surrounding the rushing department. A new report has brought life into what’s going on as they enter a new NFL season.
According to John Shipley, from Sports Illustrated, it’s running back Tank Bigsby the one who’s showing the coaching staff he should be the starter. Shipley stated “If there was one running back who stood out throughout the practice, it was Tank Bigsby. Bigsby is normally a player who shines when the pads come on due to his physical nature, but he certainly looked the part in Friday’s helmets and shorts practice, with the Jaguars‘ coaching staff frequently singing his praises.“
Bigsby is competing with fellow running back Travis Etienne to be the starter for the team. Last season Etienne had a down year, which sparked the debate on whether he should still be the starting back on the team. The Jaguars didn’t sign a running back, meaning they trust the talent they have and Bigsby might be the answer they are looking for.
Bigsby hinted at his potential last year
Etienne started 15 games last year, while Bigsby only racked 1 NFL start. However, Bigsby got more rushing attempts (168) than Etienne (150). This also translated into many more yards (766 for Bigsby, 558 for Etienne) and 7 touchdowns, while Etienne only got two trips to the endzone.
Tank Bigsby #4 celebrates a touchdown run during the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida.
It seems like that momentum has kept going at the start of training camp. Bigsby is more physical, while Etienne is a shiftier back. Bigsby won’t hesitate to run through the trenches as he averaged 2.8 yards after contact per attempt.
see also
Trevor Lawrence warns NFL with four words—and accidentally exposes Jaguars
Liam Coen values running backs
While much has been said about how Liam Coen used a pass-happy offense as the Buccaneers offensive coordinator, it’s also true that the running backs had a blast. Yes, giving Trevor Lawrence a chance to resurge is key, but an effective running game helps a lot with that.
Both Bucs running backs had good-to great seasons. Bucky Irving and Rachaad White surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards and combined for 17 total touchdowns. Irving served as the explosive runner and White as the dual-threat, more calculated back. That is exactly what Coen could be looking as Bigsby could play the Irving role and Etienne serve as the Rachaad White of the team.
