JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — New Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen filled out most of his staff Friday, including adding some veteran assistants on both sides of the ball.
The group combines for 174 years of NFL coaching experience and averages 42 years old.
“What I really like about this staff ... is that we already speak the same modern, NFL language,” Coen said. “With this shared terminology, we can accelerate past the standard learning curve that most staffs face, and instead prioritize installations on offense, defense and special teams. I am excited to get started.”
Coen hired two guys who coached with him at UMass in 2015: pass game coordinator Shane Waldron and quarterbacks coach Spencer Whipple. Whipple’s father, Mark, was the head coach of that UMass team that finished 3-9.
Waldron was fired as Chicago’s offensive coordinator last season, and Spencer Whipple spent the last six years in Arizona.
Former Minnesota assistant Shaun Sarrett will serve as Jacksonville’s offensive line coach. Sarrett held the same position in Pittsburgh for two seasons (2019-20), when the Steelers had one of the league’s least-productive rushing attacks.
NFL coaching veteran Edgar Bennett, who was born and raised in Jacksonville, returns home as receivers coach. Coen retained Richard Angulo as tight ends coach and hired NFL veteran Chad Morton as running backs coach.
John Van Dam followed Coen from Tampa Bay and will be the team’s offensive pass game specialist. Coen also retained Tyler Tettleton as assistant receivers coach.
On defense, Coen hired Matt Edwards (defensive line), Tem Lukabu (linebackers), Anthony Perkins (defensive backs), longtime NFL assistant Ron Milus (secondary), Derrick LeBlanc (assistant defensive line) and Ken Wilkins (assistant linebackers) and Drew Lascari (assistant defensive backs).
Coen also retained Mario Jeberaeel as a defensive assistant and Luke Thompson as assistant special teams coach.
The 39-year-old Coen previously hired 29-year-old Grant Udinski as his offensive coordinator and 42-year-old Anthony Campanile as his defensive coordinator.
Together, they give the Jaguars a first-time head coach, a first-time OC and a first-time DC. They also have a first-time executive vice president after hiring Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli. And they could end up with a first-time general manager, a position they expect to fill after the Super Bowl.
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Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, left, and new head coach Liam Coen, right, speak with the media during an NFL football news conference in Jacksonville, Fla., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
Jacksonville Jaguars new head coach Liam Coen speaks with the media during an NFL football news conference in Jacksonville, Fla., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
CANNES, France (AP) — This year's Cannes Film Festival just got going this week, but it's already been an attention-grabbing affair, from new rules for its red carpets, nerves about potential U.S. tariffs and the return of Tom Cruise.
And that says nothing about the films, expected to be a strong slate as Cannes is seen as increasingly important to the Oscars' best picture hopefuls.
Even in a normal year, Cannes is a lot to keep up with. Here's a handy guide of what's happened so far, what to expect and what it may mean.
Cannes opened Tuesday with a starry tribute to Robert De Niro, 49 years after “Taxi Driver” won the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or. De Niro used the platform to assail U.S. President Donald Trump, a frequent target of his criticism.
He also basked in the adoration of some of film's elite, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Quentin Tarantino.
Cannes debuted a complex 4K restoration of “The Gold Rush,” one of Charlie Chaplin’s most beloved silent masterpieces, timed to the film's 100th anniversary. “Our grandfather would be really proud to see this, a hundred years later, to see all you here and interested in seeing the film,” said Kiera Chaplin to a packed screening Tuesday.
Tom Cruise took the spotlight on Day 2 with the latest “Mission: Impossible” installment, “Final Reckoning.” For such a high-flying franchise, Cruise kept his feet on the ground (so far) ahead of the film's premiere. That kept up with a recent trend — gone are the days of fighter jet flyovers, Jerry Seinfeld in a bee costume and other big stunts.
On Thursday, news broke that the festival had barred French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy from attending the premiere of the competition entry “Case 137” in what's believed to be a first for the festival in the #MeToo era. Navarro-Mussy has been accused of rape in a case that remains on appeal.
On Friday, Bono premiered his documentary, “Bono: Stories of Surrender." In a wide-ranging interview, the rock superstar talked about the insights the project has given him (including a deeper appreciation for his late father), his concerns about the dismantling of USAID and his first impression of Pope Leo XIV.
Ari Aster also debuted his COVID-era film “Eddington” to mixed reviews.
AP Film Writer Jake Coyle broke down some of the key things about the festival in a thorough primer. Among the things to watch out for: any effects of Trump's talk about tariffs on foreign-made films at the world's largest film market. The festival serves as the start of Oscar season and there's a packed field vying for this year's Palme d'Or.
Outside of competition, there's some starry first-time directors: Scarlett Johansson with “Eleanor the Great,” Kristen Stewart with “The Chronology of Water” and Harris Dickinson with “Urchin.”
Their films are not in the main competition, but as Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho told Coyle about debuting a film at Cannes: “You release a film into that Colosseum-like situation.” He noted premiering a movie at the festival is akin to “a potential invitation to a beheading.”
One of the buzziest moves by Cannes this year so far has been its proclamation that nudity is banned by festivalgoers and so too are “voluminous” outfits, in particular those with a large train.
The move to ban nude looks comes amid the “naked dress” trend on red carpets, including Bianca Censori's Grammys look and many of the outfits worn by Vanity Fair party attendees after the Oscars.
Cannes press officers said earlier this week the festival “made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect.”
So how did stars at Cannes respond?
Halle Berry, who is on the festival jury headed by Juliette Binoche, told reporters she would abide by it and had changed her opening night look.
While risque looks were in short supply Monday, there were certainly some “voluminous outfits,” including dresses worn by Heidi Klum, Chinese actor Wan QianHui and others.
For more coverage of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, visit https://apnews.com/hub/cannes-film-festival.
Leonardo DiCaprio, left, and jury president Juliette Binoche pose for photographers during the opening ceremony of the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
Wan QianHui poses for photographers during the opening ceremony red carpet of the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Tom Cruise, left, and director Christopher McQuarrie pose for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Hannah Waddingham poses for photographers during the photo call for the film 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
Jury president Molly Manning Walker poses for photographers at the photo call for the Un Certain Regard jury at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)
