Head football coach Liam Coen was born to parents, Tim and the late Elizabeth “Beth” Coen, who played a vital role in his rise to one of the top coaching positions in professional football.
Liam was born into a family already involved in the sport. His father was a longtime coach, whereas his grandfather, Phillip Coen, was the one who laid the foundation for the family’s football legacy.
His grandfather, Phillip Coen, was a guard and team captain at Boston College from 1947 to 1951. He later coached at Rogers High School in Rhode Island and served as an assistant coach at Brown University.
It was Phillip’s passion for the game that inspired Tim, who passed it on to Liam.
Although Phillip took his last breath in 2020 at age 91, Liam continues his legacy through his achievements.
Unlike father and grandfather, who belonged to the sports fraternity, Liam’s mother, Elizabeth “Beth” Coen, wasn’t into sports. However, she played a significant role in his career.
Elizabeth “Beth” Coen was a history teacher at South Kingstown High School.
While Father Tim was often busy coaching, Mother Beth ensured Liam stayed grounded academically and personally.
Tim acknowledged Beth’s role, saying:
She was instrumental in his growing up. I was never around. I was coaching. She instilled a lot of discipline in Liam. If he didn’t do his homework well, he had to do it over.
Tim Coen
Tragically, Beth passed away in January 2006 at age 46 after a two-year battle with Lyme disease.
Her death came during Liam’s time at UMass, where he was emerging as a star quarterback.
Liam Coen’s Father, Tim Coen, Served as a Longtime Football Coach!
Liam’s father, Tim Coen, played football as well as baseball as a designated hitter at Eckerd College from 1971 to 1974. However, he spent much of his life coaching football.
Born around 1952 or 1953 in Barrington, Rhode Island, Tim began his career at South Kingstown High School. During his time at the high school, he led the team to a Rhode Island Class C championship in 1989 with a record of 36–12–1.
Tim later started the football program at Exeter-West Greenwich High School and served as its athletic director from 1990 to 1992.
From 1992 to 1999, he was head coach at Salve Regina University, a small college in Newport, Rhode Island.
While his time there, he built an impressive 53–12 record and won two Eastern Collegiate Football Conference titles (1996–1997) and two New England Football Conference titles (1998–1999).
In 2000, Tim took the head coaching job at La Salle Academy in Providence to coach his son, Liam, who was the starting quarterback.
Together, the father-son duo led La Salle to four consecutive Rhode Island Division I Super Bowl appearances, with Liam throwing for over 5,000 yards and 66 touchdowns.
Tim’s influence on Liam went beyond the playbook. As a young boy, Liam accompanied his father to his practices.
At just 4 years old, while Tim met with his staff at South Kingstown High, Liam stunned the coaches by drawing a perfect wishbone formation on a chalkboard.
Recalling the moment in an interview, Tim said:
He was in front of the chalkboard, had an absolute wishbone formation with 11 players, where they were supposed to be, and a defense lined up.
Tim Coen
It was incredible.
Tim also shared how Liam’s love for football was evident from an early age, saying:
He grew up with this. He didn’t want to play with trucks and dinosaurs. He loved this game. He played all day. It was fun for him. It’s what he liked to do.
Tim Coen
Tim and Liam shared a close bond, spending hours throwing passes in the backyard, where Tim taught Liam how to aim for receivers.
He reminisced about the moments during an interview with Jacksonville, saying:
We’d sit in the living room and he’d ask me to throw pillows to him as he ran around. Not for five minutes, but 45 minutes.
Tim Coen
From his early years to his professional days, Tim has always supported Liam and trusted him with all his heart.
When Liam chose the University of Massachusetts for college, Tim supported his decision, even when bigger schools like Boston College and UConn showed interest.
Tim said:
We were playing with house money because UMass had already offered him a scholarship. If he had gone to BC, he would have been playing behind Matt Ryan. We thought he might go to UConn, but they had already offered D.J. Hernandez, so he decided to stick with UMass.
Tim Coen
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Liam Coen is married to Ashley Coen, whom he met during college at the University of Massachusetts.
- He and Ashley have two young sons, Jackson Ford Coen (born in 2021) and Callahan Coen.
