The Baltimore Ravens are in a new era under head coach Jesse Minter, and this offseason, Minter is looking to make his own mark on the franchise. Various players have spoken about the differences in practice so far between John Harbaugh’s way of running things and Minter’s.
So far, it also seems Minter is empowering their staff to make their own marks on the team, and one coach who has already seized that opportunity is 30-year-old offensive coordinator Declan Doyle.
Doyle is quickly building connections with players, and that relationship building is allowing him to coach his entire unit hard, including veteran players.
No Exemptions
Declan Doyle rapidly rose through the coaching ranks. After one year as the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator, Doyle made the jump to Baltimore to join Jesse Minter’s staff.
Early on, Doyle is making a good first impression and showing he will demand excellence and execution from rookies and veterans alike, even in mini-camp.
Josh Tolentino of the Baltimore Sun wrote on Twitter about an interaction Doyle and Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews had.
“No shortage of accountability with this new Ravens coaching staff early on,” Tolentino wrote. “During 11v11, TE Mark Andrews is penalized pre-snap for false start. Immediately, Declan Doyle shouts for the veteran Andrews to be pulled for the next play. We’ve seen other instances throughout offseason practices where players regardless of their tenure or status with the team, be sidelined following individual mistakes.”
Doyle is running a tight ship with the Ravens, and the players are embracing his style, particularly quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Connection With the QB
Perhaps the most important player for a new offensive coordinator is the quarterback, particularly when that quarterback is Lamar Jackson, a former two-time MVP.
So far, so good, though, when it comes to the growing relationship between the offensive coordinator and the quarterback. The two are developing a connection while installing the offense, and are working through early hiccups. Clifton Brown of Ravens.com, in his June 11 article, wrote about Jackson recalling an interaction between the two.
“He cursed me out yesterday,” Jackson said, laughing on Wednesday. “I was supposed to run a naked play, like a boot-action, and I tossed the ball instead. He (Doyle) was like, ‘Lamar, what the F are you doing?‘ I was like, ‘Damn, that’s on me.‘
“I laughed. I wasn’t used to that.”
Communication will be key for a smooth transition from Todd Monken’s offense to Doyle’s offense, and Doyle has shown early on that he is not afraid to have a tough conversation with any of the players, regardless of status. Jackson also spoke about how there are not many similarities between Doyle and Monken’s offenses.
“Nothing really transitioned over from the last system,” Jackson said. “We brought some things over from (Greg Roman’s) system that I was comfortable with, things a lot of guys were comfortable with. In this system, it’s different. It’s all Dec and I feel like everybody is hands on. We’re dialed in.”
Jackson feels he’s making strides as he gets more comfortable with the offense, and he is excited about the possibility of more explosive plays. Doyle is the same age as or younger than some members of the team, but he’s already earning their respect and leaving his mark.
Ravens 30-Year-Old OC Is Making Prescence Known Early