The Los Angeles Chargers perhaps made the biggest statement hire of the offseason when they went out and got former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel to be their offensive coordinator. Even after rumors he could have been up for the Bills job, he decided to stick around and work with both Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert.
In his introductory press conference, McDaniel looked forward to working with the legendary Harbaugh while also setting forth a plan for the offense. With a quarterback like Herbert, McDaniel seemed to suggest the sky was the limit for what this offense could become.
“I think he hasn’t scratched or hasn’t neared the ceiling to what he’s capable of. He can make every throw, but as a competitor, you can tell he enjoys what the National Football League and franchise quarterback — he enjoys all the burden that is the responsibility of touching the ball every play, then to need to be your best and when your best is required”, McDaniel said of Herbert’s capabilities.
Herbert had earned his second ever Pro Bowl after a season that saw him battle through adversity, including a nasty hand injury and the loss of his two tackles. He still was able to throw for 3,727 yards, and had 2o total touchdowns.
However, McDaniel did have to address how the loss of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt last season affected the team and what bringing them back could open up for this offense. Also, addressing how to better implement young stars such as Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston into the offensive scheme more was pivotal.
“I think it’s a really cool opportunity because I think the best offenses cater to the players that they have, the existing skill sets and evolve to what their talents are,” McDaniel said of all the weapons in the Chargers offense. “I think we have a lot of young players at the skill positions, particularly, got two great tackles coming back, and I think with a skill set such as Justin’s, you can do a lot of things on the ground and in the air that can really put defenses in bind. So, I think there’s a lot of tools in place”.
It seems very clear that combining McDaniel’s high IQ with Herbert’s toughness and grit can pay dividends, but it’s McDaniel’s ability to be able to find the balance for the Chargers, especially with Harbaugh’s run-first mindset that could open up the doors of possibility for this team.
The fact that McDaniel already has a high level of respect in Jim Harbaugh says a lot about his willingness to potentially tailor his scheme to Harbaugh’s wants. Having coached against him before during his time in Washington, McDaniel understands the sway Harbaugh has over teams and most importantly, his ability to get them over the hump. In fact, when asked what appealed most to him about the job and why he was hired, McDaniel gave a simple answer.
“It all started with Jim Harbaugh“.
Now they’ll get ready to go to work together.
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