Mike McDaniel joins the Chargers as offensive coordinator – NBC Los Angeles

Identical to his famously ingenious offenses, Mike McDaniel had many choices.

He interviewed for a number of head teaching jobs after his four-year tenure accountable for the Miami Dolphins ended this month, and he might have been an offensive coordinator just about anyplace he happy.

McDaniel nonetheless needs to be a head coach once more sometime, however he selected to hitch the Los Angeles Chargers alongside Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert as a result of the mixture of time, place and personnel appeared excellent for this idiosyncratic coach who additionally occurs to be one of many high offensive minds in soccer.

“It didn’t take lengthy for me to really feel that is what I used to be searching for,” the Bolts’ new offensive coordinator mentioned Tuesday. “You simply wish to be part of a hungry group with like-minded soccer folks which are doing something and every little thing to win. And for me, the chance to work with Coach Harbaugh was too good to move up. It felt like I used to be extraordinarily lucky to be afforded this chance.”

Harbaugh and the Chargers appear equally lucky to land McDaniel, an excellent candidate for the essential job of directing Herbert’s profession into one thing worthy of his prodigious expertise.

In his introductory information convention, McDaniel instantly went into nice element about what he needs to do for Herbert, who has thrown for twenty-four,820 yards and 163 touchdowns whereas rising as one of many NFL’s high passers in his six seasons with the Chargers.

“You’ve a aggressive participant that every 12 months is making an attempt to get higher at his craft, (however) I believe he hasn’t neared the ceiling to what he’s able to,” McDaniel mentioned.

Herbert has persistently shined regardless of taking part in with three everlasting head coaches, 4 offensive coordinators and a altering assortment of playmakers and linemen round him.

Regardless of taking part in in some offensive schemes perceived to be comparatively primitive by trendy NFL requirements, notably prior to now two years below Harbaugh and fired coordinator Greg Roman, Herbert has ceaselessly carried the Chargers by way of his improvisation, arm energy and sheer aggressive will.

Basically, McDaniel does not need Herbert to need to work so onerous.

“There’s quite a lot of unbelievable performs Justin has made,” McDaniel mentioned. “He’s firmly succesful, and typically as a coach you’ll be able to rely on that a bit an excessive amount of. … It may be taxing over time for a participant to necessitate an unbelievable play too usually, so that you attempt to take it off of him by creating some low-cost, high-reward offense that he’s firmly able to doing, however perhaps a participant of lesser expertise can be able to doing as effectively.”

McDaniel mentioned the Dolphins’ struggles when Tua Tagovailoa was out with accidents bolstered his dedication to maintain Herbert safer. The Chargers quarterback took 96 sacks prior to now two seasons.

“He has an unbelievable skill to do off-schedule (throws),” McDaniel mentioned. “I believe I’ll be firmly teaching away from the off-schedule stuff on the entrance finish, as a result of he can all the time return to that consolation zone as you’re employed out different issues. I believe a main give attention to easy methods to have offense with out placing him in a weak place shall be a place to begin, and we’ll extrapolate from there.”

McDaniel and Herbert spoke final week, and the quarterback is able to work.

“He was in excessive spirits and simply enthusiastic about attacking one thing,” McDaniel mentioned. “You lose within the playoffs within the first spherical, it’s quite a lot of work that you simply really feel type of like (left you with) an empty abdomen. In order that starvation, I might hear in his voice.”

McDaniel is becoming a member of a great group that wanted a spark after consecutive 11-6 seasons adopted by two playoff losses below Harbaugh. The Chargers have wanted that spark to hitch the NFL’s higher echelon ever since they moved north from San Diego, posting six successful data over 9 years with only one postseason victory.

McDaniel could possibly be the ingredient to place the Bolts into championship competition if this partnership with Harbaugh thrives. The 42-year-old coordinator hit it off instantly together with his famously square-looking new boss.

“I really feel like we’re the identical man,” McDaniel mentioned whereas Harbaugh laughed behind the room. “He’s simply taller. No, I believe one factor we share is that Jim has by no means patterned himself after any person. He’s his personal individual, and I’d say that hopefully I’d be described in a similar way. Who is aware of? I is perhaps a 100% Dockers coach now.”

The style-forward McDaniel’s line was even funnier as a result of he delivered it whereas carrying what seemed to be a $12,000 Bottega Veneta woven leather-based jacket.

The prospect to be taught from Harbaugh was necessary in his determination, however McDaniel additionally paid his respect to previous Chargers coaches Sid Gillman and Don Coryell, two offensive innovators who modified soccer ceaselessly.

“There was rather a lot that I discovered very enticing,” McDaniel mentioned. “I used to be lucky to have some alternatives, however it began with Coach Harbaugh. To be part of a corporation that has the legacy of Sid and Air Coryell, I used to be tremendous drawn to. Acquired a quarterback who I’ve all the time admired, and simply quite a lot of younger gamers. An ideal scenario for my household and me to go to the subsequent chapter.”