LA Rams assembling millenial NFL staff for HC Sean McVay

LA Rams are building a millenial coaching staff to head coach Sean McVay’s specifications. This next generational staff are young, innovative, and consensus-building coordinators

The LA Rams are building the coaching staff to head coach Sean McVay’s specifications.  While it’s way too soon to tell how this will impact the Rams 2020 season, it’s a good start for a team which regressed significantly in 2019.

The entire NFL has been enamored with Coach McVay, more specifically, his youth.  For his first three seasons, the LA Rams have eased McVay into taking on the full load of running an NFL team, by filling the coaching staff with veteran coaches. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips pretty much ran the defense autonomously.  That allowed McVay, from the offensive side of the street, to focus almost exclusively on offense.

So too did the team run the special teams under the oversight of special teams coordinator John Fassel.  In fact, the coaching staff was originally constructed to be nearly an organization on autopilot.

The scheme worked beautifully as McVay learned how to run the team while remaining firmly entrenched in the offense.  Calling plays was a safe place for McVay, his comfort-zone so to speak. The LA Rams responded by posting an 11-5 record in 2017, and then improved to 13-3 in 2018.  All the while, McVay ran the offense, and DC Phillips’ defense simply overpowered their opponents. That is, until they met the New England Patriots in Super Bowl

Rams pattern proved fatal

The Rams game planning became their undoing in that Super Bowl. For two seasons, the Rams had achieved success by sticking to a winning formula: rushing Todd Gurley to set up pass, passing ball to downfield receivers on run/pass option to stretch field, pass to flats to stretch defense, rinse and repeat.

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On defense, the Rams game plan was even simpler. DC Phillips counted on his players beating their offensive counter parts in one-on-one battles often enough to keep the game in hand.  Special teams used good coverage plus surprise “gimmick” plays to keep opposing teams on their heels.

It all seemed to work, until it didn’t.  In that game against the Patriots, the Rams never truly mustered any momentum on offense. Conversely, the Rams defense stymied the Patriots offense but for two players – tight end Rob Gronkowski and wide receiver Julian Edelman.  In the end, I emerged from the game convinced that the Rams had more talent on the field of play. The Patriots simply outcoached them, badly. That is a fact even Coach McVay readily admitted.

So 2019 was back to the drawing board, to improve their coaching techniques. But a funny thing happened. Same ole coaches, same ole game planning.  McVay, still directly calling both the offensive game plan and the plays, had not pushback and struggled to adapt Rams offense to the opposing team’s vulnerability. Fassel’s special teams struggled as more and more players on the roster fell to injury. And the Rams’ defense, strong as it was, struggled to force a punt against team’s with a strong running game.  Same input, same results.

Next Gen coaching staff

Head coach Sean McVay needed a way to shake up the dynamics of the LA Rams coaching staff. After all, the LA Rams had taken a step back in 2019, perhaps two or three steps back. But adversity is all part of the improvement process. Or does it merely begin to fracture an organization along hidden weaknesses?

Sean McVay entered the NFL not only as one of the youngest and most successful head coaches in his early career. He is one of the first millennials to take over an NFL franchise. That’s hugely significant, which we will discuss in a moment. But first, let’s discuss the different generations among the LA Rams coaching staff, and why that created hidden problems.

Generation Gap

In the modern workforce, there are multiple generations. Each is loosely defined by the year of birth. Overall, each generation shares common traits. Let’s list the generations:

I. Traditionalists/Silent Gen – Born 1925 to 1945
II. Baby Boomers – Born 1946 to 1964
III. Generation X – Born 1965 to 1979
IV. Millenials – Born 1980 to late 1990’s
V. Centennials – Born late 1990’s to 2019

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was born on June 21, 1947. He is a Baby Boomer generation. Running backs coach Skip Peete was born on January 30, 1963. He too is a Baby Boomer. Special teams coordinator John Fassel was born on January 10, 1974. He is a Generation X. But most importantly, head coach Sean McVay was born on  January 24, 1986. he is a Millenial.

Coaching staff realignment

The generational difference did not show up in the Rams organization until they ran aground of adversity. Then, the differences in each coach’s background dictated how they approached problem solving.  Each generation can be successful.

Baby boomers are loyal to a fault, and exhibit a great work-ethic. And they’ve amassed a huge cache of experience. Their problem solving techniques favor the tried and true methods. In a similar vein, they will lead autonomously. Consensus building and collaberation is limited to “here’s what I plan to do, yes or no?”. More than that, and the baby boomer feels anxious.

Similarly, Generation X are very independant and self-sufficient. This generation dislikes micro-management and structure. In short, they want to control their area of expertise, and make the decisions.

Millennials

Finally, Millennials  are tech savvy. They love to innovate, and they are resourceful enough to do just that.  but most importantly, this generation is both collaborative and networked. That’s how they trouble shoot. Now the picture begins to take a bit of focus, doesn’t it?

McVay’s nature to fixing problems encountered with the Rams was to reach out to his coordinators and attempt to collaborate with them.  Baby Boomers Phillips and Peete naturally perceived that as “what’s wrong?” and would either resist McVay’s oversight into their areas, or would generate their own action plans and simply seek his yes or no.  Fassel would cringe at the interest, perceiving the elevated discussion as micro-managing.

To no suprise, both new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brandon Staley are… millenials.

Setting realistic expectations for offense

Head coach Sean McVay called the offensive plays, and there is no reason to believe he will delegate that responsibility to newly hired Kevin O’Connell. In fact, there is little pressure for him to do so with this hire.  After all, O’Connell is being shot out of the same cannon which blasted McVay to head the LA Rams three years previously.

Kevin O’Connell is quite familiar with California, having gone to high school at Carlsbad, California. He then attended college at San Diego State University. After a series of stints on NFL teams, he was hired on as the quarterbacks coach of the Cleveland Browns in 2015. The following year he jumped to the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff. Eventually, he was brought in to the Washington Redskins as quarterback coach in 2017, the year McVay left to join the LA Rams as head coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019.

While O’Connell does not bring decades of NFL offensive experience, he brings exactly what McVay sought: innovation.  No one denies the huge impact on the NFL being made by the Baltimore Ravens innovations for quarterback Lamar Jackson.  Similarly, the offense at the Arizona Cardinals by quarterback Kyler Murray is raising eyebrows around the league.  McVay correctly wants to infuse the LA Rams offense with that same innovative philosophy.

O’Connell is the perfect hire, and here is the proof

Still skeptical?  You need to review the game analysis of the Washington Redskins with rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins performance against the playoff bound Philadelphia Eagles.  Everything the Rams are looking for on offense was displayed boldly in that one game microcosm. Per Zachary Neel’s article, O’Connell shared these insights:

"“That’s a huge thing for me. Trying to get these quarterbacks comfortable early in the game,” O’Connell said, via The Athletic. “Getting those guys in a rhythm is very important in this league, even for a Hall of Fame quarterbacks. I’ve talked to guys that call plays for them and they say, ‘Rhythm and comfort, and trust that we’ll protect him, get him into a rhythm and we’ll give him opportunities to make plays in the game without it all being on his plate.”"

That is precisely what the Rams need to restore quarterback Jared Goff’s confidence. In fact, I could not have said this better myself. Take the burden off Goff with all the Rams’ weapons, and the offense with soar once more.

That is not a pipe dream. That is just a realistic expectation. If the offensive coordinator takes the burden from Goff to “make plays that are not there”, this offense will eat up yardage and rack up points once more.

Setting realistic expectations for defense

Head coach Sean McVay wants a greater say with the LA Rams defense. Newly hired Brandon Stanly not only will welcome that, but actually expects that. That is a good thing. But there are plenty of positives in this hire.

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is old school. Under his tutelage, the Rams assembled one of the most talented 11 man defenses anywhere. And then, he schemes that defense to win each one-on-one against their opponents. By winning each battle, the defense wins play after play. That creates a lot of three-and-outs for the opposing team’s offense, and that wins games. But the Rams struggled to stop the run in 2019. And that put too much pressure on Goff and the offense.

What Staley does not bring to the Rams in terms of quantity of experience is the rare quality of experience he holds. He has worked with Vic Fangio for the past three seasons, and Fangio’s reputation for defense is stellar in the NFL.  Defensive innovations are more subtle. Still, the challenges with the Rams defense is trying to manage multiple free agents with few dollars.
Who to keep? Who to watch walk away? That decision will partly fall upon Staley.

Staley is the perfect hire, and here is the proof

Still skeptical? Well, all you need to do is read is review an article by Drew Crane about Brandon Staley’s tenure as James Madison University’s defensive coordinator for encouraging insights.  In this story, Staley discusses his defensive philosophy at length. While he runs a 3-4 base defense, he emulated the defense by Fangio even then. Now, he’s had three years to learn from the master himself.
One of the challenges with a 3-4 is the wear and tear on defensive linemen. The Rams have gone with a light compliment of DLs, hovering between 6-7 each season. That number could go up this year.

Flex your muscles

Staley’s greatest strength lies in his ability to flex both players and scheme to maximize results. While at JMU, Staley converted a safety to middle linebacker on passing downs. Rather than remove a linebacker for a cornerback, Staley’s solution embedded a DB in the center of the field. While it ended up adding an additional DB to the field, it was confusing for opposing quarterbacks.
Staley is not opposed to changing defensive fronts to suit the game situation. That will be welcome news indeed to Rams fans.

"“I think it’s a little overstated,” Staley said. “4-3 defensive ends are pretty much 3-4 outside linebackers. Because you’re a 3-4 scheme doesn’t mean that’s all you play — we’re going to do a lot of four down man things too. Those body types that were here when we got here, they’ve been able to thrive.” – per August 2014 interview by Drew Crane"

Innovation and imagination. Two new additions to both the offensive side and defensive side of the ball arriving for 2020.

Millennial management mania

The LA Rams have given their full vote of confidence to head coach Sean McVay. By surrounding him with fellow millennial coaches, the Rams are stepping boldly from the “way things were” towards a new era of the “way we think things ought to be”.   In doing so, the Rams have abandoned the valuation of experience for innovation, from expertise to adaptability, from self-sufficiency to collaberation.

When the Rams hired head coach Sean McVay, many saw it as a huge risk.  But the team surrounded McVay with successful veteran coaches to guide him through his early NFL head coaching years.

Perhaps an even greater risk and reward is happening now.  McVay is taking off his training wheels, surrounding himself with similar thinking coordinators, and is ready to aim once more at competing for and winning an NFL Super Bowl.

It may end in disaster, a mere ripple in the robust history of the LA Rams, or as a gamble which pays out the ultimate success. It is far too early to guess what may happen one, two, or five years down the road.  However else you look at it, this is a very bold move by the Rams. As the saying goes, Fortune favors the bold.  We like these moves. Succeed or not, the Rams are not the least interested in playing it safe. Bold, but admirable.