5 reasons why LA Rams struggle to fill open coaching positions

The LA Rams have multiple position coaching positions vacated this off-season. Here are five reasons why the team is struggling to fill those open positions

Since the LA Rams entered January 2020, the team has experienced a lot of changes, and have not begun to work on reshaping the team’s roster going forward. Each NFL season, head coaches are fired and new coaches are hired. That’s nothing new, as it’s become an annual ritual which has even earned it’s own designation “coaching carousel”.   Coaches who failed with one team are often given the keys to run a new team.  Does that make sense? Well, for the hiring teams, they believe “this time with be different”.   And in some ways, it may be.

Former Green Bay Packers head coach  Mike McCarthy enjoyed a one year sabbatical from the NFL before signing on as the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.  That was significant to the LA Rams and Rams fans, because in the aftermath, McCarthy helped himself to the coaches from the Rams staff.   In less than a month, he’s hired Special Teams coordinator John Fassel, Assistant special teams coordinator Matt Daniels, and Running back coach Skip Peete.

The New England Patriots got into the act, and hired Rams senior offensive assistant Jedd Fisch.

So far, the LA Rams have only been linked to one position coach, University of Texas running back coach Stan Drayton.  Drayton has since stated his intentions to return to Texas, which means the Rams are still in the hunt for a running back coach. And a special team coordinator. And an assistant special teams coordinator. And a senior offensive assistant.  While we’re at it, add a coach for quarterbacks, player development, and a host of other coaching roles which the team does not seem to be addressing.

Well, the LA Rams are an excellent football team with a trajectory which places them within reach of a Super Bowl victory, and a brand new $5 billion stadium opening in 2020.  What is the delay in hiring needed coaches to the staff?  There is likely a good explanation for the lack of progress.  Let’s examine five likely reasons:

Reason 1- The Rams are targeting coaches from Super Bowl competitors San Francisco 49ers or Kansas City Chiefs

The most optimistic answer for the lack of information, rumors, or outright news regarding the LA Rams coaching search leads us to the two teams still competing for the Super Bowl – either the San Francisco 49ers or the Kansas City Chiefs.

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Both teams have impressed in entirely different ways. The San Francisco 49ers have taken a strong defense combined with a ground-and-pound offense to skyrocket from dead last in the NFC West a short year ago to competing to be the NFL’s best in just one short year.

There is plenty to admire and respect on the San Francisco 49ers path to success from 2019, and much of that can be replicated by the Rams in 2020.  Adding coaches from the 49ers to the Rams staff would jump start that process.

Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs have taken the path of both barrels offense and enough defense to place them into the AFC role in Super Bowl 54.  That is a similar approach taken by the Rams under head coach Sean McVay, so the team philosophy is certainly similar.

Reason 2 – The Rams want to make one announcement about all new team hires

Another reason why we’ve heard so little about the coaching search is the likelihood of the Rams wanting to announce all new hires simultaneously. That likely translates into a delay from the team until all the dust settles over coaching moves, hires, and firings.

The Rams have evolved into a team that other NFL teams aim at whenever they are in need of new coaches.  The pattern became widespread during the 2019 coaching exchange, when virtually anyone who had any links to McVay was suddenly named on short lists for new head coaching positions. While 2020 has seen that trend subside somewhat, the team continues to reel from the cannibalism of other NFL teams targeting Rams coaches constantly.

With an ever growing list, the Rams may simply have opted into one grand press release, covering all new coaching hires at once. As the streaming of coaches continued through the month of January, the team would need to delay any announcements until they have vetted, interviewed, decided, and finally hired all coaching staff openings. Based on today’s rumor from Rich Hammond, this reason is picking up steam.

Reason 3 – The process of hiring new coaches has stymied with seeking input from new coordinators.

With new offensive and defensive coordinators hired and easing their way into the new roles, there may be genuine interest in soliciting their input for all new coaching hires.  Surely new offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell will want some say over who is brought in as his running backs coach, as well as how to develop the role of senior offensive assistant, or even if one is required going forward.

Similarly, the special teams area touches upon both the offense and defense.  How will the offense strategize third down and short from the 35 yard line if the offensive coordinator has little confidence in the field goal unit? Or the punting team?  How does the defense strategize to set up for punt returns in case there is a fake?

However you see the team dynamics and needs, one thing is clear. Whoever the team brings in to fill open coaching roles, that coach will impact the team’s planning on both offense and defense.

With that much impact, it’s important for the team to allow both Kevin O’Connell and Brandon Staley weigh in on the candidates, and on shaping what the team should look for in filling the roles.

Reason 4 – The Rams were caught by surprise, and have been scrambling ever since.

The only confirmed rumor for the Rams coaching search involved pursuit of the University of Texas running backs coach Stan Drayton.  That pursuit proved fruitless, as within a week of the initial reports, new reports came out indicating Drayton would return to the Longhorns. Back to the drawing board.

The Rams were rumored to be parting ways with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips long before the event. That allowed the team to move quickly to hire his successor – Brandon Staley.  The same planning was likely in place to part ways with running back coach Skip Peete. That prepared the team to move in Stan Drayton’s direction quickly afterwards.

But the Rams may have had little to no warning over the defections of John Fassel, Matt Daniels, or even Jedd Fisch.  With no warning, the Rams may have found themselves caught off-guard and unprepared.  Hiring coaches involves a rather intricate process of determining who and what you seek in the new role, creating a list of potential prospects, and then reaching out to potential candidates.

If the Rams did not see coaching staff openings on their horizon, they likely had not done the prerequisite work to create those lists of potential candidates.  That takes time, and so far, time has been passing for the Rams ever since.

Reason 5 – The Rams haven’t an idea what the plan is for 2020 and beyond.

The most pessimistic reason for no coaching hires is the likelihood that the Rams have no idea what they are looking for.  In short, you don’t know what you have until you lose it.  And you also don’t know what you need until you have it.  Have the Rams found themselves trapped in football philosophy, with no real ideal how to convert chalkboard X’s and O’s into game day success?

Of course the Rams head coach Sean McVay has a general idea of what he wants for the team.  And since coming on board, he’s ruled the offense to a fairly granular detail.  While all that is true, he’s had a fairly sheltered role on the Rams so far.  Until this season, the defense was run almost autonomously by veteran defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

Similarly, veteran Special Teams coordinator John Fassel had a very keen eye to hidden gems both late in the draft and among the ranks of undrafted free agents. Those players excelled on special teams – ultimately earning playing time on either the defense or offense.

While head coach Sean McVay certainly wants to expand his oversight of the team this year, he may be further from the ability to do so than originally thought.  Until now, he’s had a “paint by numbers” role in leading the team. This season, veteran coaches are no more, and he’s left with a completely blank canvas.  Perhaps the most difficult part of his greater role is trying to picture the image of what he wants to create.

Until that picture forms, hiring coaches who see the same image may need to wait.  This is McVay’s maiden voyage controlling the team from top to bottom. He no doubt wants to take things slowly until he is confident which direction this team needs to take.