RB coach Thomas Brown reportedly joining LA Rams staff

The LA Rams may finally be making progress filling coaching openings, as South Carolina RB coach Thomas Brown reportedly joining LA Rams staff

The LA Rams narrative is pretty complex and confusing. The team had gone weeks without any news on a coaching staff interviews, decisions, or hires. Over that same period, coaches continued to leave the staff to join other teams. The latest was strength and conditioning coach Ted Rath, who departed to join the coaching staff of the Philadelphia Eagles.

That slow depletion of coaching talent tested the patience and optimism of fans and sports writers alike.  Holes in the coaching staff are the first order of business for any team.  While other teams helped themselves to poach coaches from the LA Rams staff, the team seemed content to remain in limbo. That ends today, as the first report of a new coach hire surfaced today:

The news is welcome indeed, and carries several messages. Of course, the first message to jump out is the immediate connection made between RB coach Thomas Brown and Rams rumor-besieged running back Todd Gurley.  For those fans who want a positive sign that the Rams and Gurley will continue a long relationship, this is certainly fertile ground.  Per TheAthletic.com’s Rich Hammond, Brown has coached college running backs at Chattanooga, Marshall, Wisconsin, Georgia, Miami and South Carolina.

Brown was instrumental in restoring the South Carolina Gamecocks running game, and had a great deal of success in recruiting for the team as well.  His 2020 recruiting class for South Carolina included five-star MarShawn Lloyd, four-star ZaQuandre White and three-star Rashad Amos.

Brown has coached several NCAA star running backs who succeeded in the NFL, including RBs Melvin Gordan and Nick Chubb.  Adding him to the Rams staff, likely as running backs coach, gives the team a proven coach with a solid track record, but also a solid eye for talent to help select future rushers to the team.

In the face of a growing sense of distance between the Rams and RB Todd Gurley, this seems to be an olive branch intended to bring player and team together.