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How DC Chris Shula harnessed Michael Hoecht's passion for the NFL

It was a simple fix
ByBret Stuter|
Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht (97) and Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake (37) during an NFL game against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Michael Hoecht (97) and Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake (37) during an NFL game against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
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III: Shula got Hoecht out of primary coverage

Even as the Rams knew what they needed to do to get Hoecht out of coverage, they struggled to implement an effective solution. Just as defensive coordinators study footage of upcoming opponents to design an effective gameplan, offensive coordinators study footage of defenses. And the same horrid optics that incensed Rams fans over Hoecht in pass coverage delighted offensive coordinators and quarterbacks who salivated at the chance to isolate Hoecht in coverage against their team.

But with more than half of the 2024 NFL behind him, Hoecht has only been targeted a third as frequently as the previous year. That is a huge improvement. And it's why Hoecht is suddenly seen in an entirely new and better light this year.

It's not that Hoecht is any better at pass coverage. He's simply no longer tasked with providing pass coverage as frequently. The Rams have redesigned their defense to new DC Chris Shula's specifications. As such, the team has deployed new configurations, including Cover-6.

Those new configurations are not simply just to make changes. Shula noted how opposing offense invested a great deal of energy to put Hoecht at a disadvantage. And so, he opted to give his veteran outside linebacker soe help.

So far, it seems to be working.

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