Breaking down the NFL's new offensive coordinators
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com
Much of the offseason media hype comes from the head coaching changes in the NFL, but savvy bettors know that coordinator changes are every bit as important. In my Wiseguy Report, I’m beginning a multi-week overview of the new coordinators around the league starting on offense, focusing on how the new coordinators experience and philosophies are likely to affect their new team’s level of production. Next week, I’ll finish off the OC changes and begin examining the defensive coordinator changes. Coordinators are listed in alphabetical order based on their new teams.
Marc Trestman, Baltimore Ravens - Trestman crashed and burned during his short head coaching tenure with the Chicago Bears, unable to turn Jay Cutler into an elite level quarterback. But Trestman’s reputation as a creative play caller and top tier quarterback guru hasn’t been affected by his failures in the Windy City. Each of Baltimore’s last two offensive coordinators was a former head coach who got another head coaching job – Jim Caldwell and Gary Kubiak; something Trestman covets. And while Chicago didn’t live up to expectations offensively under Trestman, the Bears still ranked above the league average in points scored while he was there.
Trestman had stints with eight NFL teams prior to Chicago, and spent five seasons in a successful run as the head coach Montréal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He’s walking into a situation with a highly productive offense and a Super Bowl winning quarterback in Joe Flacco already in place. Trestman isn’t charged with completely rebuilding this offense – expect a modified version of the schemes Gary Kubiak was using last year; schemes that produced a Top 5 offense in the AFC in both points scored and yards per play gained in 2014.
Adam Gase, Chicago Bears - Gase is transitioning from calling plays for an offense with Peyton Manning at quarterback to an offense with Jay Cutler behind center. Even with Manning in clear decline, it’s a drop-off, especially in the leadership department. This is not a situation where a head coach and his coordinator can be expected to clash. Gase will be working under head coach John Fox, just as he did in Denver, so there’s no reason to expect a dramatic change in the Broncos offensive philosophy from recent years. That strategy in Denver resulted in three wide receiver sets on more than 80% of the team’s pass plays; and there’s ample skill position talent here in Chicago for him to meld. Of course, the Bears woeful offensive line from 2014 was the antithesis of Denver’s elite unit; although the group as a unit appears much healthier as the start of training camp approaches.
Rick Dennison, Denver Broncos - Dennsion has either coached for the Broncos and/or with Gary Kubiak for the last 20 years – this is no ‘worry about the coaching staff chemistry’ type of situation. He was the quarterback coach under Gary Kubiak in Baltimore last year, paving the way for Joe Flacco’s 91 QB rating. Kubiak is certainly excited to have his guy coaching the 39 year old Manning, even after Manning’s dismal late season stretch last year. Kubiak’s quote:
"The way he is able to present information to guys ... His attention to detail as far as teaching patterns on the field, how you bring the group along, is amazing. Remember, he was a linebacker in the league, he worked for us as an offensive assistant, he was a special-teams head coach. He knows defense, he goes to offensive line and learns from Alex Gibbs and becomes a coordinator. Rick's path as a coach, you won't find a coach with his path. It's broad and tremendous. He should have had many opportunities to be a head coach, and I am very fortunate that he's with me."
Greg Olson, Jacksonville Jaguars - Blake Bortles gets his second new coordinator in as many seasons and Olson gets his second developmental QB as well, coming over from his stint coaching Derek Carr as a rookie in Oakland last year. This isn’t Olson’s first rodeo – he’s in his fifth stint as an NFL offensive coordinator since 2004, none of which have been particularly successful. Then again, the Jags have nowhere to go but up after finishing dead last in offensive scoring in 2014, and there’s no shortage of skill position talent here, particularly at wide receiver. Olson will be joined on the staff by former Bills head coach Doug Marrone; the Jags new assistant head coach and offensive line guru. Marrone’s tenure in Buffalo was marred by poor QB play; at least part of the reason why the Bills didn’t utilize their receivers as much as the Jags are expected to in the upcoming campaign.
Bill Musgrave, Oakland Raiders - New head coach Jack Del Rio was looking for a coordinator with significant experience developing young quarterbacks like Derek Carr. Del Rio called Musgrave, who has been working with QB’s in the NFL for most of the last 16 years. Musgrave and Chip Kelly called plays for Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez in Philly last year and he previously worked under Del Rio in Jacksonville – this should be a relatively smooth transition. Musgrave has said Oakland will operate an up-tempo offense, much like Kelly’s attack in Philly. Del Rio’s history is one of run-heavy approaches, and Musgrave had some success using a run-first approach during his tenure as the Vikings offensive coordinator; feeding Adrian Peterson the ball repeatedly.
Geep Chryst, San Francisco 49ers - The massive coaching upheaval in San Francisco has left only four coaches out of the 19 man coaching staff remaining from their 2013 Super Bowl team – Chryst, new head coach Jim Tomsula, RB coach Tom Rathman and defensive assistant Ejiro Evero. Chryst has been promoted from QB coach, getting his first shot at a coordinators job here in 2015 despite Colin Kaepernick’s modest regression last year. Kaepernick did set career highs in both rushing and passing yards in 2014, but the 49ers offense ranked below the league average on a yards per play and points per possession basis. It’s worth noting that Chryst has been coaching under Greg Roman in recent seasons, using a run-first strategy. With in-house hires as both head coach and OC, we can expect at least some continuity with that strategy in the upcoming season.
Kyle Shanahan, Atlanta Falcons - Shanahan’s dad was certainly a major factor in Kyle’s first few NFL coordinator jobs; none of which have been particularly successful. Shanahan worked under Mike Shanahan protégé Gary Kubiak as OC in Houston in 2008-2009, and then worked under his dad for four years with the Redskins. During that span, his team’s reached the playoffs only once – the ill-fated RG3 injury game against Seattle. Last year’s debacle in Cleveland didn’t exactly bolster his reputation, and his offenses have been below the league average in each of his last two seasons as OC.
Shanahan has utilized a run heavy approach in recent seasons, but that should change given the Falcons talent level in the passing game. That being said, Atlanta has operated one of the league’s most pass-heavy offenses in recent years under Dirk Koetter, so we can reasonably expect less Matt Ryan and more spread rushing from Devonta Freeman and rookie Tevin Coleman (Indiana). Shanahan is also looking to push the tempo, although the Falcons don’t have much room for improvement there after finishing sixth in the NFL in pace ratings last year compared to the #4 ranking from Cleveland. Despite that fast pace under Shanahan, the Browns went 5-11 to the Under in 2014, and the Falcons went 6-10 to the Under despite Dirk Koetter’s quick tempo approach.
Greg Roman, Buffalo Bills - Within two days of his hire in Buffalo, Rex Ryan got his guy to man the offensive coordinator position. Greg Roman enjoyed great success under Jim Harbaugh, both at Stanford and with the San Francisco 49ers utilizing a power running approach that Ryan favors. The Bills got their ‘Ground & Pound’ running back in the offseason as well, picking up Shady McCoy from Philadelphia to be the focal point of the offense. With Fred Jackson, former 49er Anthony Dixon and pro bowl fullback Jerome Felton on the roster as well, we can expect Buffalo to keep the ball on the ground early and often.
Ryan enjoyed great success with a run-first offense and a stellar defense during his first few seasons in New York. Roman enjoyed similar success using a similar approach in his first few years in San Francisco. The Bills receiving corps is as good or better than the receiving corps of either the Jets or 49ers in recent years, with Percy Harvin, Robert Woods and Sammy Watkins likely to operate out of two WR sets. Of course, given the underwhelming nature of the Bills ongoing QB competition – EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor and Matt Cassel are all vying for the job, with no clear cut favorite heading into camp – the Bills are going to have to find some semblance of decent QB play or the 2015 Bills offense could end up looking a lot like the Jets 2014 offense – anemic.
John DeFilippo, Cleveland Browns - DeFilippo has been promoted from within to replace the departed Kyle Shanahan as Cleveland’s offensive coordinator. DeFilippo has been coaching since 2000, primarily as a quarterbacks coach. He comes from a coaching family – his dad worked as an offensive assistant at Youngstown State and Vanderbilt. This will be his first coordinator position, and the Browns kept head coach Mike Pettine. Those two factors together ensure that Cleveland is not going to go through a major offensive overhaul in DeFilippo’s first season on the job.
DeFilippo is not exactly waking into an ideal situation. The Browns QB job is clearly problematic, whether Johnny Manziel or Josh McCown wins the starting job. From a skill position talent standpoint, the Browns rank at or near the bottom of the league, very short on legit playmakers at both wide receiver and tight end. Expect a ‘run-first’ approach featuring second year backs Terrence West and Isaiah Cromwell battering opposing defenses behind a solid offense line that returns all five starters.
Chan Gailey, New York Jets - Marty Mornhinweg’s run-heavy schemes are out, Gailey’s more balanced offense is in – if the Jets can get decent quarterback play, that is. Gailey has been around forever, a football coach since the early 1970’s. But he’s been out of the league for the last two seasons since his last stint as the Buffalo Bills head coach ended following the 2012 campaign. Gailey has been an NFL offensive coordinator for four different teams. His most recent stint as an NFL OC came back in 2008 with KC, where he clashed with head coach Todd Haley and was demoted, relieved of his playcalling duties after three games of the 2009 preseason. At 63 years old, Gailey is clearly in the tired retread category.
Gailey’s offenses in Buffalo were remarkably consistent – the Bills scored exactly 24 passing touchdowns and averaged exactly seven yards per throw during each of his three seasons on the job. The Jets are certainly hoping for at least that level of production this year. There are obvious unsettled concerns at quarterback coming into the season. Let’s not forget, Geno Smith’s primary competition, Ryan Fitzpatrick, was Gailey’s starting QB with the Bills. And after spending big bucks on wideouts Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker over the past two offseasons and drafting speedy Devin Smith out of Ohio State, at least whoever wins the QB job will have some weapons to work with.
Frank Cignetti, St. Louis Rams - Cignetti got the promotion from within after serving as Jeff Fisher’s QB coach for the last three seasons, despite the fact that St Louis has not enjoyed good quarterback play at any point during those campaigns. His dad was a successful D-II coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, although his tenure as the West Virginia head coach wasn’t a good one. Cignetti played for his dad in college, and then embarked on a coaching career that has included stops as the offensive coordinator for North Carolina, Fresno State, Cal and Pitt.
From all reports out of St Louis this offense, the Rams are looking to introduce a throwback style of play, using a physical running attack; reminiscent of Jeff Fisher’s better teams with the Tennessee Titans. They’re loaded at RB with first rounder Todd Gurley (still recovering from injury) joining Tre Mason and the Rams return their entire receiving corps from last year intact. But with a shaky QB situation and potentially three new starting offensive lineman, the St Louis had better hope their defense is as good as advertised because this offense is not primed to explode.
Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dirk Koetter has been around the block before. He enjoyed great success as a collegiate head coach, building up the Boise State program to its current level before a stint at Arizona State. In the NFL, he enjoyed a decent run as the OC for Jacksonville and spent the last three years coaching up Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White in Atlanta.
The Bucs offense has legitimate weapons at wideout, with Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans along with emerging young tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins. But Koetter’s pass-happy style of play calling (tons of four WR sets in Atlanta last year) may not be the best fit for an offense that’s expected to start a rookie at quarterback and potentially two more rookies on the offensive line (including second rounder Donovan Smith being asked to protect Jameis Winston’s blind side at left tackle; a VERY unsettled unit in recent seasons. Koetter’s clearly a hire in the tired retread category and he’ll have his work cut out for him with this work in progress offense.