David Blough and the Offensive Staffing Thread

[skinsinparadise]

 

[skinsinparadise]

Oh absolutely, on both counts. In case I wasn’t clear, I was just saying that it’s possible that the continuity makes the transition slightly less dramatic (it’s a huge jump regardless though). And that perhaps his qb experience makes a difference (as compared to Shanahan/McVay anyway, even those 2 had things Blough doesn’t… namely coaching experience).

Sure, I get it makes the continuity easier for Jayden.

But lol Logan really made me think about how daunting the task it will be for Blough to kill it from the jump. It didn't make me think that he won't be a good coordinator but it did make me think its more likely in 2027 than 2026.

 

[KDawg]

burgold

Yeah, listen. I’m going to write a book. And on its first day on the shelf it’s going to outsell thousands and thousands of authors and be a professional level book. And, the kicker? I took 6 months to write the whole thing and edit it.

Sounds kind of crazy, right?

Mmhmm.

 

[KDawg]

you would know more than us since you do this for a living.

But to double down on your point, listening to Logan Paulsen on Take Command, and he generally gives a positive spin on most things.

He sees this as really daunting for Blough. He goes heck he has to draw the diagrams of his plays and other basic stuff that other coaches already have ready. The amount of work he has to put in to just get started is staggering. Then he has to coin his plays. Ultimately teach all the language to the players.

And he goes McVay even admitted that first season he was a bit overwhelmed and got much better as he went along. But he didn't have a feel for how to get a feel for the game until he went through it trial and error and thankfully he had Jay to help him. Shanny also said that having Forrestor was a godsend to help him through that first year calling plays.

Grant said he talked to someone who knew Blough well, from another team, and said he will have growing pains and in turn hopefully they have patience with him in season 1.

The gist am getting from all of this is Blough should be much better in season 2 than this season.

I wish it was my full time job!

But I do spend tons of time.

There is so much you have to do.

Terminology is a big part of- you want to keep Kliff’s? That works. But you have this one play that you want to run but you need to change one thing… but that one thing changes a lot of the terminology for the rest. No problem. You do it and go through the rest and correct. But then… oh no! It messed up this series of plays. Okay, no problem, let me correct that. Easy. All it cost was time.

Alright, let me go teach my assistants my language. Wait, what do you mean that doesn’t work because you’ve taught xyz and we’d have to start from scratch? Okay well, let’s start from scratch.

Wait, that made these plays harder to run because I changed techniques? Okay, let’s fix that.

So on and so forth.

Alright, let me get my practice plans done. Easy. Let me get this script written… sure would be nice if I had a script… let me use one of Kliff’s.

Wait, this has a bunch of old terminology on it and a lack of motions so some of these plays aren’t what I thought… need to start from scratch.

And that is what his whole first year will be. And that’s not even scratching the surface of the totality of his responsibilities.

I’m sure he’ll find a way to get it done. He seems highly motivated. But done how well, with how much forethought? It takes a few years to get everything together, so generally year one is more basic than you want.

Quinn can’t afford basic.

Blough has a tough road. I don’t envy his expectations, but I’d do my best to get it done if I were in his shoes, too. So I wish him the best and I’m cheering for him.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

"Quinn can't afford basic" -- I think that is the main question and potential issue. It is pretty unrealistic to expect Blough to be "good" as an OC this year. It just is. He has too much to do - it's really that simple. Anyone who comes in with a prepared playbook and even style would have a huge advantage. That's fine, but if Quinn is on some kind of clock this whole thing seems like nonsense.

I gather that a fair evaluation of Blough AND Quinn will not include something that pre-supposes anything like early Ws based on the offense. It's going to be a tough road ahead for this whole team. Hopefully they come out the other side stronger for it, for all of our sakes too as fans!

 

[KDawg]

"Quinn can't afford basic" -- I think that is the main question and potential issue. It is pretty unrealistic to expect Blough to be "good" as an OC this year. It just is. He has too much to do - it's really that simple. Anyone who comes in with a prepared playbook and even style would have a huge advantage. That's fine, but if Quinn is on some kind of clock this whole thing seems like nonsense.

I gather that a fair evaluation of Blough AND Quinn will not include something that pre-supposes anything like early Ws based on the offense. It's going to be a tough road ahead for this whole team. Hopefully they come out the other side stronger for it, for all of our sakes too as fans!

There is a very efficient way to make Blough more successful. In fact, it can camouflage any of these potential issues.

It’s what makes bad coaches okay, okay coaches good, good coaches great, great coaches hall of famers…

Talent.

The X’s and O’s matter.

But players matter more.

Load the offensive side of the ball with talent.

Our problem? The defensive side of the ball is low talent and coordinatorless.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

There is a very efficient way to make Blough more successful. In fact, it can camouflage any of these potential issues.

It’s what makes bad coaches okay, okay coaches good, good coaches great, great coaches hall of famers…

Talent.

The X’s and O’s matter.

But players matter more.

Load the offensive side of the ball with talent.

Our problem? The defensive side of the ball is low talent and coordinatorless.

Yes that would speed up Blough’s development and frankly I think one of the things that they didn’t like about Kliff was he didn’t pivot away from their weaknesses enough this year and into strengths. So in other words, they may feel they have more strength than was visible - although the WR room needs upgrades and that is unanimous I think.

Patullo got let go by the Eagles, and Hurts complained about a lack of identity. I mean, I think you should almost expect that exact characteristic from a first time, year long playcaller. He will need to find his voice and style… along with a lot of playbook maturation… and other things. Certainly though, “identity” will be hard to set until you start getting actual experience calling plays; you may know what you want to do, but I imagine as with many things realtime situations are different to navigate.

 

[HailYeah]

Potential good news is that our starters will likely get decent preseason play time to get used to the new system and for Blough to get comfortable… or one would think

 

[Conn]

Potential good news is that our starters will likely get decent preseason play time to get used to the new system and for Blough to get comfortable… or one would think

Plus the whole, Quinn mentioning in his season autopsy presser that they learned from that. I bet we see a good amount of starters ramping up their snaps in preseason regardless now. Even more reason with new coordinators though, you’re right

 

[philibusters]

I think Blough is young smart and motivated and will do a good job this year.

I also just would have rather kept Kliff. We saw the results and both years he was here I thought he outperformed his talent. I am not a fan of discarding the good to chase the perfect.

I don't put the majority of the defenses issues on Joe Whitt. I think personnel was the number 1 issue. But I didn't feel the defense outperformed the talent, in fact I thought it probably slightly underperformed the talent level. I was totally happy to move on from Whitt, though I have sympathy for him. But the offense situation just felt so different. I just don't understand the move. Even if it works, I think I will think the process was bad and Quinn lucked into success. But I am definitely hoping it works out.

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[RWJ]

I guess we knew it was a matter of time. Oh well. Maybe LA Chargers will come ringing for KK.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I think Blough is young smart and motivated and will do a good job this year.

I also just would have rather kept Kliff. We saw the results and both years he was here I thought he outperformed his talent. I am not a fan of discarding the good to chase the perfect.

I don't put the majority of the defenses issues on Joe Whitt. I think personnel was the number 1 issue. But I didn't feel the defense outperformed the talent, in fact I thought it probably slightly underperformed the talent level. I was totally happy to move on from Whitt, though I have sympathy for him. But the offense situation just felt so different. I just don't understand the move. Even if it works, I think I will think the process was bad and Quinn lucked into success. But I am definitely hoping it works out.

It's interesting because you are highlighting a process issue, but actually the judgement on Kliff was exactly that; it WAS process over results, because objectively I don't think anyone could judge the results as all that poor, even in 2025. Could you say that they could have done better? I argue yes, but I understand others saying no. However, it seems that it WAS a process over results decision regardless.

For 2 years, DQ has brought up the run game with Kliff. Kliff joked about it in year-1, but in both years there was a disconnect in pressers. That is a *process* issue. DQ wanted the offense to have a different look, and by the way, I imagine it was not some major change. I imagine it was fairly slight. I also imagine that Kliff wasn't interested, and that showed because the disconnect was present for 2 full years. So - this actually (interestingly) was a process over results decision, and it absolutely MAY make the team worse next year than this year. The question that Josh Harris always wants answered the right way, is - are we going to be better in the LONG term. He has mentioned he isn't interested in short-term fixes multiple times, he wants a perennial winner built.

A true "process over results" mentality - but with the right person making that evaluation (do we have that person?) - will get you there.

 

[KDawg]

It's interesting because you are highlighting a process issue, but actually the judgement on Kliff was exactly that; it WAS process over results, because objectively I don't think anyone could judge the results as all that poor, even in 2025. Could you say that they could have done better? I argue yes, but I understand others saying no. However, it seems that it WAS a process over results decision regardless.

For 2 years, DQ has brought up the run game with Kliff. Kliff joked about it in year-1, but in both years there was a disconnect in pressers. That is a *process* issue. DQ wanted the offense to have a different look, and by the way, I imagine it was not some major change. I imagine it was fairly slight. I also imagine that Kliff wasn't interested, and that showed because the disconnect was present for 2 full years. So - this actually (interestingly) was a process over results decision, and it absolutely MAY make the team worse next year than this year. The question that Josh Harris always wants answered the right way, is - are we going to be better in the LONG term. He has mentioned he isn't interested in short-term fixes multiple times, he wants a perennial winner built.

A true "process over results" mentality - but with the right person making that evaluation (do we have that person?) - will get you there.

You want to lean on the run? Great. Give the OC a back that can do it on an every down basis. That back isn’t on our roster no matter how bad some want him to be.

 

[Conn]

Josina Anderson is someone who does have direct player sources, but her coach/organizational stuff always seems to have an obvious agent slant to it. So it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Kliff isn’t getting the bites his agent wants as of yet

 

[Boone]

It's interesting because you are highlighting a process issue, but actually the judgement on Kliff was exactly that; it WAS process over results, because objectively I don't think anyone could judge the results as all that poor, even in 2025. Could you say that they could have done better? I argue yes, but I understand others saying no. However, it seems that it WAS a process over results decision regardless.

For 2 years, DQ has brought up the run game with Kliff. Kliff joked about it in year-1, but in both years there was a disconnect in pressers. That is a *process* issue. DQ wanted the offense to have a different look, and by the way, I imagine it was not some major change. I imagine it was fairly slight. I also imagine that Kliff wasn't interested, and that showed because the disconnect was present for 2 full years. So - this actually (interestingly) was a process over results decision, and it absolutely MAY make the team worse next year than this year. The question that Josh Harris always wants answered the right way, is - are we going to be better in the LONG term. He has mentioned he isn't interested in short-term fixes multiple times, he wants a perennial winner built.

A true "process over results" mentality - but with the right person making that evaluation (do we have that person?) - will get you there.

I agree with most of this. The bottom line for me is that Quinn effed this up. There was no question prior to filling the OC role who Kliff Kingsbury was. Setting aside the 'Air Raid' stuff which honestly never was a Kingsbury thing, there was plenty of film on the kind of offense Kliff was going to run here. You draft one of the most electric dual threat QBs ever with the 2nd pick - and you hire Kingsbury. Then for two years (as a HC with defensive expertise btw), you try to get him to change his offensive philosophy despite it producing good to great results. There may have been a reasonable rationale for wanting him to change (keeping Jayden Daniels healthy for example) but I think smart head coaches know, coaches don't just fundamentally change their offensive or defensive philosophies. Meanwhile your buddy the defensive coordinator can't fight his way out of a paper bag, has no idea how to fix it, and your defense is an NFL bottom dweller that costs us the game more often than not., even after the defensive genius head coach is forced to take over.

Does any of that make any sense?

No. It doesn't.

I don't blame Kingsbury for not wanting to be here.

 

[DWinzit]

More than likely DQ and AP jumped at Kliff because he is a flash big name offensive guy. They figured he could bring a long their rookie QB and make the offense sing while DQ would take care of the D. I imagine them not worrying about Kliffs play calling until they saw the way his play calling was affecting the not so great D and the amount of run plays were their QB, not a RB

I am not a fan of how this search has transpired. Fingers crossed that things work out or the coming year will look like our second wasted season in a row

 

[Riggo44]

The bottom line for me is that Quinn effed this up. There was no question prior to filling the OC role who Kliff Kingsbury was.

Without being actually in the room, yes there is a question, and I vehemently wanted to keep Kingsbury. We have no idea what was said, how much of a discussion there was, or what was asked.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I agree with most of this. The bottom line for me is that Quinn effed this up. There was no question prior to filling the OC role who Kliff Kingsbury was. Setting aside the 'Air Raid' stuff which honestly never was a Kingsbury thing, there was plenty of film on the kind of offense Kliff was going to run here. You draft one of the most electric dual threat QBs ever with the 2nd pick - and you hire Kingsbury. Then for two years (as a HC with defensive expertise btw), you try to get him to change his offensive philosophy despite it producing good to great results. There may have been a reasonable rationale for wanting him to change (keeping Jayden Daniels healthy for example) but I think smart head coaches know, coaches don't just fundamentally change their offensive or defensive philosophies. Meanwhile your buddy the defensive coordinator can't fight his way out of a paper bag, has no idea how to fix it, and your defense is an NFL bottom dweller that costs us the game more often than not., even after the defensive genius head coach is forced to take over.

Does any of that make any sense?

No. It doesn't.

I don't blame Kingsbury for not wanting to be here.

Yeah it does feel like all of this. Will see how it all plays out. A guess from me as to last season, based on actions and some rhetoric: and I know you somewhat disagree with me on this but Quinn and more so Peters were arrogant last off season. Not in their personality, I don't think they were obnoxious so I don't mean it in the traditional sense. But in their action and some of their statements. I gave examples why which I don't feel like repeating. But I do think all the accolades and success went to their head. It was an off season of extreme doubling down IMO including running an even lighter camp than they did the previous off season where it felt camp was a walk through to rest their players for the playoffs. And both Quinn and Peters in different ways treated Daniels like he was already Mahomes. It's not exactly this but close enough -- and I am using some hyperbole to make a point.

To me they were a classic upstart team that lost their edge. Now Quinn is coming off to me like the classic beaten down dude wrestling with what to do to muster a comeback and perhaps overthinking it.

Now it feels like Quinn is veering to the opposite extreme. He has said there are hundreds of lessons he learned from this season as to what to do different. Not 1 or 2 things mind you but hundreds. He comes off VERY beaten. And obsessed with not repeating past mistakes. He seemed to overreact to the Lions wanting to interview Blough -- how would he look if the Lions took off with their stacked offense and Blough at the helm? We got McDaniels out there now as a potential coordinator which only reinforces him letting him go years before when with Atlanta -- is he going to repeat the same mistake?

The reason why I equate it to a late mid life crisis from Quinn is it comes off akin like he knows his wife might dump him, he might lose this or that, so lets shake it up and get a little crazy. Now if that filters to Peters and free agency, I'd like that aspect of being aggressive. They had a ton of cap room last year and spent the 14th most. People want to know why the 49ers succeeded with injuries and this team didn't. Bourne is a good example. 49ers already have McCaffrey, Pearsall, Kittle, Jennings yet they had more urgency to add more during the season. He's not great but decent and would have been the best WR on this team this year sans Deebo factoring the injuries. Peters admitted he could have added wrs but they were out of his price range and learned a lesson from it. When you got no depth and don't have urgency to address it -- your season can go to hell more than most with injuries.

No urgency from Peters this past off season aside from O line. Quinn had no urgency in the summer, with his light camp, getting creamed in the preseason games and just shrugging it off, Pats reporters said the Pats kicked their asses in the scrimmage before they kicked their asses in the preseason game. All of it seemed to be one big shrug.

Now, lol, I think we are about to see the opposite. And some of the potential extremes might be good -- aggressive FA for a change, and a more compeititve camp with some emphasis on preparing Jayden for the season. But the Blough move feels like a bad version of aggressive from Quinn. Not that I think he will be a bad coordinator but it makes all the sense in the world that he's a work in progress and next season IMO is a critical one.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I agree with most of this. The bottom line for me is that Quinn effed this up. There was no question prior to filling the OC role who Kliff Kingsbury was. Setting aside the 'Air Raid' stuff which honestly never was a Kingsbury thing, there was plenty of film on the kind of offense Kliff was going to run here. You draft one of the most electric dual threat QBs ever with the 2nd pick - and you hire Kingsbury. Then for two years (as a HC with defensive expertise btw), you try to get him to change his offensive philosophy despite it producing good to great results. There may have been a reasonable rationale for wanting him to change (keeping Jayden Daniels healthy for example) but I think smart head coaches know, coaches don't just fundamentally change their offensive or defensive philosophies. Meanwhile your buddy the defensive coordinator can't fight his way out of a paper bag, has no idea how to fix it, and your defense is an NFL bottom dweller that costs us the game more often than not., even after the defensive genius head coach is forced to take over.

Does any of that make any sense?

No. It doesn't.

I don't blame Kingsbury for not wanting to be here.

This is why I started that thread a while back (about picking coordinators). When a HC hires a coordinator he should check the philosophy if he cares. This situation should be somewhat avoidable with careful hiring. The idea that DQ had learned what he needed was untrue, ok, let’s hope he learned again here.