David Blough and the Offensive Staffing Thread

[Riggo44]

He had a lot more coaching experience than Blough. A lot. 9 total years of experience before becoming a HC, 5 years before becoming an OC, and he didn’t call plays his first year as a coordinator. He had his hands all over the offensive operation from different positions for multiple years before being handed the reins, and a lot more hands-on experience, and he had called plays, before leading a team. And he had the Shanahan tree connections (cronyism wins sometimes). Wes Phillips gave him access to Wade Phillips, who was an extremely experienced and talented DC and former HC to help balance out the inexperience of McVay, and help attract better assistants.

This actually speaks more to SIP's A. scenario--McVay, being around longer, had more access and connections.

 

[DWinzit]

Ben Johnson only gave like 2 minutes to the topic but glowed about him, didn't dive into whether he'd be good right away or not, but thought he'd be a HC fast in the league. Colt talked longer about him, thought he was really smart and well versed with various offenses and would be really good.

Sheehan probably has the most optimistic take he said what he heard is that they had designs on Blough and that was part of the reason why Kliff was let go.

Well we are going to soon find out if he really is ready or not. Thank you for responding!

 

[Boone]

I think the thing I want to keep stressing is, pointing out facts as Conn does so well here does not mean that folks believe Blough will fail any more than previous experience means someone will be a roaring success. But arguing that more experience and a larger data set of successful past performance doesn't mean anything, I think that's sort of silly. We can spin these 'first chance' hires all we want, but they won't fail or succeed based on what we want to believe.

They are higher risk moves that may or may not pan out.

 

[Conn]

This actually speaks more to SIP's A. scenario--McVay, being around longer, had more access and connections.

I agree. Partially because he was more qualified and earned those connections, partially because he had more time networking in the league while building his reputation on multiple respected staffs.

Makes it a very different situation.

McVay by 30 was a true wunderkind despite coaching for almost a decade.

For Blough to have early success would make him even more of a ridiculous outlier. That’s what makes it nearly impossible to imagine.

 

[burgold]

Are we making a fair comparison though?

Are we comparing first time HCs with first time OCs and saying the OC falls short because he doesn't have as much experience as the HC?

(Mind you, I think Blough is extremely inexperienced even for an OC. I think I read that there have only been a handful of those promoted with a similar resume.)

 

[Conn]

I also think it would be crazy to not consider that our situation with Quinn starting over at both coordinator spots in year 3 made it hard to hire more experienced or higher value assistants. If Blough doesn’t do the incredible and help us find success early on, then this is very possibly (and obviously from the outside) a potential lame duck staff.

You know the sorts of hires you’re able to pull off for a staff perceived as being a hot seat danger around the league? Promoting less qualified assistants from within who are already under contract, and convincing exec’s sons to work for you. Those sorts of hires.

If this works out, awesome. We’ll have a young stud staff growing together on the offensive side and Quinn will keep his job.

If it doesn’t work out? Well all the warning signs will have been there in bold blinking red lights. Pretending that’s not at LEAST a medium probability outcome feels like putting on blinders to me.

 

[Riggo44]

I agree. Partially because he was more qualified and earned those connections, partially because he had more time networking in the league while building his reputation on multiple respected staffs.

Makes it a very different situation.

McVay by 30 was a true wunderkind despite coaching for almost a decade.

For Blough to have early success would make him even more of a ridiculous outlier. That’s what makes it nearly impossible to imagine.

This line from Jhabvala makes the Stapleton hire more logical: "Maintaining some continuity on offense, and providing Blough assistants he’s familiar with, only makes sense. Stapleton built up a strong rapport with Blough over their last two years together as a assistant positional coaches in Washington. Stapleton was well-liked by players, heavily involved in pass protections and helped with game planning."

He's already going to have a lot on his plate--no need to add more, because they're more experienced, but has no knowledge of what we're doing here. It also doesn't sound like Stapleton is some schmuck, either. Additionally, Jhabvala isn't an Ian O'Connor cheerleader for the team. If there's something she sees that doesn't make sense, she says so, e.g., the "vibe" at training camp last summer, as well as not bringing in any additional receivers.

 

[Boone]

I guess the question is, and I swear I am not saying this with snark, is 'experience with what we're doing here' a good thing? Because what we were doing here got our OC and DC both let go and got us 5 wins.

 

[Dlts20]

Yea it's great to have elite outside talent but as someone very young who needs to lead, I think surrounding him by a bunch of people he is comfortable with is a great idea

 

[CapsCommies]

This line from Jhabvala makes the Stapleton hire more logical: "Maintaining some continuity on offense, and providing Blough assistants he’s familiar with, only makes sense. Stapleton built up a strong rapport with Blough over their last two years together as a assistant positional coaches in Washington. Stapleton was well-liked by players, heavily involved in pass protections and helped with game planning."

He's already going to have a lot on his plate--no need to add more, because they're more experienced, but has no knowledge of what we're doing here. It also doesn't sound like Stapleton is some schmuck, either. Additionally, Jhabvala isn't an Ian O'Connor cheerleader for the team. If there's something she sees that doesn't make sense, she says so, e.g., the "vibe" at training camp last summer, as well as not bringing in any additional receivers.

Stapleton played in the league for a few years (including as a starter during the Steelers Super Bowl run) and was OL coach at Florida for a few years. Going from Assistant OL coach to OL coach now would be a reasonably-timed promotion for him even setting aside the Blough of it all. In of itself doesn't raise any eyebrows IMO

 

[method man]

I also think it would be crazy to not consider that our situation with Quinn starting over at both coordinator spots in year 3 made it hard to hire more experienced or higher value assistants. If Blough doesn’t do the incredible and help us find success early on, then this is very possibly (and obviously from the outside) a potential lame duck staff.

You know the sorts of hires you’re able to pull off for a staff perceived as being a hot seat danger around the league? Promoting less qualified assistants from within who are already under contract, and convincing exec’s sons to work for you. Those sorts of hires.

If this works out, awesome. We’ll have a young stud staff growing together on the offensive side and Quinn will keep his job.

If it doesn’t work out? Well all the warning signs will have been there in bold blinking red lights. Pretending that’s not at LEAST a medium probability outcome feels like putting on blinders to me.

We’re now only missing pulling in guys as position coaches who have been out of the league multiple years like what Jay did in 2019 with Ray Horton and Rob Ryan

 

[Higskin]

Keim responding to a "vision" question

\

 

[Riggo44]

I guess the question is, and I swear I am not saying this with snark, is 'experience with what we're doing here' a good thing? Because what we were doing here got our OC and DC both let go and got us 5 wins.

One of the reporters said it better than I did: Stapleton has a good rapport, aligns with Blough's vision, has a strong relationship with the players. He was heavily involved with the game planning and scheme during the season, and is a strong developer. If he is good, why is there a need to upset the apple cart by bringing in someone more experienced for the sake of it?

Like skinsinparadise said above, surrounding a young, inexperienced OC like this with people who he knows and is comfortable with is a great idea.

 

[Discobob]

Blough with Jayden. Looks like they already have a great relationship.

Yeah, but has Jayden invited him into his Chunky Mantry?

 

[method man]

Yea it's great to have elite outside talent but as someone very young who needs to lead, I think surrounding him by a bunch of people he is comfortable with is a great idea

Someone young needs to be challenged by and supported by more experienced folks who have been there and done that

 

[Riggo44]

Someone young needs to be challenged by and supported by more experienced folks who have been there and done that

He is: Anthony Lynn (former HC and OC) and Brian Johnson (former OC that made Jalen Hurts an MVP candidate...the same Jalen Hurts who went 3 separate halves of football throwing for less than 5 total yards)

 

[Dlts20]

Someone young needs to be challenged by and supported by more experienced folks who have been there and done that

That's like a QB looking over his shoulder at the great, accomplished backup. It's not a good idea. Players will start going to the older guys, then they will start complaining. I'm not saying that you don't need experience.

I'm saying that the needed experience is already there and he's comfortable with. Now if it's someone from the outside that he knows then that's good too but familiarity is important in situations like this. There's a trust there.

 

[Conn]

This line from Jhabvala makes the Stapleton hire more logical: "Maintaining some continuity on offense, and providing Blough assistants he’s familiar with, only makes sense. Stapleton built up a strong rapport with Blough over their last two years together as a assistant positional coaches in Washington. Stapleton was well-liked by players, heavily involved in pass protections and helped with game planning."

He's already going to have a lot on his plate--no need to add more, because they're more experienced, but has no knowledge of what we're doing here. It also doesn't sound like Stapleton is some schmuck, either. Additionally, Jhabvala isn't an Ian O'Connor cheerleader for the team. If there's something she sees that doesn't make sense, she says so, e.g., the "vibe" at training camp last summer, as well as not bringing in any additional receivers.

Yeah it’s clear that’s the team’s preferred narrative on it, she and JP or whoever tweeted nearly the same phrase word-for-word when reporting the news, words that obviously came in a release/memo from the org. 2 or 3 of the beat writers said almost the exact same thing, the same way: “heavily involved in pass protections and helped with game planning”

 

[heisenberg]

One thing that is being overlooked a little in the mcvay versus blough comparisons and I think is important is that mcvay had no nfl experience as a player.
Mcvay had 6 years of nfl experience before he was promoted to an offensive coordinator and blough has 7 years of nfl experience.

Yes its different being a coach than a player but the experience gap between the two isn't anywhere near as large when you factor in bloughs playing days when he was no doubt learning the nuances of how to attack nfl defenses.

 

[skinsinparadise]

One thing that is being overlooked a little in the mcvay versus blough comparisons and I think is important is that mcvay had no nfl experience as a player.
Mcvay had 6 years of nfl experience before he was promoted to an offensive coordinator and blough has 7 years of nfl experience.

Yes its different being a coach than a player but the experience gap between the two isn't anywhere near as large when you factor in bloughs playing days when he was no doubt learning the nuances of how to attack nfl defenses.

A big difference also was according to Jay, that Jay was the defacto O coordinator in McVay's first year in charge and then he let go of the reigns. Blough has no net right now. As Sheehan-Standig among others mentioned they should hire some veteran offensive consultant to help.