OC Mike McDaniel | Discussion

[Heatmiser]

For McDaniel to be a top notch OC, he can lean on Harbaugh for that. But if Mike M wants to be a HC again, from what I heard about him trying to be too much of a players coach in Miami, he needs to find that balance. So in that sense, we might just be preparing Mike for a one and done (season) in LA. I hope we can keep him for several

I think the part that I find most exciting about this season is the Herbert footwork thing.

Herbert has times when he just cannot find his rhythm. Herbie has had some trouble on short passes, and the timing part of his throws. He cannot find the time to make the long ones or the long passes just miss by inches and the O is falling apart. Some of those misses are timing issues too.

Footwork is about timing. The plays are the routes being run at the right depth, the right way and the QB getting the ball out on time, so that it arrives where the QB wants to throw and the receiver can run with it. Layering the patterns. Letting guys make some of the plays that just haven't been Herbert's strong suit. Hitting the short crosser. Hitting the short dump offs, the swings. All of that can take Herbert to the next level.

We had so many games under Roman, where we started OK (that's good). Then the D adjusted and in the 2nd and early 3rd we did nothing (bad). Then we bounced back late, often when their pass rush got tired (good but maybe too late). I am not thinking we will necessarily be great in the 2nd/3rd quarter, but we just need to move the ball. Pin the other team deep, and wear the other team down, and Dicker is probably going to get us some points there too. That also gives Justin the extra shots downfield or into a tight window, cause if he is going to hit more than his fair share of those over time. And just the standard of performance. I think those things will power through that period when the other team responding to our start.

Add in a good to great running game, the sky is the limit.

Really feel that is why he is here. To learn how to be a HC and overcome those criticisms at Harbuagh U. Harbs is considered a CEO, leader of man vs an offensive or defensive savant. That is what McDaniel wants to learn and cross off. If the Chargers go deep this year, like AFC championship, and offense is the reason? McD is gone.

[sonorajim]

Really feel that is why he is here. To learn how to be a HC and overcome those criticisms at Harbuagh U. Harbs is considered a CEO, leader of man vs an offensive or defensive savant. That is what McDaniel wants to learn and cross off. If the Chargers go deep this year, like AFC championship, and offense is the reason? McD is gone.

Maybe. How about if we're really good on O, D and STs? If the Offense is really good, say top 5 or better, healthy star players will be a big apart of it.
I have 50/50 McDaniel goes or stays for 2027 if we go deep in playoffs. If the Chargers 2026 offense is an NFL #1 scoring light show? Yeah. Somebody makes a HC offer that McD can't refuse. May it be so !! The remaining people won't forget everything that made them great.

[Heatmiser]

Good points. Just McD sells tickets. He is larger than life. Everyone seems to love the guy. That is why I think great success in LA means he will be the top HC candidate. He was getting interviews (albeit Raiders and Browns) even this last offseason

[sonorajim]

Good points. Just McD sells tickets. He is larger than life. Everyone seems to love the guy. That is why I think great success in LA means he will be the top HC candidate. He was getting interviews (albeit Raiders and Browns) even this last offseason

I agree. Mostly.
McD will get HC offers if we do well offensively. He'll get better offers if our offense is spectacular.

[NoMoreChillies]

I hope he wants to build something here. Follow Jim and take over oneday

wishful thinking

[sonorajim]

Good points. Just McD sells tickets. He is larger than life. Everyone seems to love the guy. That is why I think great success in LA means he will be the top HC candidate. He was getting interviews (albeit Raiders and Browns) even this last offseason

McDaniel generates excitement. It's pretty much across the spectrum that talk or watch NFL football. I like that our players are really bought in. Every Chargers body is stoked to hit the field this year. Working every day to get better.

[Steve]

Absolutely, ..... and it becomes so evident when it is 3rd and 5, where your primary goal is to just extend the chains, and you are going to your 2nd or 3rd option. Herbert just doesn't seem to set up quickly enough to make the those short throws with accuracy.

He is way behind Joe Burrows in that respect; and when your offense is struggling, those misses are huge. Part of the problem is that he is much taller than Burrows ... but there is much room for improvement.

Yeah, but it goes beyond the 3rd & 5 play. If on 1st down, he can get to that checkdown option, and get 4-6, we are still on schedule to run or pass, which we might convert on 2nd or get a couple and set up 3rd and 1, which is a lot more makeable than all the 3rd and very longs we face last year.

The other part is attacking blitzes. I think our OL is going to be a lot better this year, and we are going to be playing a lot more zone/slide pass protection than the man on man that Roman favored. Zone/slide protections were invented to pick up stunting/blitzing defenses, which was our big problem most of the time. So, that alone should help Herbert get to better receiving options. But the footwork will help him get the ball out quicker and more precisely to his hot routes and his quick options and the pass to the receiver so they are in position to get YAC and really hurt the D.

[Steve]

McDaniel generates excitement. It's pretty much across the spectrum that talk or watch NFL football. I like that our players are really bought in. Every Chargers body is stoked to hit the field this year. Working every day to get better.

I think they always worked hard. That is Harbaugh's thing.

I think for all the talk about McDaniel, his personality and everything ... which is a real thing and exciting in it's own right ... his real advantage is that I think he is helping everyone work smarter.

Watching Roman's offense over the year, there are times when he had answers to what defenses were doing and when those worked, we had good offensive production. When they didn't, we struggled.

Last year McDaniel lost Hill, Waddle and Achane were his only weapons, and drew all the attention of the D. But he had loads of screen passes, he had misdirection, quick passes, play action, run action, max protect, roll outs ... he had answers. So despite few weapons and a so-so QB who really didn't hang in well vs pressure, he was able to move the ball (and score some points too).

McDaniel is improving how quickly we can get the ball out of the QB hands, trying to get the ball to receivers more quickly to receivers who have more speed (more YAC), with more answers to more defensive problems (and prevent dilemmas). Add the emphasis of the running game (or not going away from it like Roman did) and that I think our personnel is better suited to McDaniel's O, I think we are in good shape.

[AK47]

I doubt very much that Harbaugh will leave or that Spanos will ask him to.This is Jim Harbaugh's staff and team incl Hortiz and McDaniel. He put this together. If we go deep in the playoffs and/or win a SB this year, it was Jim Harbaugh's decisions that got us there. Pretty sure Jim likes winning with the team he built.

Going for the Repeat? Yup you're right. Jim Harbaugh has the audacity to do so

[sonorajim]

Good points. Just McD sells tickets. He is larger than life. Everyone seems to love the guy. That is why I think great success in LA means he will be the top HC candidate. He was getting interviews (albeit Raiders and Browns) even this last offseason

McD will have to mess up badly and obviously to NOT get any HC offers next year. For how much, where and how he feels about the move we can't know at this time. Meanwhile he's the LA Chargers Wizard of Offense in the oncoming 2026 NFL Season.

[The Intellectual Assassin]

I have to be honest:

When he was with the Phins I thought he was kind of a prick and full of himself haha.

But...the dude knows the game and I think can do well here and he will be our prick.

[dmac_bolt]

I have to be honest:

When he was with the Phins I thought he was kind of a prick and full of himself haha.

But...the dude knows the game and I think can do well here and he will be our prick.

His effusive unconstrained confidence is a lot more attractive to me when he’s wearing powder blue. Doesn’t seem like a prick at all anymore. Weird like that lol.