Building the perfect Chargers coaching staff
Atop of the priority list for the Chargers is finding their new head coach after parting ways with Anthony Lynn on Monday.
While the head coach is the most pressing matter, filling in the coordinator positions comes next.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Lynn’s staff hasn’t been fired yet. But when a new head coach comes in, the chances of that guy wanting to build his staff from scratch are high.
With that being said, I wanted to construct a coaching staff that I believe can get Los Angeles back in tiptop shape and is capable of dethroning Andy Reid’s Chiefs.
Head Coach — Brian Daboll
The Chargers have a gem in quarterback Justin Herbert, and one of the requirements to become the next head coach is being capable of implementing a system that will maximize his potential.
Daboll has spent the last three years helping to develop Bills quarterback Josh Allen and that work has gone well enough to make him into one of the top quarterbacks in the league and an MVP candidate.
Daboll has had so much success because of how good of a play-caller he is. Teams across the league struggle to defend Buffalo because he seems to have his own adjustments and options built in for different coverages at the ready.
General manager Tom Telesco will be aiding in the search for the team’s next coach and familiarity is a key component. He’s a St. Francis High School graduate from western New York, as is Daboll.
Justin Herbert + Brian Daboll
*chef's kiss* pic.twitter.com/lM0i1DSuXC
— Gavino Borquez (@GavinoBorquez) January 5, 2021
Offensive Coordinator — Pep Hamilton
Current offensive coordinator Shane Steichen is still under contract for 2021. Steichen is deserving of an applause for what he designed and called for Herbert in his rookie season. However, the relationship between Hamilton and Herbert is rock-solid.
A lot of credit goes to Hamilton with Herbert’s development, preparing him to play at a high level and be dynamic in a short period of time. Hamilton served as the team’s quarterbacks coach, but there’s no doubt that he should be promoted to a higher position.
Hamilton, the former XFL head coach/general manager for the Washington franchise, has decades of experience coaching on the offensive side of the football and with coaching quarterbacks, including Andrew Luck. Given that L.A. needs to build around Herbert, it should be a no-brainer.
Having a tandem of Daboll and Hamilton would be opposing defense’s worst nightmare.
Defensive Coordinator — Gerald Alexander
The chances of current defensive coordinator Gus Bradley sticking around are slim. Even though I expect Bradley to be picked up by another team, I’m a firm believer that the unit needs to have a clean slate.
Alexander was a second-round draft pick in 2007 and recently has become a fast rising star in the coaching community. After his NFL career, he worked as an assistant Arkansas State.
He bounced around for a few years before landing his first major gig as defensive back coach at California. His unit produced two 2019 NFL draft picks in Jaylinn Hawkins (Falcons) and Ashtyn Davis (Jets).
His success was recognized by Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and was hired as their defensive backs coach. Alexander worked with Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard, who led the NFL in interceptions (10). In total, the team tied for the most picks (18).
A name I’d be interested in if I were interviewing a ‘wide range’ of candidates— Dolphins secondary coach Gerald Alexander.
Coaches best DB unit in football. Former player. Was great at Cal. Players love.
Just throwing out a DIFFERENT name when this is the time for just that.
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) January 5, 2021
Special Teams Coordinator — Derius Swinton II
In 2020, the Chargers finished with the third-worst special teams unit ever tracked by DVOA. Lynn was responsible of the team reaching a turning point towards the end of the season after George Stewart and the assistants weren’t seeing positive results.
Swinton has an extensive background as a special teams coach as he is currently the Cardinals’ assistant special teams coach and has previously worked as the 49ers’ special teams coordinator in addition to coaching with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs and Rams.
There’s some familiarity between Daboll and Swinton, as the two were on staff together in Kansas City in 2012.
Swinton played college football at Hampton University in Virginia from 2003 to 2006, where he tallied 103 tackles, 19 passes defensed and eight interceptions.
