LA Rams hire Groh as WRs coach, passing game coordinator

LOS ANGELES (AP) Michael Groh was named the Los Angeles Rams' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Monday.

Groh spent the past three seasons as the Chicago Bears' receivers coach. He was the University of Alabama's receivers coach and recruiting coordinator before that, serving on three national championship-winning coaching staffs.

''He's a talented young coach that has proven himself on the college level as well as in the NFL,'' Rams coach Jeff Fisher said. ''We're looking forward to what he will bring to our offense.''

Groh's arrival likely means Rob Boras will remain the Rams' offensive coordinator in Los Angeles, keeping the job he held for the final four games of the regular season in St. Louis. Boras was the Rams' tight ends coach and assistant head coach when he took over for Frank Cignetti, helping the Rams to a 3-1 finish.

Boras specializes in engineering the Rams' running game, while Groh will be in charge of overhauling a passing game that ranked last in the NFL this season with 175.3 yards per game. St. Louis also finished last in the league with 297.6 total yards per game, and was 29th in the 32-team league with 17.5 points per game.

Quarterbacks Case Keenum and Nick Foles, who combined to throw the Rams' NFL-low 11 touchdown passes last season, are expected to compete for the starting job again in Los Angeles.

Groh is the son of former New York Jets coach Al Groh. He spent eight seasons on staff at Virginia, where he was the Cavaliers' starting quarterback from 1994-95.

Groh replaces receivers coach Ray Sherman, who was among five assistant coaches released by Fisher earlier this month. Sherman and running backs coach Ben Sirmans, who hasn't yet been replaced, had been on Fisher's staff for all four years of his St. Louis tenure.