Jim Harbaugh Opens Up About Mike McDaniel, Future for Justin Herbert

The Chargers head coach told all about his new OC and what they hope to do for Justin Herbert.

Jim Harbaugh | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

We recently wrote about how the Los Angeles Chargers could look to Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins days as a way to blueprint out how he intends to protect Justin Herbert. 

Because better protecting Herbert, one of the themes of the offseason so far, isn't just about upgrading the offensive line. 

With McDaniel in town, it’s about asking less of Herbert, who has needed to play hero ball en route to injury often to overcome his surroundings as a pro. 

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh recently sat down and waxed poetic about all things McDaniel how that relationship is going so far. 

"Where to really start would be just how his mind is. Just how much football information, how good it is, his expertise at all positions, and on defense, too," Harbaugh said, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. "He's a real expert in how defenses play different coverages, schemes, fronts, blitz patterns."

It didn’t stop there, either.

Harbaugh said he’s recalibrating how he thinks about offense: "The receivers, the timing between the quarterback, offensive line play, the running backs being tied into the blocking scheme … really been doing a lot of listening, a lot of learning, just leaned in to how he sees football."

So, good news for Chargers fans. Harbaugh left his comfortable shell when he fired friend Greg Roman. Every move of the offseason so far has hinted at an inspired, forward-thinking sort of design now, not the standard old-school one. 

How will Mike McDaniel protect Justin Herbert? 

Mike McDaniel | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Route timings, running concepts and a better emphasis on getting the ball out without needing improvisation sound like big keys to the process for McDaniel in Los Angeles so far. 

Harbaugh specifically tackled this question about how the new-look offense will aim to keep Herbert upright and healthy:

"It's probably two ways. One, it's just less. Less dropback protection. Straight dropback protection, the defensive line can transition into pass rush immediately. The second way is the way the run game and the pass game, play action, are tied together. It takes a second more that you can see defensive linemen [thinking], 'Oh, now it's a pass.'

A year ago, Herbert ran more than ever and was praised for “evolving” his game a bit. But it predictably led to disaster in the form of nagging injuries and a fracture on his non-throwing hand that required surgery. 

The real "evolution" in a modern offense comes from needing to do less, but being quite a bit more effective with what he is doing. 

It remains to be seen how McDaniel wants to flesh out the wide receiver unit around Ladd McConkey, if at all. But that’s pretty much the one area that hasn’t been overhauled on the offense yet. 

Harbaugh, either way, seems happy with where things are headed.

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