Does It Make Sense? Evaluating Ben McAdoo’s Track Record, Potential Fit As the Jaguars’ OC
After a few days of radio silence, there was finally some news about the Jacksonville Jaguars' offensive coordinator vacancy on Friday, with former embattled New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo's name popping up as a candidate.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, McAdoo has interviewed for the job that has been open since Monday when the Jaguars and former offensive coordinator John DeFilippo mutually parted ways. So far, McAdoo has been the first name directly connected to the job, as Scott Linehan is also interviewing with Jacksonville but for an undisclosed position on the staff.
The news of McAdoo, New York's head coach for the 2016 season and bulk of 2017, interviewing with Jacksonville was met by some puzzled reactions, leading us to wonder what McAdoo's track record as a play-caller really says about his fit with Jacksonville.
McAdoo, 42, called plays for the Giants offense for two years (2014-2015) as offensive coordinator under Tom Coughlin, and then called plays as the team's head coach in 2016. He called plays for the start of the 2017 season but eventually handed the duties over to offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan.
So for the bulk of McAdoo's nearly four years in New York, he was the man orchestrating the offense. When looking back on those Giants' offenses, how did they fare?
In McAdoo's first year as offensive coordinator, the Giants were equipped with veteran quarterback Eli Manning, rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., wide receiver Reuben Randle, and tight end Larry Donnell. Beckham, of course, went on to win Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year after catching 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. Manning had a solid year under McAdoo as well, totaling 379/601 passing for 4,410 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions.
New York finished 6-10 in 2014, but the offense was a bright spot for the team. It scored 23.8 points per game (13th in NFL), which was a big jump from the 18.4 points per game (28th in NFL) the Giants scored the year prior.
McAdoo's 2014 offense finished the year ranked 10th in total yards, 10th in rushing attempts, 23rd in rushing yards, ninth in passing attempts, seventh in passing yards, and ninth in touchdown passes.
In 2015, the Giants offense was even better with a lot of the same pieces, though New York once again finished 6-10. Manning was 387/618 passing for 4,432 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Beckham caught 96 passes for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns, proving his rookie year, and fit in McAdoo's scheme, were no flukes.
New York scored 26.3 points per game (6th in the NFL) in McAdoo's sophomore season as the play-caller. The offense finished the season ranked eighth in total yards, 19th in rushing attempts, 18th in rushing yards, six in passing attempts, seventh in passing yards, and first in touchdown passes.
Following 2015, Coughlin would be fired and McAdoo would be promoted from within to replace him. New York finished the year 11-5 and made a Wild Card Round appearance, but the offense began to take a step back.
In 2016, New York's offense struggled to score points, totaling only 19.4 per game (26th in NFL). Manning's production began to regress, as he was 377/598 passing for 4,027 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. Beckham once again had a good year, catching 101 passes for 1,367 yards and 10 touchdowns, and McAdoo was able to implement rookie wide receiver Sterling Sheppard into the offense.
Ultimately, the Giants' offense took a step back in nearly every area as McAdoo's transition to head coach took place. They ranked 25th in offensive yards, 22nd in rushing attempts, 29th in rushing yards, eighth in passing attempts, 17th in passing yards, and 13th in passing touchdowns.
2017 would be McAdoo's swan song with the Giants. Fired after 12 games due to a 2-10 record, McAdoo navigated a turbulent season which saw him bench Manning due to the veteran's poor play. The offense that just years prior had thrived under McAdoo's direction was now in shambles,
In 2017, Manning had one of the worst seasons of his career, completing 352/571 passes for 3,468 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. He was benched for career journeyman Geno Smith before McAdoo was fired.
Despite McAdoo giving up play-calling, nothing worked for the Giants' offense in 2017. They scored a meager 15.4 pointers per game (31st in NFL) and were 21st in total yards, 25th and 26th in rushing attempts and rushing yards, first in passing attempts but only 19th in passing yards, and 23rd in passing touchdowns. It isn't hard to see why McAdoo was let go following this disaster of a season.
So, what does Ben McAdoo's track record as a play-caller say about him today? Well, it indicates he can scheme a successful passing attack and knows how to get his best players (Beckham) involved in big ways. For the first two years in New York, he rejuvenated Manning's career with his play-calling and ability to adapt the scheme around the Giants' personnel.
The running game never did much under McAdoo's leadership, though some context is needed. The Giants' offensive line was consistently below average, and the Giants never had a standout running back. They started runners like Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, Wayne Gallman, and Orleans Darkwa -- none of who have been established ball-carriers at the NFL level.
As a head coach, McAdoo's failures were obvious. The offense took steps back in each year he led the franchise, a clear shift from when his sole role was to call plays and gameplan for the offense. In this case, it was clear McAdoo struggled to pull double duty as both a manager of the game and team and as a play-caller.
But for the Jaguars, the real interest should be in what he did as strictly a play-caller, because that is what he would be if hired by Jacksonville. His work with Beckham suggests he would be able to get the best out of D.J. Chark, and his early success with Manning would create at least some optimism about his ability to work with Gardner Minshew II. Minshew and Manning couldn't be more different stylistically, so McAdoo would have to change some of his approaches.
Perhaps the one area McAdoo's fit with the Jaguars is questionable is the running game. McAdoo's New York offenses never finished better than 18th in rushing yards and aside from 2014, never finished in the top 18 of NFL teams in rushing attempts. Jacksonville has shaped its offense around Leonard Fournette in the past, and it remains to be seen if McAdoo would have the same plan. Chances are he wouldn't when you look at his work in New York.
Ultimately, McAdoo coached several potent offenses in New York from a scoring and passing standpoint. For a Jaguars team who struggled to do so in 2019, this would be a welcomed addition. It remains to be seen if he would be able to get the best out of Fournette like the Jaguars did in 2019, but the rest of his fit makes sense.
