Mike McDaniel, the new offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers, has promptly set about refining the mechanics of star quarterback Justin Herbert.
An article by ESPN’s Kris Rhim, published on July 2, highlights that McDaniel has altered Herbert’s stance when operating from the shotgun formation.
Historically, Herbert positioned his dominant right foot forward in the shotgun. However, McDaniel has shifted this strategy by having Herbert put his non-dominant left foot slightly in front, introducing a nuanced change.
McDaniel believes this adjustment delivers a “millisecond competitive advantage,” due to improved footwork speed, particularly in short pass situations and run-pass options where rapid execution is crucial.
This modification is a technique McDaniel has successfully applied with several NFL quarterbacks, likely including Tua Tagovailoa during his four-season tenure with the Miami Dolphins.
McDaniel also seems to believe this will take pressure off Herbert having to rely on his big throwing arm to complete passes, and instead rely on proper mechanics to get the ball where it needs to go in timely fashion.
This isn’t the first time that Herbert has changed his shotgun stance, as he had a balanced stance during his time playing at the University of Oregon.
And Herbert doesn’t seem to think this shift will make a huge difference, as he was quoted in the article as saying, “I don’t think it’s too much of a difference.”
One would imagine this is the first of several changes McDaniel will institute in Los Angeles, not only with Herbert but with the Chargers’ entire offense. The 43-year-old coordinator earned a reputation for his unique and creative schemes in Miami, especially when the team was an offensive juggernaut during his first several seasons.
While Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh will have to sign off on any cheeky changes McDaniel wants to make, the team’s offense under Herbert will be thrilling to watch next season, if only to see whether McDaniel’s changes produce success.