When Sean McVay was hired by the Rams in 2017, his choice for defensive coordinator came as a surprise. He brought in legendary coach Wade Phillips, who was more than twice his age. The partnership worked for three years, but after a disappointing and inconsistent season in 2019, McVay decided to part ways with Phillips by not extending his contract.
And so, in comes a lesser-known name in Brandon Staley, who has no experience as a defensive coordinator. He’s 37 years old and although he’ll likely stick with Phillips’ 3-4 base defense, the unit should look different in 2020.
Troy Hill can already see the difference in going from Phillips to Staley, simply based on their energy levels. Hill even called Staley a McVay-type of coach on defense because of his knowledge and the way he talks.
Rams CB Troy Hill on defensive coord Brandon Staley: "I like his energy. It's kinda like a McVay of the defense almost, the way he talks and how smart he is. I feel like that's what I needed. We're feeding off it, and I feel it, just seeing how in tune the players are with him."
— Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) May 12, 2020
McVay is viewed as one of the smartest young coaches in the NFL, so for Staley to draw that comparison – even by one of his own players – is a good sign. It seemed McVay wanted to bring in a coach who was more his type and based on Staley’s coaching style, he seems to fit the mold.
It’s easy to get excited about the Rams’ defense under Staley, but there’s still a long way to go before this group is viewed as one of the best in football. It seems to be on the right track, though.
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