Sean McVay had a brilliant first season as the head coach of the LA Rams, leading the team to a remarkable turnaround to finish 11-5, winning the 2017 NFL Coach of the Year award, all while being the youngest head coach in the history of the NFL.
That stellar first season didn't come with some growing pains though, as McVay shared with reporters on a few occasions after games how he could have used timeouts better (like vs. the Seahawks), and also for "inexcusable" clock management in a game against the Cardinals that they ended up winning by 16 points.
During his first full off season, back in January, McVay hired Jedd Fisch, who had spent the previous season as the offensive coordinator, and two games as the interim head coach at UCLA following the dismissal of Jim Mora Jr. His official title when he was hired was Senior Offensive Consultant, which makes a ton of sense when you figure Fisch has been a coordinator at the college level with recent stops at both UCLA and Michigan, as well as at the NFL level with the Jaguars.
On his weekly conference call last night, McVay noted the specific game day role on staff that he carved out for the veteran coach.
During games, Fisch's role is as a "clock management specialist," helping the young McVay navigate not only scheme situations on offense, but also those issues that proved to be a challenge for him in his first year as a head coach like when to use those timeouts, and clock management.
While, by all accounts, that first season was a rousing success, McVay identified an area that he needed help in on game day, and put his ego aside to bring in a veteran coach he trusts to help him navigate those waters while the bullets are flying. Every young, or first-year head coach should try to find an experienced guy that can help in that area, because it could prove to be the difference in a number of games.
That deserves a load of credit, as well as a tip of the cap.