Mike McDaniel jokes he looks like Chargers ‘IT guy’ next to Jim Harbaugh

Mike McDaniel may look like he was called into the Chargers’ facility to reset the Wi-Fi.

His actual assignment is rebooting the offense.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh recently said his new offensive coordinator reminded him of a younger version of himself, praising McDaniel’s confidence and saying their interactions sometimes feel like “looking in the mirror.”

McDaniel appreciated the comparison while acknowledging an obvious difference between the two.

“It’s a real compliment that I think is also hilarious because he’s a former Mr. Everything, 6-foot-4, professional athlete, and I just got done with my job in the IT department,” McDaniel said. “That’s what I look like.”

The joke fits McDaniel’s reputation as one of the NFL’s foremost offensive nerds. After joining the Chargers in January, he watched all 3,438 passes Justin Herbert had attempted during his first six seasons.

McDaniel then presented Herbert with a cut-up containing several hundred plays and spent more than two hours explaining what he envisioned for the offense.

That preparation is now becoming a system built around motion, speed and forcing defenders to make decisions before the snap.

McDaniel’s Miami offenses used pre-snap movement at a much higher rate than the Chargers did under Greg Roman. The motion can reveal man or zone coverage, alter defensive leverage and create free releases for receivers such as Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston.

The running-game transition may be equally significant.

Miami used outside zone 157 times last season, averaging 4.78 yards per carry and nearly breaking even in expected points added. The Chargers called outside zone only 66 times, averaging 3.42 yards with considerably worse efficiency.

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McDaniel also found success with pull-lead concepts, which produced 7.5 yards per attempt for Miami. Those designs should fit Omarion Hampton by stretching defenses horizontally before allowing the powerful running back to make one cut and accelerate through the opening.

That creates an intriguing partnership with Harbaugh, whose preference for a physical, persistent running game could prevent McDaniel from drifting away from his best concepts. McDaniel’s Miami tenure ended amid criticism about toughness and discipline, but returning to an offensive-coordinator role allows him to concentrate on design while Harbaugh establishes the broader identity.

The most important work involves protecting Herbert.

Herbert was sacked 54 times and faced a league-high 263 pressures last season. McDaniel has adjusted his shotgun stance and emphasized anticipation throws designed to leave his hand in 2.4 seconds or less.

The objective is not to turn Herbert into a checkdown passer. Quicker decisions, play-action and screens can slow the rush before his exceptional arm attacks deeper portions of the field.

McDaniel already demonstrated the ceiling of that approach in 2023, when Miami led the NFL in yards per game and finished second in scoring and yards per play.

The Chargers hired someone who looks like an IT specialist. After another first-round playoff failure, they need him to make sure the offense does not crash again.