Rams add Jeff garcia as an Offensive Assistant

[Alan]

Rams43 thinking again:
So here's a thought...

What if Weinke is primarily gonna work with Foles? And Garcia splits his time with the younger three (soon to be two)? In this way all of the QB's will benefit from far more hands on development than could possibly be provided by Weinke alone. (Just spitballing here).

High quality spit 43!

 

[dieterbrock]

He was hired as an offensive assistant, NOT assistant QB coach

This is a great move, let Weinke and Cignetti work on Foles while Garcia minds the farm and works out the Rook
4 QB on the team, 2 with NO experience in a Rams uni and 1 in Keenum who has next to no experience in a Rams uni.
And of course Davis has a brand new system

 

[dieterbrock]

I find myself strangely conflicted about this hire.

Part of me loves it for obvious reasons.

Part of me worries about the "too many cooks in the kitchen" concept.

If Fisher maintains clear areas of assigned responsibility, this could really work out well.

For one thing, both Weinke and Garcia have run popular QB camps for several seasons. They both have successful hands on experience developing young QB's.

We have a young starting QB that could benefit from improved fundamentals. We also have Mannion, Keenum, and Davis that cry out for attention to get them up to speed for future NFL play.

So here's a thought...

What if Weinke is primarily gonna work with Foles? And Garcia splits his time with the younger three (soon to be two)? In this way all of the QB's will benefit from far more hands on development than could possibly be provided by Weinke alone. (Just spitballing here).

Another thing. Garcia's title is "Offensive Assistant". That might mean that he will also find himself working with some of our young WR's. Maybe young TE's, too. Garcia knows the West Coast O like the back of his hand. I could see how he might have a significant positive impact on Tavon, for example. That alone could be huge.

Hell, the more I think about this, the more possibilities I see and the more I LIKE this move.

Should have read this before I posted.... I agree on most. 4 QB each one with less experience than the other. Why not have as much coaching as possible? I remember a season where we had NO qb coach. That didnt go over too well....

 

[Alan]

Fatbot not a fan of former Whiners:
Stuff about Garcia.

I agree with some of your thoughts but not your overall take on this. Let me just say a couple of things about it.

I admire a guy who succeeds despite lacking the skills/qualities that the majority of his peers have/need.

If it weren't for the forward pass, Air Coryell style Os, (add a bunch more examples here) players like Marino et al wouldn't have made it in this league. Excluding part of the game makes everything else you say come with a huge caveat doesn't it? Which types of offenses do you consider to be "acceptable."

The last point I'd make may or may not be applicable to this situation but I think it's worth thinking about and I'll use this old saying to illustrate my point. "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach."

Having said that, I'd never want him (even in his prime) to be my starting QB. I think he'd (in his prime) have won a few more games for us had he been our back up QB last year.

Sorry about the late edits but when I reread this post I realized I edited something out that was important to my point. I'm finished now. I think.

 

[MrMotes]

Weinke was hired when Sam was gonna be the QB but really i think it's just a case of Garcia still being available and the Rams seeing him as a worthwhile addition to the coaching staff...

 

[Alan]

MrMotes pointing out a good point about The Kronk being our owner:
Weinke was hired when Sam was gonna be the QB but really i think it's just a case of Garcia still being available and the Rams seeing him as a worthwhile addition to the coaching staff...

You're probably right about that and it's certainly nice to have an owner who thinks more about the team than the costs isn't it? I've always liked that about him.

 

[lockdnram21]

IMO when the dust settles and come September Morn Davis will not be a Ram, but Davis is like that girl with a great personality, who's a good friend that you always end up once summer is over.

I think Davis makes it over Keenum

 

[den-the-coach]

I think Davis makes it over Keenum

Maybe, but I will go with Arm Strength and the fact the Rams spent a 7th round pick (2016) to get Keenum back so that in essence makes a case for Case.

 

[lockdnram21]

Maybe, but I will go with Arm Strength and the fact the Rams spent a 7th round pick (2016) to get Keenum back so that in essence makes a case for Case.

Keenum doesn't have that big of a arm either. 7th rounder isn't much. Most of them get cut anyway

 

[yrba1]

You're probably right about that and it's certainly nice to have an owner who thinks more about the team than the costs isn't it? I've always liked that about him.

Heheh, wouldn't say the same with how he manages Arsenal.

 

[RamFan503]

I like the Garcia hire even though I hated him as a Whiner.

As to the too many cooks argument.... Anyone take a look at our overall coaching staff? We have quite a few cooks on the sidelines - including a few former head chefs. I haven't heard word one out of out organization that there are conflicts among them. I take this as a good sign. We are bound by the salary cap but we won't let money get in the way when it comes to coaching.

I can easily see Garcia throwing to the receivers and working on where they need to be/break/sink on certain routes. I can also easily see him working with different concepts of the offense that would be his strengths - footwork, buying time in the pocket, identifying defensive schemes, etc...

I don't buy that it means we will be running the offense as an old version of the WCO. I can see formations and plays that resemble that being designed for the likes of TA and Sted. But what this looks like to me is a way to form a more hybrid attack based around the run while really working with our playmakers to work the entire field.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I get the too many chefs in the kitchen vibe....2 QB coaches?

 

[Alan]

yrba1 not seeing the same resolve in other endeavors:
Heheh, wouldn't say the same with how he manages Arsenal.

Apples and oranges. I don't consider soccer to be a real sport.

 

[Alan]

bluecoconuts with a theme song:
A song/video.

That is the longest theme song/intro I've ever seen. :eek: I hope that's at least an hour long show because if it's not, it's just about time for the closing credits.

 

[den-the-coach]

Keenum doesn't have that big of a arm either. 7th rounder isn't much. Most of them get cut anyway

He has a superior arm to Davis and actually throws a nice and catch-able deep ball where the receivers don't have to wait. IMO, Fisher came away impressed with Keenum's ability to win two games with Houston and that's why he wanted him back so unless Davis outplays Keenum, which is possible because Davis is a modern day Jerry Golsteyn IMO, Keenum will back up Foles come September Morn.

 

[RamFan503]

Maybe, but I will go with Arm Strength and the fact the Rams spent a 7th round pick (2016) to get Keenum back so that in essence makes a case for Case.

Watching them warm up on the sideline, unless Keenum was really holding back and Davis was pushing it, I'd say Davis' arm is noticeably stronger. It seems to me that Davis just screws up his footwork on a lot of passes. Not sure if that will ever be corrected but I suppose we'll see as that really IMO seems to be the key difference between Austin and Case.

Keenum doesn't have that big of a arm either. 7th rounder isn't much. Most of them get cut anyway

He seems to be able to toss a fairly long pass but - yeah - those passes where he has to drill it in don't seem to be there anywhere.

 

[den-the-coach]

Watching them warm up on the sideline, unless Keenum was really holding back and Davis was pushing it, I'd say Davis' arm is noticeably stronger. It seems to me that Davis just screws up his footwork on a lot of passes. Not sure if that will ever be corrected but I suppose we'll see as that really IMO seems to be the key difference between Austin and Case.

Perception during the game that Keenum throws a better deep ball maybe not, but I know Davis struggled doing that. Again will be one of the battles in training camp unless Mannion impresses so much that the Rams cut both Keenum & Davis.

 

[MrMotes]

I'm looking forward to Austin Davis not being a Ram...

 

[Ram65]

Something about Davis I just don't like.

Now a little Cherry Garcia.....yes!

Glad Jeff Garcia is on board. Could help the young QBs. I think he really helps with the offense. Son of a coach and always seemed to be really involved in his games as a QB.

 

[RamBill]

Rams add Jeff Garcia as offensive assistant
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18614/rams-add-jeff-garcia-as-offensive-assistant

SAN FRANCISCO -- Former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia finished as runner-up to Chris Weinke for the St. Louis Rams' quarterback coach job in February. But just because he didn't get that job doesn't mean there's not room for him on the staff.

The Rams hired Garcia as an offensive assistant earlier this month, adding him to a staff that now has three coaches with a history of playing and/or working with quarterbacks. The extent of Garcia's duties are unclear at the moment but it stands to reason he'll be helping Weinke working with the team's four quarterbacks.

Garcia revealed his new position in a tweet Tuesday.

After an offseason in which the Rams did a major makeover of their quarterback room -- in which they deleted Sam Bradford and Shaun Hill, retained Austin Davis and added Nick Foles, Case Keenum and Sean Mannion -- it's clear the team has designs on getting more production from the position.

Weinke replaced Frank Cignetti as quarterbacks coach after Cignetti was promoted to offensive coordinator. Garcia and fellow former NFL quarterback Steve Walsh were also candidates for the job at the time.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher made it clear he wanted a coach with playing experience for his young crew of quarterbacks and that he was impressed with Weinke, Garcia and Walsh before deciding on Weinke.

Garcia spent last season as the quarterbacks coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Rams fans probably remember him well from his days playing the position for the San Francisco 49ers (and others). Garcia had been searching for NFL coaching opportunities throughout the offseason, openly discussing his desire to take over available NFL quarterbacks coach jobs in Philadelphia, Oakland and San Francisco.

Garcia last played in the NFL in 2011 but his season with the Alouettes is his only year coaching. He spent seven years in two stints with San Francisco and also played for Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Houston during his career. Along the way, Garcia went to four Pro Bowls and posted a passer rating of 87.5.