Chargers Retain Mike McCoy

The San Diego Chargers might not know where they are playing home games next season, but they do know who will be their head coach. The franchise announced that Mike McCoy would return in 2016 to coach the final year on his contract.

After a forgettable 4-12 season, the Chargers let go of many of their assistant coaches, most notably, offensive coordinator, Frank Reich. The other coaches who were relieved of their duties were as follows:

• Offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris
• Tight ends coach Pete Metzelaars
• Wide receivers coach Fred Graves
• Defensive line coach Don Johnson
• Assistant offensive line coach Andrew Dees

For those keeping track, five of the six coaches let go were on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive coordinator, John Pagano, is still on the staff, for the time being at least. The Chargers may be moving to another city in Southern California, and they appear to be clearing house as well.

The big question here is why. Why is Mike McCoy returning next season? After the Chargers worst season in the last decade, it looked like a lock that McCoy would be let go. However, he is remaining at the helm, and who knows why except for Mr. Spanos.

After firing Norv Turner in 2013, Spanos hired McCoy, who was then the OC with the Denver Broncos, although he had no head coaching experience. Norv Turner had brought the Chargers to 3 postseasons, including 3 playoff wins and a trip to the AFC Championship game. Turner won 3 AFC West division crowns, and finished his Chargers tenure with 56 wins in six seasons as the head coach.

While Norv Turner made a number of questionable in-game decisions, he only had one losing season, finishing 7-9 in 2012 which was his last in San Diego. Mike McCoy, however, has only brought the Chargers to one postseason, finishing 9-7 in his first two seasons before this dismal 4 win season.

If it weren’t for an improbable string of losses by AFC opponents, and a four-game winning streak to end the season, the Chargers would not have been in the playoffs in 2013. The Bolts are now going on 3 seasons of not playing in the playoffs, yet McCoy remains as the head coach. Perhaps this is a money saving move. They don’t want to fire McCoy and pay the final year of his contract just to hire and pay another head coach.

This franchise has made many head-scratching decisions in the past. Most notably, the firing of Marty Schottenheimer in 2006 after finishing 14-2 and losing to the Patriots in the Divisional round.

Schottenheimer finished 14-2 and gets fired after losing in the playoffs, Turner brought them to the postseason in 3 of his 6 seasons and is fired, and yet Mike McCoy, who after 3 seasons has a 22-26 clip as head coach, is sticking around after a 4-12 season.

Even more head scratching is the fact that there are plenty of head coaching candidates who have been very successful in their previous jobs. Adam Gase, Hue Jackson, Mike Shanahan, Doug Marrone, Tom Coughlin, and Lovie Smith are all on the market.

However, the Chargers are now searching for an offensive coordinator to replace Frank Reich. The most notable candidate is Ken Whisenhunt, who was the OC in San Diego in 2013 before leaving to become the head coach of the Titans, only to be fired after the first month of his second season as head coach.

With so many uncertainties surrounding the franchise, maybe it is reassuring to know who the head coach will be. At the same time, Mike McCoy might not be the right man for the job.

Injuries cannot be an excuse for finishing 4-12, and lack of talent is not a valid excuse either. Despite the lack of run game, and rash of injuries on both sides of the ball, Philip Rivers finished second in the NFL in passing yards, only to Drew Brees. Keenan Allen was having a Pro Bowl year before going on IR, and Jason Verrett had an amazing year besides being left out of the Pro Bowl. Rookie Denzel Perryman looks like a stud on the defensive side of the ball, and Melvin Gordon shows flashes of brilliance when he has room to run and can hold on to the ball.

The Chargers have plenty of talent, and maybe a new OC and new assistant coaches will do the trick. If 2016 isn’t much improved, McCoy should be the first one to go. He has had plenty of opportunity, and will get one last shot, whether deserving or not.