The Saints have interviewed and requested interviews with many different candidates for their vacant offensive coordinator position as of recently. Many have much in common with one another.
Most of the candidates come from the Sean McVay coaching tree or the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. Rightfully so because most of the offensive schemes you see these days are all similar to McVay's or Shanahan’s scheme.
Just last year before the 2022 season they went after a McVay disciple in Liem Coen who wound up going back to Kentucky.
You can see where this team wants to be offensively, and it is long overdue. I am ready to see where this goes and where it leads to.
As it stands the Saints have interviewed the following candidates:
Zac Robinson, Rams Passing Game Coordinator
Klint Kubiak, 49ers Passing Game Coordinator
Brian Griese, 49ers QBs Coach
Dan Pitcher, Bengals QB Coach (Staying in Cincinnati)
Shane Waldron, Seahawks Offensive Coordinator (Hired by Bears)
Ronald Curry, Saints QB Coach
Jerrod Johnson, Texans QB Coach
Mike Sullivan, Steelers QB coach
Two of these candidates stand out more than the rest. Let’s get into some brief details and background on those two shall we?!
Zac Robinson
Zac Robinson during this coaching cycle has been one of the “hot” names around the league for open offensive coordinator spots. Many might remember or recognize Robinson’s name from his college football days at Oklahoma State when he was throwing long bombs to Dez Bryant, but since his playing days he has steadily climbed up the coaching ladder.
He began his coaching career in 2019 with the Los Angeles Rams as an assistant QBs coach. It was also the same year they acquired Pro Bowler Matthew Stafford from the Lions, so he was able to hit the ground running.
In 2020 he was switched to being an assistant WRs coach. Then in 2021 he was switched back once again to assistant QBs coach after Liem Coen left for Kentucky. Robinson was part of that Ram’s staff that won Super Bowl LVI in 2021, and that also was the best season Matthew Stafford ever had in his career, and Robinson played a role in that QB room.
Currently he serves as the Rams’ Passing Game Coordinator. Would be a great hire for someone like the Saints who can use a breath of fresh air on the offensive side of the ball.
Klint Kubiak
Klint Kubiak has been on the radar for many teams over the last couple of NFL coaching cycles. Outside of just one other candidate, he has the most experience as a play caller. Klint Kubiak’s name should look familiar to most as he is the oldest son of Super Bowl 50 Champion Head Coach Gary Kubiak.
Klint Kubiak got his NFL coaching feet wet back with the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 as an offensive quality control assistant, but quickly moved on and joined his father’s staff on the Broncos in 2016 as an offensive assistant and during his time on the Broncos he was promoted to QBs coach towards the end of the 2017 season.
Kubiak quickly climbed the ladder in the coaching world after his Broncos stint. He was then hired once again by the Vikings in 2019 to be their QBs coach. In 2021 he was promoted to offensive coordinator, a position he held for only a season, and in which the Vikings ranked 12th in total offense and averaged 25 points per game.
Klint Kubiak currently serves as the Passing Game Coordinator for the 49ers where the team ranks second in the league in total offense. Another young mind that could come in and bring fresh ideas into that building on Airline Drive.
Epilogue
The Saints thus far have interviewed all the right candidates for their vacant offensive coordinator position. Now, they just have to actually go out and hire their guy. Will they? That is a great question that I am sure many of us will have an answer to soon.
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