Chargers News: Time to Run an Offensive Suitable for Gordon?
The San Diego Chargers made a huge investment in selecting Melvin Gordon with the teams first round pick in the 2015 draft. The team even moved up in order to draft him and they clearly knew what they were getting in drafting him. Or did they? It’s not looking that way at the moment.
For some reason unbeknownst to anyone the team has taken Gordon, who ran mostly out of a Power I formation in college (and was successful) and expected him to be a different type of back in the pros. In realty Gordon is still learning the blocking and pass catching responsibilities that come along with a new scheme. To expect him to perform out of an offense that runs mostly out of a shotgun is ridiculous.
When you select a player, you select a player who fits well with the scheme you are trying to run. You cannot put a square peg into a round hole. However that is what the Chargers continually are trying to do. Gordon is run out there with no space and is expected to perform. The Chargers offensive line is set up to be a mostly zone blocking type unit, not a power running unit. Still the team makes no adjustments and relies on the right arm of Philip Rivers.
The offensive line injury issues have been a deciding factor. There is no sugar-coating that, but the playcallling and positioning of the players is suspect at best. Occasionally you will see David Johnson act as a fullback in short yardage situations, but he isn’t a true fullback and ends up just clogging up the hole. Its embarrassing that the team is failing to make adjustments quickly and shows no signs of growing from their mistakes.
Failing to adjust and account for the other teams strategy is strictly on the coaching staffs shoulders. Mike McCoy is surely on the hot seat and if it wasn’t for all the turmoil with the potential Chargers move, he would have probably already been relieved of his duties. Fans are up in arms and if he really wants to keep his job he should make some adjustments.
Trying a new type of offense at this point in the season is difficult and not practical. However the team has nothing to lose. If they can implement some schemes especially made for Gordon they will have an opportunity to see if he is indeed the running back of the future.
Trying to utilize him like a Danny Woodhead or even like Ryan Mathews is futile. He is not that type of player. His value will lie as a north to south power runner. The Chargers need to make some serious evaluations of the team right now. When the season is over and you are playing for nothing but pride, you will get a true sense of who the real players are. Now is the time for Chargers management to evaluate players for the future.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.