Sean McVay using preseason to groom Kevin O'Connell as a play caller

[theramswire.usatoday.com]
Sean McVay using preseason to groom Kevin O'Connell as a play caller

Cameron DaSilva
August 11, 2021 12:13 pm PT
By now you’ve heard that Sean McVay doesn’t put a whole lot of value in the preseason. He keeps his starters on the sidelines and reserves these games for players further down on the depth chart who are fighting to make the 53-man roster.

He also doesn’t use the preseason to work on play calling. As he’s done in the past, McVay will hand off those duties to one of his assistant coaches in an attempt to give him the chance to gain experience as a play caller.


It was Shane Waldron who called the plays during the 2019 preseason, and this year, it’ll be Kevin O’Connell assuming that role. McVay was asked about this plan while chatting with J.B. Long, saying he expects O’Connell to do a great job.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for him,” McVay said. “He’s got a great feel for everything that’s going on. Got a great understanding. He’s called plays before when he was in Washington and he’ll do an excellent job this preseason.”

There are two benefits to letting someone else call the plays during the preseason. For one, McVay doesn’t have to worry about tipping his hand ahead of the regular season by giving opponents film to study before Week 1.

Every team uses vanilla play calls with basic route combinations and whatnot, but it’s easier to keep things under wraps when someone else is leading the offense.

Secondly, it’s valuable experience for O’Connell. Matt LaFleur called plays in the second half of a preseason game against the Raiders in 2017, one year before becoming the Titans’ offensive coordinator (and play caller). Waldron called plays in 2019 and this past offseason, he landed a gig with the Seahawks as their offensive coordinator … and play caller.

O’Connell is clearly on a path to becoming a play caller and possibly a head coach down the road, so the more he can practice calling plays, the better suited he’ll be to take on a bigger role.