What does new Seahawks OC Brian Schottenheimer resume show us?

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ST. LOUIS, MO – SEPTEMBER 7: Head Coach Jeff Fisher of the St. Louis Rams watches from the sidelines at a game between the St. Louis Rams and the Minnesota Vikings at the Edward Jones Dome on September 7, 2014 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Vikings defeated the Rams 34-6. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) /

Brian Schottenheimer works for yet another conservative coach

For his next gig, Brian headed west, and landed with the offensive genius Jeff Fisher. You may have noticed a pattern by now. Brian Schottenheimer was now with the third head coach that emphasized tough defense and controlling the clock with a strong running game.

The Rams had finished 2011 with the NFL’s least potent offense, scoring only 193 points. No, I am not kidding. By the way, their offensive coordinator was Josh McDaniels that year. Funny how it helps to have talent, isn’t it?

Anyway, Schottenheimer managed to get the Rams to score 299 points. Probably helped that Sam Bradford started all 16 games. He really did. It was the second and last time he achieved this miracle, but he did it. Okay, back to Brian. In 2012 the Rams climbed to 21st in scoring, despite Kellen Clemens starting nine games. In 2014, the Rams held on to that 21st ranking, despite having Shaun Hill and Austin Davis splitting time under center. Davis – hey, I know that guy!

That sub-par offense wasn’t good enough for Jeff Fisher, and Brian Schottenheimer took the fall. The defense was a bigger problem than the offense, as the Rams allowed 364 and 354 points in Schottenheimer’s last two years. Pretty sure that’s on defensive “genius” Gregg Williams and Jeff Fisher, not the offensive coordinator. The Rams offense dropped from 20.25 points per game in Schottenheimer’s last season to 17.5 points per game after he left. Seems the Rams finally figured out that maybe Jeff Fisher was the problem after all, right?

Brian Schottenheimer’s post OC career – let’s talk about Georgia, shall we?

After getting tagged for not producing with front-line quarterbacks like Hill and Davis, Schottenheimer decided to give it the old college try again. To hear it from Georgia fans, this was an abominable decision. Just curious: when Nick Chubb only plays six games, are you really going to be the best team in the country? I mean, quarterback Greyson Lambert isn’t going to be immortalized between the hedges in Athens.

But under Schottenheimer, Lambert’s passer rating was 141.5. When Mark Richt was let go after their 10-3 season, Schottenheimer was gone too. Lambert’s rating dropped to 97.5, and his replacement, Jacob Eason, was at 120.2. So was Schottenheimer really the problem?

Doesn’t seem that way to me. Of course hiring Kirby Smart was a great move for Georgia, as they just played for the national championship. But 2017’s success doesn’t invalidate 2015. The Bulldog’s scoring dropped another two points per game after Schottenheimer left, before bouncing back this past year. I’m not going to hold him responsible for Nick Chubb’s injury, or that Jake Fromm was still in high school.

Then it’s on to Indianapolis for Schottenheimer

Brian Schottenheimer returned to the quarterback coach job with the Indianapolis Colts. For the first time since his stint with Brett Favre, he could coach a top tier talent. Andrew Luck was coming off the worst season of his career. He played in only seven games in 2015 and posted a career high in interception rate, along with career lows in both passer rating and QBR.

With Schottenheimer on the staff, Luck bounced back with career highs in completion percentage, yards per attempt and QBR. 2017 wasn’t going to be as easy for the Colts as Luck never played a single down. It’s hard to say if Schottenheimer got the most out of Jacoby Brissett, or the least. It’s more likely he’s the next Chad Pennington instead of the next Drew Brees, but only time will tell.

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