New York Giants coach John Harbaugh wants an offensive coordinator who can run an offense that isn’t reliant on a single scheme or way of doing things. Harbaugh addressed that and much more in a nearly 40-minute interview with Philadelphia sportscaster Howard Eskin. Here are some of the highlights.
What he wants in an offensive coordinator …
“I don’t want a one system guy, who has his fit and you’ve got to build all the players to fit ‘my system.’ I want a guy that can look at our players and say, ‘OK…’ Because Jaxson Dart can live in different worlds. He can be under center, he can play action, he can drop back in the gun, he can run the RPOs — I like all the different things he can do, so I want to have a coach that reflects that ability that he has.”
On leaving Baltimore after 18 years …
“There’s an expiration date on everything. Life has an expiration date. Try to make the most of your life. So, we tried to make the most of our 18 years and we didn’t know it was going to be over in that moment … I knew in my heart that it was time, that I was happy. I was excited. I was disappointed. I felt a little humbled … I felt like, darn it, you want to go out on your own terms.
“But, you know what? It’s hard to it’s hard to make change on your own. Usually you’ve got to be pushed out. We don’t want to leave. Hey, you never leave the party early. You never leave the dinner early. The bar, I never left early. They always had to throw me out. So, so they threw me out in Baltimore and it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me because now I get to go to the New York Football Giants and start something new and fresh and exciting.”
Why he wanted the Giants’ job …
“Go where you can win. I mean, that’s the thing we want. You got to win. So, you got to go where you have the best chance to win. I felt really good about the team, the players, the quarterback, the defense, the front, you know, building of the offensive line, the running back, wide receiver … I really like their team and I like the way I saw them play on tape, not down the stretch last season. The way they fought hard, you know, to the end. I like the character of the team. I think they want to win. I think they want to do the things it takes to win.
“Secondly was the organization led by the Mara and Tisch families … These are first class. This is old guard NFL blueblood people that are down to earth football people.”
Competing in the NFC East …
“It starts with the Eagles. Let’s just be honest about it. The Eagles are defending champs … you got to build a team to beat the Eagles. Yeah, you got to beat the cCommanders, you got to beat the Cowboys, but the Eagles are the champs. So, we have to build a team to beat the Eagles. Everything we do, every practice we have, uh, every every film session will be with that in mind. I mean, you better do it or you have no chance.”
How do the Giants do that?
“Well, it starts up front because they’re so good up front on both sides. I mean, you build better build an offensive line all across the board. I mean, especially interior offensive line that can handle those monsters that they have playing up front. Okay, that’s where it starts. On defense, it starts with your defensive line because they have they have had one of, if not the best offensive lines in football. That’s the key to their success. That’s where it starts. It always has. It always will. So, we’ve got to build a defensive line that can stop the run against these guys and can get to the quarterback. I think we have a really good chance to do that. I like our guys. So, that’ll be what where it starts.”
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