Chargers News: Jim Harbaugh Brings Ex-USC RB Coach Kiel McDonald as Part of His College Revolution in LA

Jim Harbaugh is wasting no time in assembling his coaching staff with the Chargers. He’s already bringing massive changes to the Chargers’ coaching staff to turn around things for the team. A lot of them are college assistants, many of whom previously worked with him at Michigan.

And now, he has managed to find someone to fill in the RB coach position for his new team. With this, Harbaugh will be aiming to win a Super Bowl both as a player and as a coach. Will he be able to create history?

Kiel McDonald to serve on Jim Harbaugh’s squad

According to a recent report by Adam Schefter, the Chargers are on the verge of adding USC running backs coach Kiel McDonald to their coaching staff. McDonald, who has been with USC for the past two seasons, has been instrumental in developing some of the Pac-12’s top talent at the running back position. Despite having opportunities to become a college OC this offseason, McDonald is now set to make the leap to the NFL.

Prior to his tenure at USC under Lincoln Riley, McDonald spent five seasons at Utah, where he coached their running backs to several records, including the single-season rushing touchdown record in 2021. His coaching experience also extends to Eastern Washington, where he worked with the running backs, and he served as an offensive quality control coach at Arizona State in 2011.

Can Harbaugh turn things around for the Chargers?

The team’s offense faced setbacks due to injuries at WR and along the offensive line, with Herbert himself missing the last four games due to a broken index finger on his throwing hand. Even when healthy, the offense ranked 18th in total offense, a decline from their consistent top-11 rankings in previous years. Defensively, the Chargers ranked 28th, marking the first time since 1986 that they’ve ranked 20th or worse for three consecutive years. It’s this team that he will be inheriting.

Harbaugh’s decision to return to the NFL came after a second interview. Notably, he becomes the first former Chargers player to come back to the team as HC, having played for them in 1999-2000 before retiring after the 2001 season. Owner Dean Spanos expressed his enthusiasm for Harbaugh’s appointment, stating, “Jim Harbaugh is football personified, and I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers forward.” He also referenced one of Harbaugh’s famous catchphrases: “Who has it better than us?”

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Looking ahead, Harbaugh and the new general manager will have the fifth overall pick in April’s draft, marking the fourth time since 2016 that the Chargers have had a top-seven pick. Harbaugh emphasized his priorities in a statement, saying, “My priorities are faith, family, and football, and we are going to attack each with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.” Chargers fans are hoping he rises up to the challenge.