O'Connell On Point: Former Aztecs QB Moves Closer to NFL Head Coaching Job (2024)

Kevin O’Connell, who grew up in San Diego, went to La CostaCanyon High School in Carlsbad and played quarterback at San Diego State, recentlylanded a high-profile job in the National Football League, OffensiveCoordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.

“As far as Los Angeles, and the offensive and defensivestaff here, it’s by far the best staff I’ve been a part of,” O’Connell told NBC7 Sports.

In just his sixth year of NFL coaching with 4 differentteams (Cleveland Brown, San Francisco 49ers, Washington Redskins and now theRams), O’Connell is a coach on the rise. He’s consistently praised for his coachingacumen and considered to be on the fast track for a future NFL head coachingjob.

“When I hear those things, I hear that I need to keeplearning on a daily basis and I need to be exposed to a lot of differentthings, but I’m in a situation now where if I don’t look at the job that’s infront of me, with the type of responsibility that Rams head coach Sean McVayhas bestowed on me, I’ll be doing a disservice to this situation if I startthinking about what’s down the line, but I am extremely flattered by that stuff,”he said.

Just before O’Connell got into coaching, he was part of theteam at NBC 7 working as an analyst on our Football Night in San Diego showduring the 2013 and 2014 NFL seasons.

“I really enjoyed breaking down games, I felt like I hadsomething to say. It’s not out of the question that you’ll find me back onSports Wrap or Football Night in San Diego at one point,” he said.

That point is just not now. After a 5-year career as abackup NFL quarterback, O’Connell is now partnering with McVay to run what has beenone of the NFL’s highest powered offenses. One of O’Connell’s main jobs is toget the most out of Rams quarterback Jared Goff, easily the most talented andaccomplished QB O’Connell has worked with his NFL coaching career.

Asked what excites him most about Goff, O’Connell says it’s hisability to throw the football.

“Some kids pick up a football and it just makes sense forthem to throw a football, he’s one of those guys! The ball comes out of hishand with juice, torque and velocity, all these things that the average fan athome may think are boing, guys like me geek out on. Now, on a daily basis, wecan really be trying to tweak Jared’s lower body and fundamentals. He’s alreadyplayed at a Pro-Bowl level at times in his career, we can make it more consistentand we can allow his evolution as QB to continue, I’m really excited to seewhere he can get to.”

Among the 6 differentNFL teams O’Connell played for were the Patriots, including a stint as Tom Brady’sbackup in New England. This season O’Connell will coach against Brady when the Ramsvisit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this will be his third coaching matchup againstBrady.

“It’s really funny because pre-game I’m like ‘Oh I don’twant to bug him,’ but I’ll get a bear hug from behind or hear someone scream ‘K.O.’from other side of field and I’ll turnaround and it’s him. It’s always great totalk with him and catch up, we still communicate here and there. He nevermisses opportunity tell me he’s proud of me as a coach, but it will be weirdgoing down to Tamp and seeing him run out of the tunnel not in that navy andwhite,” O’Connell said.

That Rams vs. Bucs game is scheduled for November 23, butwith the COVID-19 crisis, O’Connell acknowledges that the NFL season is a fluidsituation.

“The thought of not having any games what so ever is reallyhard to imagine. Now I know there is a lot of science and professional opinionsthat will go into making sure people are healthy and aren’t at risk, includingthe players and us as coaches are safe, but I don’t see a scenario where wedon’t get to play some games at some point, we may lose a few weeks, but I dosee us playing some version of a season.”

If and when this season runs its course, and when O’Connell’scoaching career does the same, I know a place in San Diego where he kind findsome work.

“I’ll put the suit back on and join you on Football Nightand break down some plays like I used to,” he said.

That’s a deal we may have to hold him to, and maybe, ifthings work out for Coach O’Connell, he can bring his Super Bowl ring with him.