The New York Giants are currently in the process of rebuilding their coaching staff. They fired head coach Pat Shurmur at season’s end and replaced him with Joe Judge. Joe Judge explained during his introductory what he is looking for in his coaching staff: teachers.
So far, the Giants have made multiple key hirings, including Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator. Judge also made sure to secure Jerry Schuplinski as quarterbacks coach, the man responsible for developing Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett into starters.
It was interesting to see the Giants hire their quarterbacks coach without having an offensive coordinator already in place. The offensive coordinator is a critical coaching position on any team. They typically call the plays on offense and oversee the development of numerous key players on the offensive side of the ball.
As of today, the Giants have begun their search for the team’s next offensive coordinator. Maybe the Giants will not even make a change at this position. Joe Judge interviewed current offensive coordinator Mike Shula today, giving Shula the possibility of retaining his job (Jordan Raanan of ESPN).
Mike Shula as Offensive Coordinator
Mike Shula has been with the New York Giants for two years now. He was hired in 2018 to serve as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under head coach Pat Shurmur. With Shurmur gone, some believed the Giants would go in a different direction, and they still might, but Judge is covering all the bases and giving Shula a chance to keep his job.
Shula would not be the only member of Shurmur’s staff to be retained. Joe Judge is also keeping special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey and wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. Mike Shula is not exactly a fan favorite like Tolbert and McGaughey, but fans should keep an open mind.
Mike Shula is a veteran offensive coordinator with head coaching experience at Alabama. He served as an offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and helped Cam Newton reach MVP status in 2015 before coming to New York.
Another vital factor to note in potentially retaining Mike Shula is Daniel Jones’s development. Shula was the quarterbacks coach in 2019 and helped Daniel Jones develop quickly into a starting quarterback. Hiring Mike Shula in 2020 allows the Giants to keep some continuity for Daniel Jones on the coaching staff.
Pat Shurmur called plays for the Giants in 2018 and 2019. Mike Shula did not get an opportunity to demonstrate his play-calling ability to Giants fans. Shula’s role was as a play-designer and collaborative game-planner. Shula coached some inconsistent offenses in Carolina and struggled at times with “rhythm and timing,” which could negatively affect his efficiency as a play-caller (nj.com). But for the sake of keeping continuity for Daniel Jones, it is worth it to at least interview Mike Shula and consider him as a candidate for the offensive coordinator position.