https://www.chargers.com/news/kellen-moore-quotes-media-availability-chargers-offensive-coordinator

Full Transcript: Kellen Moore Meets with the Media
Feb 01, 2023 at 10:49 AM
Eric Smith
Senior Writer

Take a look at quotes from Chargers Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore on Wednesday morning:

Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore
On joining the Chargers' coaching staff after mutually parting ways with the Cowboys:

"I love Dallas. I've been fortunate to have been at one spot for eight years — three years as a player and five years as a coach. I love everything about that place. It's certainly a very special place to me. As we went through the process, sometimes change can be really good for all of us, and I felt like I was in that space. It works for both sides. I think that it's an awesome opportunity for Dallas, and an awesome opportunity for me. I'm certainly really, really excited about how this thing all played out."

On if he had a prior relationship with Head Coach Brandon Staley and the interview process:

"Obviously, it was a very fast process in very unique circumstances. We did the joint practices, as you guys are familiar with, this past summer with the Chargers. Any time you do one of those, you get to know the other staff pretty well. You spend a lot of time getting practices organized, schedules, [play] scripts and all of that sort of stuff. I really, really enjoyed my time with Brandon [Staley] during those couple days. Naturally, we had a relationship that extended through the season, mostly through text messages, as you go through a season. The Chargers were going through their season, we were going through ours, and so we stayed in contact. Over the weekend, really, this thing happened pretty fast on Sunday. Once we came to an understanding on the Cowboys side of it, it opened up the opportunity. Brandon and I, obviously, spoke quickly, and then had an opportunity to talk to a number of other guys within the Chargers."

On filming commercials with QB Justin Herbert last summer:

"Oh, man [laughter]. It's amazing how life can come full circle on you. We did those this summer, and I'm sure that everyone is going to run with them pretty well [laughter]."

On his relationship with Herbert:

"Really, really excited. Obviously, we laugh about those commercials, but we did get a chance to spend a few days this summer together as we went through that. We're both from the [Pacific] Northwest, so I think we have a decent amount of crossover relationships and stuff, but I hadn't spent a ton of time with him outside of those couple of days. I've always watched him from afar. I loved watching him play at Oregon, and, certainly, what he's done in the NFL. Just really, really excited. He's an awesome, awesome person, an awesome player. Certainly, we know all the physical talent, but I'm just really, really excited to work with him."

On Herbert's acting abilities:

"You guys may know Justin [Herbert] a little bit better than me, but he's pretty good at it [laughter]. He has a very dry sense of humor. And it's actually really, really fun. It was actually really, really fun."

On Herbert's playing abilities:

"That's just the exciting part of these situations, it's just building a system around the players. This thing, we're going to do it together. This isn't just dropping a playbook down from Dallas and say, 'You learn this and we'll do this.' There's so much good stuff that is going on here, certainly, with Justin [Herbert] and all of the guys — [WR] Mike [Williams], [WR] Keenan [Allen], we can go on and on. What they've built, there's so much good. I think that we have to make sure that we incorporate that and make sure that we don't lose all of the good that is going on here. Certainly, there will be stuff from Dallas that we want to incorporate, that I certainly have familiarity with, but then, once you get through those two steps, let's go explore this thing together and let's figure out what we ultimately want this thing to be. Justin, we know the physical talent. He obviously does a tremendous job. I think it's been really cool to watch him, from a fundamental perspective, as he's gone from Oregon into the NFL and transitioned, and started playing under center — he has done such a phenomenal job of that — and the play-action game, the movement game. We know his ability to throw it down the field. I'm just really, really excited to be able to work with him and, hopefully, help him in some way as he continues to build the career that he is going to have."

On the offensive philosophy of 'marrying the run and the pass':

"I think it's alignment. So much of it is about the presentation. I think one of the things that's the coolest of this change, for me, is being able to spend time with Brandon [Staley]. Obviously, the coolest thing about him is that he has a quarterback mind, but he sees it from a defensive perspective, calling the defense — having someone like that, someone that can see it from that lens. As we build this thing, certainly, the run game and the play-action pass and the movements on first- and second-down, when those two are in sync, and the presentations are similar, it puts defenses in conflict. I think that's something that we're really excited about building here and developing, certainly in the first- and second- down game. And, it will allow you to be more aggressive, to get the ball downfield. It certainly doesn't mean that you go crazy with it, but you can build those marriages. We all know that the top offenses in this league, the beauty is when those two things are in sync. It's a beautiful thing."

On his growth as an offensive coordinator:

"You grow each and every step of the way. I think the cool thing about this process is when you're around different people, you can take something from everyone. Every position coach, every offensive coach, every head coach that I've been able to play or coach under, you take a little bit from everyone. Certainly, when I got to Dallas and was able to take over the offensive coordinator role, the foundation of [former Cowboys Head Coach] Jason [Garrett] and [former Cowboys Offensive Coordinator] Scott Linehan and the things that were in place, it was great. You're able to build off of that, throw your flavor into it. Then, a year later, [Cowboys Head Coach] Mike [McCarthy] was able to come in and we were able to incorporate and blend two worlds together. For me, it was really, really good. It's really good from a standpoint of hanging on to things that you feel really comfortable with, and also being willing to explore and better understand different avenues that we can take because plays are plays, systems are systems, but end of the day, it's about putting our guys into the best situation to be successful. However we'll need to do that, we'll do it."

On what 'excites' him about the offensive personnel:

"I'm still in the process of meeting so many of them, but having the opportunity to meet a handful of them so far — mostly by phone or text — it just seems like a phenomenal group. They're really wired the right way. It's a group that wants to win and do this thing the right way. I'm really, really excited about that. Obviously, the talent speaks for itself, from a premier perspective and [RB] Austin [Ekeler] in the backfield, [RB] Josh [Kelley] coming along, the offensive line has been a huge thing that they've developed and done such a great job of the last couple of years — just developing, they have so much young talent up there and they've invested up front. I think that's huge for a quarterback. Obviously we'll talk plenty about Justin [Herbert], but you have to protect the guy, and certainly, the Chargers have done a phenomenal job of investing in that last two years."

On playing against Staley's defense:

"I just respect so much of the way he presents and challenges the offense. Every game is different. He does a phenomenal job of game-planning and finding the formula that he needs to use to succeed each and every week, and it can be different from one week to another. He does a great job of challenging the offense; challenge them with personnel, challenging them with pre-snap looks, making it hard on the quarterback post snap. Those are all things that, you flip it to the other side, and that's what we want on offense. We want to be able to utilize a lot of personnel, utilize every man on that active roster, find a role for them, allow them to make a difference on our offense each and every week. Use the pre snap to our advantage — the shifts, the motions, all the different things that you can do to present challenges for a defense. Then, we'll utilize tempo and all of those different things. I think it's a really fun marriage, as you can see how Brandon [Staley] views it, from a defense perspective. Hopefully, we can emulate that from an offensive perspective, as well."

On 'the core and beliefs' of his offensive system :

"From an offensive perspective, you take bits and pieces from everyone, and I think that's the beauty of it. We're going to build a 2023 L.A. Chargers offense. Will you be able to see the Air Coryell, Jason Garrett side? Absolutely. Will you see the West Coast, Mike McCarthy side? Absolutely. We'll keep things that are in place here that Justin [Herbert] feels really, really good about. Then, we're willing to explore. I think, naturally, just because you haven't coached with certain coaches, that doesn't mean that you're influenced greatly by those guys. Certainly, the younger offensive head coaches have had a huge impact on this league and are guys that I watch each and every week, and I love watching those guys and studying their offenses.. Hopefully, we'll be able to incorporate some of that."