The New York Giants report to training camp for the 2016 NFL season on July 28 accompanied by their new Head Coach, Ben McAdoo. McAdoo is going into his third season with the Giants organization, but this is the first time he’ll be given free reign over all decisions on the field. This marks a very big change for the soon-to-be 39-year-old, who was an offensive coordinator in his two previous seasons and has never been a head coach at any level.
Since the situation is full of unknowns, we decided to take a glimpse into who exactly Ben McAdoo is. It’s immediately clear that he is the type of coach that may not get you excited with his charisma, bravado or even his post-game press conferences. But this is likely due to his calm, confident and engaging nature. McAdoo, who turns 39 on July 9, understands how to relate to today’s players, whether it’s through playing music during practice or allowing his players to poke fun at him for an unfitted suit after he lost 60 pounds.
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But the real point of importance is that McAdoo lives and breathes the details of the game of football. He notices the little things like a perfect three-step-drop by Eli, or the hand-off exchange from quarterback to running back. This may seem minuscule to fans, but it’s this larger picture view that makes McAdoo noteworthy. Preparation is key in football, and his preparation will surely go a long way when it comes to game planning and in-game decisions across offense, defense and special teams. (Managing the clock has plagued the Giants the last few seasons, so hopefully he can help there as well.)
What is interesting about McAdoo is that he comes across as a conservative play caller during games. But now that he can put his stamp and personality on this team, I believe the Giants will sport an unsuspecting, aggressive type of play, focusing on change-of-direction plays and slot receiver reverses. When Coughlin was head coach, he never really put rookies in the lineup — other than on special teams or unless injuries forced them in. With McAdoo as the head coach, there’s a whole new dynamic where rookies will be coached to play immediately and contribute from day one; this is actually something that Giants fans have been waiting on for a long time.
In the NFL today, each roster turns over about 30% of its players the following year via free agency (plus just the normal release of players post-contract). With that being the case, it is even more imperative for McAdoo to get some solid evaluations of upcoming players to ensure they draft well, something the Giants really haven’t done since 2007. The bottom line is that players need to earn their spot on the roster, and more importantly, be ready to contribute right away as McAdoo takes the Giants on the fast track back to the playoffs.
For more of Chris Rosa and his take on the Giants, follow him on Twitter @GiantsCarbCrush.
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