Todd Bowles isn’t wasting any time looking to replace Liam Coen. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Buccaneers requested an interview with Rams coach Nate Scheelhaase for their offensive coordinator job.
[RELATED: Jaguars Hire Liam Coen As HC]
Even just garnering a coordinator interview is a major career step for the fast-rising coach. Scheelhaase had a long run in the college ranks, including a one-year stop as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator. That performance helped him generate some NFL interest, and he ended up joining Sean McVay‘s staff in Los Angeles as an offensive assistant and passing game specialist.
The Rams’ passing offense left a bit to be desired in 2024, as Matthew Stafford‘s touchdown percentage and passing-yards-per-game mark flirted with his career-lows. On the flip side, Scheelhaase and the offensive staff helped squeeze a career-low 1.5-percent interception rate out of the QB (excluding his three-game showing in 2010), and his 50.1-percent passing percentage was the second-best of his career.
In Tampa Bay, Scheelhaase would be tasked with overseeing an offense that finished top-five in both points scored and offensive yards. While Coen got a career year from Baker Mayfield, the quarterback also showed success under former OC Dave Canales. Assuming Mayfield’s resurgence continues, Tampa Bay’s new OC can be confident that they’re inheriting an elite offense.
Scheelhaase lacks experience, but he would provide some continuity with his Rams-inspired offense. Coen was also a product of McVay’s system, and Bowles could look to once again pick from that coaching tree. The Buccaneers could also find that continuity within their current staff, and Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston says both pass-game coordinator Josh Grizzard and pass-game assistant John Van Dam are internal candidates for the gig.