The Chargers are bringing again a well-recognized title to information their protection transferring ahead.
Chris O’Leary, who labored because the Chargers’ safeties coach in 2024 below coach Jim Harbaugh earlier than spending 2025 because the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan, was named the Chargers’ defensive coordinator on Wednesday night time.
O’Leary helped information Western Michigan to a 10-4 document within the Mid American Convention Championship. His protection ranked ninth within the Soccer Bowl Subdivision and was second within the MAC in scoring protection (17.4 factors allowed per recreation).
Earlier than his stint with the Chargers, O’Leary spent six seasons teaching in several roles at Notre Dame, ultimately changing into a defensive backs and safeties coach. Earlier than that, he was a large receiver at Indiana State from 2011-14.
With the Chargers in 2024, O’Leary helped a defensive unit led by coordinator Jesse Minter that allowed simply 17.7 factors per recreation — the perfect mark within the NFL. Led by Derwin James Jr., the Chargers had a 75.9 passer ranking when focused, finest for third within the NFL amongst security models in 2024.
The query is whether or not O’Leary can replicate the identical success Minter achieved en path to touchdown a head teaching job with the Baltimore Ravens.
After working collectively to win a nationwide title at Michigan, the Minter-Harbaugh mixture revived a Chargers protection that struggled below earlier coach Brandon Staley. Inheriting a crew that ranked twenty eighth in yards allowed per recreation (363) and twenty fourth in factors allowed per recreation (23.4) in 2023, the Chargers moved as much as eleventh in yards allowed (324) and first in factors allowed per recreation below Minter and Harbaugh in 2024. Final season, the crew was fifth in yards per recreation (285.2) and ninth in factors allowed (20.0).
The excellent news for O’Leary? Many of the Chargers’ high defensive gamers will likely be again subsequent season.
The Chargers re-signed Teair Tart to a three-year contract Monday, maintaining their anchor on the line of defense. The crew has an estimated $80.5 million in salary-cap house, in line with Overthecap.com, and basic supervisor Joe Hortiz mentioned he’s planning to make use of it.
Re-signing outdoors linebacker Odafe Oweh will likely be among the many Chargers’ priorities, particularly if pending free agent Khalil Mack opts for retirement.
O’Leary isn’t as high-profile a hiring as Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, however he stands to take over a defensive unit that might make him look higher than a $12,000 designer jacket.
