One day after interviewing both candidates, Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson made his choice for Offensive Coordinator to replace Frank Reich, who left to be the Colts Head Coach. That choice was Wide Receivers Coach Mike Groh, not Running Backs Coach Duce Staley.
With apologies to Staley, who has been on the Eagles Coaching Staff since 2011 and interviewed for the job Pederson now holds, Groh is the right choice. Carson Wentz was very close to John DeFilippo and Reich, both of whom left to be the Vikings OC and Colts Head Coach respectively. Groh played QB, so putting him in the OC spot will help soften the blow of losing both Reich and DeFillipo for Wentz. It’s also no coincidence that Nelson Agholor’s breakout season came working with Groh during Groh’s first season with the Eagles.
Staley will remain as the Running Backs Coach, but has also been elevated to Assistant Head Coach, a move surely to keep other interested teams from trying to hire him as an Offensive Coordinator. Staley was given the task in 2017 of controlling the Running Back rotation during games, and he is beloved and respected by the Eagles Running Backs. Respected so much that LeGarrett Blount has publicly said he would like to return to the Eagles for the 2018 season.
Promoting Groh is a move that was the move that would not only help Wentz, but also doesn’t change anything in the Running Back room. Groh also was an Offensive Coordinator in College with Virginia and also worked as an assistant with the Jets under his father, Head Coach Al Groh.
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