Todd Monken hired

[tsylvester]

The Ravens have hired Todd Monken to be their offensive coordinator, Head Coach John Harbaugh announced Tuesday.

Monken is a 34-year coaching veteran who has spent the past three years as Georgia's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, helping guide the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.

Monken, 57, also has eight years of NFL experience, including four years coordinating NFL offenses. He last led attacks for the Cleveland Browns (2019) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-18).

"We conducted 21 interviews with 14 candidates throughout a thorough process that had wide-ranging organizational involvement," Harbaugh stated. "Todd's leadership and coaching acumen were evident from the beginning. He has a proven track record for designing and teaching offensive systems that allow players to succeed at the highest level. We're excited to get to work and begin building an offense that will help us compete for championships."

Georgia's offense was humming the past two years with Monken calling the shots and former walk-on quarterback Stetson Bennett under center. Over that span, the offense ranked No. 5 in in the country in points per game (39.8) and No. 8 in scrimmage yards per game (472.0)

 

https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/todd-monken-hired-offensive-coordinator

[oldno82]

Good move! Can’t wait until he fires up the Ravens offense. Should make watching our games fun again.

[vmax]

Jamison Hensley • TweetShift
BOT
 — Today at 12:40 PM
Todd Monken's track record suggests he can turn around a struggling Ravens passing attack.

When Monken was an NFL OC, the Bucs had the NFL's best passing attack in 2018 and Baker Mayfield threw for a career-best 3,827 yards in 2019. 

 

Todd Monken leaves Georgia to become Ravens' new OC (espn.com)

 

Love this hire. 

Monken has to feel good about Lamar being his QB since he accepted the job.

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by vmax

[vmax]

“Because when everybody else changed, he didn’t,” said Luke, who retired as offensive line coach in February. “His mindset was still: Hey, we’re going to be a defensive team, we’re going to run the ball, be physical, we’re going to play-action. And he stuck to his guns, and to see how we won in that fourth quarter come to life on the field — I don’t know if that makes sense, but everything we talked about was coming to light right in front of your eyes. Everybody could see it.”

Defensive team. Run the ball. Play-action. That sounds as if Luke meant Georgia won with its old-school mindset, the same one it was criticized for using while the rest of college football was changing. Luke wasn’t saying that. No, what Georgia did was keep the best of that mentality, what got it to the big game in Smart’s second year, and blend it with what Smart knew it needed to get better. And the man who needed to get them there.

Todd Monken is the offensive guru who over the past two years has moved Georgia’s offense forward so gradually that few noticed. But the result was a more opened-up offense and a national championship.

“I think we get carried away with overall points or overall statistics,” Monken said Thursday.

Point noted, but nonetheless, some stats: The year before Monken arrived, Georgia was 49th nationally in scoring and 36th in offensive yards per play. Those respective stats improved to 38th and 34th in 2020, then to ninth and fourth last year.

And it has come with Georgia ever-so-slightly throwing it more. The percentage of passes called in the first three quarters of games (thus accounting for blowouts) has increased each of the past three seasons:

2019 — 49.0 percent
2020 — 50.3 percent
2021 — 52.2 percent

How Todd Monken opened up Georgia’s offense without abandoning Kirby Smart’s principles - The Athletic

[vmax]

At Georgia The Team Identity: Defensive team. Run the ball. Play-action. Monken comes to Georgia and they keep that "Defense, run the ball, Play action" and they  improved the passing game  ...  So he fits the Ravens Identity and fills the passing void.
[2:16 PM]
From The Athletic...."Stetson Bennett, and JT Daniels when he was in there, combined last season to have the best yards per attempt in the SEC: 9.3, the best such number for a Georgia offense since Aaron Murray and company averaged 10.0 in 2012. But much like that offense of 2012 (coached by Mike Bobo, now back as an analyst) Monken did it without forsaking the run: Georgia was second in the SEC in yards per rush at 5.26, the team’s best average in three years.

Be good passing, be good running. Check, check. But everyone aspires to that. Georgia has done it in part because of recruiting but also because of Monken’s feel for play calling: He kept defenses off-balance by throwing more on first downs and rushing more in passing situations."

[tsylvester]

I'm most intrigued by his use of route combinations, how he adjusts to what coverages a defense is using game by game, to get players open.

[oldno82]

I'm gonna have to look for some more Bulldog& NFL videos.

[oldno82]

Did come across this factoid: "Monken did not have raving success in his previous stints as an NFL offensive coordinator, and Baker Mayfield seemed to be better without him as he threw 21 interceptions in 2019 under Monken’s offense and then just nine in his breakout 2020 campaign."

Course that could have just been growing pains for Baker at that time.

[oldno82]

Preston's take:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/analysis/preston/bs-sp-ravens-todd-monken-pedigree-preston-20230214-mmi4vaiowbfybbclnhujkofsem-story.html?utm_source=onesignal&utm_medium=notification&utm_campaign=2023-02-14-Preston-on-Rave

[vmax]

michaelFFlorio

Todd Monken is joining the #Ravens as their new OC He spent the last 3 seasons in Georgia, winning 2 National Titles. In his 3 years: - 49% pass, 51% run - 20% explosive pass plays (7th best in CFB) - 8.6 pass YPA (16th best) - 17% deep passes - 33% play action - 19% screen pass

 

Todd Monken Hired As Offensive Coordinator (baltimoreravens.com)

 

 

 

[tsylvester]

1 hour ago, oldno82 said:

Did come across this factoid: "Monken did not have raving success in his previous stints as an NFL offensive coordinator, and Baker Mayfield seemed to be better without him as he threw 21 interceptions in 2019 under Monken’s offense and then just nine in his breakout 2020 campaign."

Course that could have just been growing pains for Baker at that time.

Eh 1) he was a rookie qb, they all throw picks. 2) it was Mayfield...

The key is the types of plays, the routes, the route combinations. Did his qbs throw to the right guy? Make the right read? Were there open receivers?

Im a huge GA, never miss a game. Even in their last two seasons, one undefeated, with a very mature qb, there were times when Bennet threw to the wrong man when he had a wide open receiver (drove Kirby & Todd nutz at times).

This past season they lost their top two receivers to injury early in the season, but they still schemed ways to get the others open, wide open. Even using their top tight end, a first round pick, wide open based on formations and route combinations.

[oldno82]

It sounds like his '12' offense is made for this team.

[oldno82]

6 hours ago, tsylvester said:

Eh 1) he was a rookie qb, they all throw picks. 2) it was Mayfield...

The key is the types of plays, the routes, the route combinations. Did his qbs throw to the right guy? Make the right read? Were there open receivers?

Im a huge GA, never miss a game. Even in their last two seasons, one undefeated, with a very mature qb, there were times when Bennet threw to the wrong man when he had a wide open receiver (drove Kirby & Todd nutz at times).

This past season they lost their top two receivers to injury early in the season, but they still schemed ways to get the others open, wide open. Even using their top tight end, a first round pick, wide open based on formations and route combinations.

Ah, I didn't realize that was his rookie year. That really says it all so far as Baker is concerned.

Yes, Todd does know how to scheme his receivers to get open. Hopefully, Lamar, if it is Lamar, sees them and can get the ball to them.

[papasmurfbell]

Great move.  I didnt think it would happen.  I wonder if this went down how Kubes did.

[GrubberRaven]

5 hours ago, papasmurfbell said:

 I wonder if this went down how Kubes did.

Does it matter?

[tsylvester]

Georgia ran several types of zone read, Bennett wasn't fast, but he was very quick. So that part of the offense won't change much. Should be interesting to see if Monken can find us a receiver in the draft, finally.

[papasmurfbell]

13 hours ago, GrubberRaven said:

Does it matter?

If you have a HC that makes poor decisions all the time and doesnt learn from them it is a bad thing.

[GrubberRaven]

I'm just not caught up in that I guess.

[vmax]

Kitchens called the plays. Not Monken. 

Fans need to realize that while the Monken hire is very good, he's not a miracle worker. He needs talent at WR and QB. From '96 to '98' the Ravens defense was bad. So bad that Model wanted to fire Marvin Lewis. Ozzie said getting rid of Marvin would not solve the problem and that all he needed was talent to work with. Once the talent was assembled ... 2000 Ravens D!  Monken's offense is going to make some serious noise once all the parts are in place.

[papasmurfbell]

4 hours ago, GrubberRaven said:

I'm just not caught up in that I guess.

When team FO vetoes you as a hc that really points out your decision making.  Now they really circle the wagon for Turdy.

[oldno82]

Here's a really good article on Monken and how he has run offenses and the results during the course of his career:

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-ravens-offensive-coordinator-todd-monken-stats-20230216-2emf2w4l75asjecwulaoekkto4-story.html

 

[vmax]

Here's an interview that came out today:

Then there's his presser today. I'll put up the transcript when it comes out.

My thoughts: Nice presser with Monken. He sounds like a very intelligent 'visionary OC. He has a great resume of experience and feels like a perfect fit for this Ravens team and philosophy.  I think we have a great one here. One thing: When asked about developing the passing game he said it starts in camp. It's all about timing. The passing game will only be as good as the time and experience the QB and receivers get together ... hint Lamar!

He wants to attack every inch of the field and play fast.

Edited February 21, 2023 by vmax

[oldno82]

Good post! I like what he had to say especially his comments about  the culture here. I was impressed by him stressing 'balance' on offense. He seems very smart and articulate. To me, he sounds like he'd be a very good head coach too.

[vmax]

 

 

[vmax]

Quote

“Obviously, the better you run the football, the better you throw it, so it starts with an excellent run game and then go from there,” Monken said. “What you realize is that good football is surrounded by don’t turn it over, be explosive, score touchdowns in the red zone, be good on third downs, don’t have loss yardage plays and athletic quarterbacks that make off-schedule plays,” Monken said. “The rest of it just falls into that.”

Quote

“I think also being no-huddle, some tempo and what that provides because (in the college game) we were all no-huddle,” Monken said. “It’s a little bit different then because of the dynamics of a signal system, and then the (radio communication) green dot to the quarterback. So, you have to work through some of that. That will take some working through, but it’s a speed bump, not a hurdle.”

Five takeaways from Ravens OC Todd Monken’s introductory news conference - The Athletic