COSTA MESA, Calif. — After his first minicamp below Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert mentioned that his new coach has already considerably modified the crew and that it has been an “honor” to play for and share the quarterback room with him.
“He is completed such an important job taking this crew and getting them to the place he desires them to go,” Herbert mentioned. “He is gained wherever he is at. He is a man that everybody desires to comply with and play for.”
Harbaugh typically joins the gamers in post-practice lifts or particular drills. It has been a unique expertise than Herbert has had with some other coach, but it surely’s one he has appreciated. Harbaugh, 60, has completed pushups with linebacker Junior Colson, proven rookie quarterback Casey Bauman a correct dropback, and pulled tons of of kilos of weights.
And Herbert mentioned that Harbaugh would not playfully do these exercises; he is at all times attempting to win.
“It is a cool expertise to have the ability to share that together with your head coach,” Herbert mentioned. “Whether or not we’re pulling sleds, he expects to be the quickest or to tug the furthest, and once we’re carrying these med balls, he is eager to go the furthest, he desires to go the quickest.
“And to have a man like that set the stage, set the usual for these undrafted guys, for these rookies to see that, I believe they comply with in his footsteps.”
Herbert’s praises of Harbaugh have been a theme of the Chargers’ offseason, as Harbaugh seems to be to show round a crew that was 5-12 final season and noticed the departures of a number of the franchise’s greatest gamers in receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and working again Austin Ekeler.
Harbaugh’s consideration to element and vitality has stood out to gamers probably the most. Whereas different camps are extra relaxed with gamers in baseball caps and unfastened observe jerseys, the Chargers observe in recreation jerseys and helmets. It is a technique that the crew’s greatest gamers have already purchased into, but it surely did not come with out some questioning.
“You hear complaints within the sense of ‘Why we bought this on?'” outdoors linebacker Khalil Mack mentioned. “However it was one thing I informed [Morgan] Fox. The sport jerseys do really feel totally different than the observe jerseys. You are going to breathe in another way within the observe jersey, observe pants, or regardless of the case could also be.
“I really feel like he sort of simply shifted the mindset by placing us in those self same conditions that we will be in video games,”
Mack mentioned that the crew has purchased into Harbaugh’s atypical method to coaching camp and believes that specializing in the main points may help them end video games this season. The Chargers had seven one-score losses final season.
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It is a related feeling for out of doors linebacker Joey Bosa, who mentioned that lacking particulars in your on a regular basis life can result in points on the sphere. Bosa has appreciated the college-like ambiance Harbaugh has created, and in contrast it to his school coach, City Meyer from Ohio State.
“I believe it seems like Coach is main the crew the best way it ought to be led,” Bosa mentioned. “… The message is shipped from the highest and it would not get combined up because it’s shifting down the ladder. It is increase, that is how we’re doing issues, and everyone’s following that, and I believe it is spectacular.”
Maybe the participant Harbaugh has talked about most is security Derwin James. Harbaugh informed reporters Thursday that he tells gamers to comply with no matter Derwin is doing in the event that they hope to achieve success — from the garments they put on to the meals they eat.
James has reciprocated his love for Harbaugh, calling him probably the most “highly effective chief” he’d been round.
“When he walks within the room, he lights up the room,” James mentioned. “It would not matter what you are doing, what you’ve got been by means of … he will get your consideration, and it means one thing to him.”
Like Herbert, James smiled most when he spoke about Harbaugh becoming a member of the crew for power and conditioning reps on the finish of practices.
“It has been wonderful, particularly at his age, to have the ability to go on the market and pull three, 4 plates,” James mentioned whereas laughing. “I imply, it’s stunning at that age, truthfully, but it surely’s been enjoyable positively to see the work. He made a remark the opposite week, like, ‘It is sort of getting simpler.'”