Todd Monken has been predictable sufficient for the Baltimore Ravens coaches and gamers to know what was coming subsequent. So after John Harbaugh handed his new offensive coordinator a recreation ball following a 38-6 victory over the Detroit Lions in Week 7, the Ravens’ longtime head coach stepped apart and gave Monken the ground.
Monken can command a room. He’s the son of a longtime highschool coach, in any case, and has been listening to booming locker room speeches all his life. He’s delivered fairly a couple of of them himself. The Ravens braced for the most recent one.
When Monken finds his rhythm, his raspy voice rises steadily. The expletives, most of them starting with the letter “f,” circulate freely. Spicy language and all, Monken’s each sentence is delivered with enthusiasm and objective.
As he clutched a recreation ball in the course of the locker room following the blowout of the NFC North-leading Lions, Monken did one thing he not often does: he paused. His voice then crackled with emotion.
“It’s solely a begin,” he informed the gamers.
9 months earlier, Monken was in a locker room at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., celebrating the College of Georgia’s 65-7 thrashing of TCU and this system’s second consecutive nationwide championship. The offense Monken directed racked up 589 yards within the recreation.
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Monken, 57, would fear about making an attempt to duplicate the sport and the season as soon as he got here down from this excessive. He can’t sleep after unhealthy offensive performances. The dominant ones, he tries to savor for so long as doable.
Monken knew how good he had it at Georgia and wasn’t on the lookout for a lifeline. But, there was an attract about teaching within the NFL. Monken’s father, brothers, uncles and cousins are coaches. In all, there are 13 soccer coaches in his prolonged household, most doing it at the highschool stage. Monken was the one who reached the NFL, first as a large receivers coach after which as an offensive coordinator.
His most up-to-date NFL expertise earlier than Baltimore, because the offensive coordinator with no play-calling obligations for the Cleveland Browns in 2019, was regrettable sufficient that Monken doesn’t like to speak about it. Nevertheless, it didn’t mood his enthusiasm to educate once more on the highest stage. His plan to do it otherwise the subsequent time might have pushed it.
When Harbaugh known as in January to gauge his curiosity in changing offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Monken reviewed the potential alternative. The Ravens had been one of the vital steady and revered organizations in soccer. They had been perennial contenders. Harbaugh was a longtime Tremendous Bowl-winning head coach who let his coordinators do their jobs. What Monken didn’t know was whether or not the Ravens would have a long-term franchise quarterback on their roster because the group was in the course of a contract standoff with Lamar Jackson. Monken, although, was unfazed. He had made it work with quarterbacks far much less proficient than Jackson.
“I had an important job and I used to be solely going to depart it for an elite alternative. This was that — from a corporation on down, from possession to personnel to move coach to hopefully having Lamar, however I didn’t know that,” Monken stated. “I noticed that as a problem by way of what we may do from an offensive standpoint. It’s been every little thing I hoped it could be.
“That doesn’t imply we’ve achieved every little thing we wished to or we’ve been as clear as we’d like or we haven’t had drag. That’s part of being with a brand new workers, new gamers, new system, all of these issues. These aren’t excuses. These are info. No person offers a s—, however it’s what it’s. Now, we simply have to complete down the stretch and proceed to get higher.”
Todd Monken left Georgia following back-to-back nationwide championships to take the offensive coordinator job in Baltimore. (Nick Wass / Related Press)
The 11-3 Ravens rank first in dashing yards per recreation, and fourth in total yards and factors per recreation heading into their Christmas night time showdown with the NFC-leading San Francisco 49ers. Consistency has been elusive, however they’ve made strides this yr offensively and Jackson is likely one of the league’s main MVP candidates. But, to Monken, there’s nonetheless a little bit an excessive amount of “drag,” the phrase he makes use of to explain elements slowing down his offense.
Monken’s lexicon throughout his weekly information conferences has turn out to be a supply of amusement on the Ravens facility. Whereas Roman was buttoned up and infrequently confirmed his character, Monken is extra the loopy uncle who drops by the household vacation celebration, cracking jokes, telling tales and on the lookout for an excellent time. As an alternative of bringing presents, he carries his name sheet and tucks it into his saggy sweatpants.
“He simply speaks from such an genuine place that no matter is on his thoughts, he simply type of voices it. That’s all it’s,” stated Ravens left deal with Ronnie Stanley. “I admire authenticity.”
“When it’s time to shoot the breeze, he’s good at it,” stated former NFL head coach Dirk Koetter, who coached with Monken with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars. “He’s a humorous man and he makes it enjoyable to be round him. He’s obtained a variety of good tales.”
Monken’s personal story felt destined for a profession teaching soccer. His father, Bob, coached 30 seasons at Lake Park Excessive in Illinois. The varsity’s soccer subject is now named after him. Monken grew up going to his dad’s practices and idolizing his dad’s gamers. He saved articles and photos from the newspaper’s protection of his dad’s groups.
He’d spent hours along with his father breaking down recreation movie. The dialog on the dinner desk and household gatherings nearly all the time turned to X’s and O’s. Monken obtained a first-class soccer schooling in nearly each means.
“It begins from your loved ones and what you grew up round and what you noticed, and then you definately go from there as a participant and to who you performed for,” Monken stated. “You construct based mostly on the blokes that you just coached with and also you coached for. You study from nice gamers and nice coaches and also you type of make your personal type. However I wouldn’t be the place I’m at right this moment and be who I’m with out my household, my father and uncles who’re coaches.”
Monken was as soon as a reasonably good participant, too, however he challenges anyone to search out highlights that assist that. A quarterback at Division III Knox Faculty in Illinois, Monken led the nation in 1988 in go makes an attempt, completions and completion share. He was a Pizza Hut All-American and all-conference quarterback. He’s well-represented within the Knox report books.
His calling, although, was teaching. He knew that when he was in highschool and he and his father would have detailed conversations about play ideas and designs. There was by no means a lot ambiguity about his post-college profession plans. A yr after graduating from Knox, Monken took a job working underneath Tom Beck at Grand Valley State. Two years later, Monken adopted Beck to Notre Dame, the place they each served on Lou Holtz’s workers.
Monken’s teaching profession has spanned 34 years and features a dozen stops, eight with school packages and 4 with NFL franchises. It’s been outlined by adaptability and emboldening of gamers.
“He’s an excellent instructor,” Harbaugh stated. “He expresses issues rather well. He’s an important communicator. He makes it very clear what he’s on the lookout for, and he does it in an actual energetic type of means. It’s a enjoyable means. The gamers have latched onto it and so they admire it.”
Monken’s first expertise as an offensive play caller got here with Jap Michigan in 1998. In his first recreation, the Eagles went three-and-out on their first seven drives.
“You discuss eager to stop calling performs? I imply, my goodness,” Monken stated. “That was terrible. You may’t complain in regards to the play caller. You’re that man.”
His first recreation with NFL play-calling duties went significantly better. The Buccaneers began the 2018 season by beating the New Orleans Saints, 48-40. Monken’s unit racked up 529 yards of whole offense with Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing for 417 yards and 4 touchdowns, and Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson combining for 293 receiving yards and three scores. Afterward, Fitzpatrick introduced Monken along with his signed jersey within the locker room.
“I principally wrote, ‘Congrats, thanks and there’s nowhere to go however down from right here,” recalled Fitzpatrick. “He beloved it.”
Todd Monken’s first NFL season with full-time play-calling obligations was in 2018 with the Buccaneers. (Cliff Welch / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)
With the Buccaneers, Monken directed an offense that led the league in passing yards. Whereas he was at Louisiana Tech (2000-2001), the Bulldogs ran a variety offense and prioritized getting the ball on the perimeter. In his first stint at Oklahoma State (2002-2004), Monken embraced coach Les Miles’ energy working recreation. His second stint with Oklahoma State (2011-2012) underneath Mike Gundy featured a model of the “Air Raid” offense, which averaged almost 50 factors and 550 yards per recreation. Because the offensive coordinator at Georgia (2020-2022), Monken relied closely on his working backs and tight ends. His cousin, Jeff Monken, is the pinnacle coach at Military, so Monken is lots conversant in the triple possibility, too.
Monken’s historical past of adapting his system to his personnel is likely one of the causes he was such a beautiful candidate to Harbaugh, who didn’t need to lose the ability working recreation that was entrance and middle in Roman’s offense. And the Ravens haven’t.
Baltimore remains to be working the ball, extra and higher than some other group within the NFL. What Monken has introduced is a bit more stability with the passing recreation and a capability to problem totally different elements of the sphere by way of the air. The Ravens’ go recreation remains to be very a lot a piece in progress, however it’s extra dependable and harmful than it has been within the latest previous.
“They’re doing an important job of working the soccer. In rush yards per recreation, they’re No. 1 within the league,” stated Fitzpatrick, now an NFL analyst for Amazon Prime. “Todd, traditionally, his background is throwing, passing the ball — Air Raid offense, and the issues that he did after we had been in Tampa collectively. He has finished an exquisite job of determining all these little instruments and items and the way they finest slot in his offense. Todd places gamers in place to achieve success. That’s one in every of his best traits.”
At occasions, Monken has corrected reporters who seek advice from this as “his offense.” He clarifies that it’s the “Ravens’ offense,” constructed across the imaginative and prescient of Harbaugh, Monken’s offensive ideas and Jackson’s ability set, together with the remainder of Baltimore’s personnel. One in every of Monken’s first strikes was giving Jackson extra say in what the Ravens are working and extra freedom to make adjustments on the line of scrimmage.
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“If I see one thing on the sphere, I can go to Coach and I’ll be like, ‘Coach, I really feel like we should always do that,’” Jackson informed The Athletic final week. “He’s listening and he may make a change relying on how he feels, if he likes it, if he’s seeing the identical factor I’m seeing. It’s nice. I’m having enjoyable with it.
“He’s an important coach, a enjoyable coach to be round. Is aware of his stuff, desires to win, is prepared to pay attention. That’s each quarterback’s dream, simply to have a man who’s prepared to hearken to you and desires to win with you.”
Fitzpatrick spoke to Monken at size on the sphere earlier than the Ravens-Cincinnati Bengals recreation at M&T Financial institution Stadium final month. One in every of his greatest takeaways was in regards to the distinctive relationship between the offensive coordinator and his quarterback.
“I feel Lamar has already discovered rather a lot from Todd in viewing the sport a unique means, but additionally, Todd has discovered a ton from Lamar in the way in which that he performs and in having to regulate his offense to essentially intensify a few of Lamar’s strengths,” Fitzpatrick stated. “Todd’s actually excited. I feel he’s loved being again within the NFL, however like several coach, particularly the actually good ones, you’re not happy. You’re all the time making an attempt to name that good recreation and also you’re all the time making an attempt to construct and get higher because the season goes on.”
In some ways, Monken is the quintessential gamers’ coach. He solicits their opinions and asks about their households. When he was the pinnacle coach at Southern Miss from 2013 to 2015, he organized the acquisition of fits as presents for his departing seniors, shopping for them with donations to the soccer program in order to not run afoul of NCAA guidelines. Monken wished the gamers to have one thing to put on for his or her first job interviews, whether or not it was with the NFL or some place else.
“That’s your job, to make individuals really feel particular,” Monken stated in his introductory information convention with the Ravens. “That’s why you will have a job, to create the most effective model of them. The second we overlook that, we’re mistaken — we’re useless mistaken.”
“That’s your job, to make individuals really feel particular.” — Todd Monken (Brent Skeen / USA At present)
But, Monken can be extraordinarily demanding of gamers. Los Angeles Chargers guard Jamaree Salyer, who performed underneath Monken for 2 years at Georgia, remembers the offensive coordinator calling gamers out in entrance of their teammates in the event that they weren’t taking notes in conferences. Then, there have been occasions when Monken caught a couple of Bulldogs dozing off.
“He’d make them arise in entrance of the assembly and watch it in entrance of everyone,” Salyer stated. “He was a personality for positive.”
Salyer stated a few of his Georgia teammates weren’t essentially a fan of Monken’s strategies at first, however they rapidly got here round once they began having a lot success. They discovered to grasp why particulars had been so essential to Monken.
“You undoubtedly wished to grasp the sport conceptually. You didn’t need to simply focus in your route. You wished to grasp the entire idea. Should you didn’t, he would be sure to did,” stated Atlanta Falcons tight finish John FitzPatrick, who was additionally with Monken at Georgia. “I actually loved my time with ‘Coach Monk.’ He challenged me and made me a greater participant and a greater man.”
A number of Ravens acknowledged they had been initially stunned by Monken’s boisterous and high-energy teaching type. Throughout coaching camp, Monken’s voice rose above all others as he corrected receivers for not working a exact sufficient route or threw his arms up within the air in frustration when a play broke down.
In conferences, he takes it to a different stage. Whether or not it’s morning, noon or afternoon, Monken’s power stage hasn’t tapered. Quarterbacks coach Tee Martin described Monken’s teaching type as “animated,” saying he suits Harbaugh’s mantra to “confront points, not individuals.”
“Man, he’s up,” Jackson stated. “He’s so detailed out. He desires every little thing run the proper means.”
And if it’s not?
“I used to be making an attempt to carry off on that, however he’s going to curse,” Jackson stated. “Each assembly, assured.”
Monken was as soon as embarrassed and irritated that his vocabulary and phrase alternative grew to become a speaking level in a 2011 ESPN behind-the-scenes take a look at the Oklahoma State soccer program. Now, he jokingly touts the flexibility of swear phrases. A couple of Ravens veterans had injured rookie offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees tabulate what number of expletives Monken utilized in sure conferences. The duty proved tedious.
“After we obtained to 1,000, we wished to have these popper issues go off,” stated Ravens proper guard Kevin Zeitler. “He was on a report tempo, so we stopped holding monitor. Whether or not it’s celebrating or correcting, he’s all the time going to deliver the power.”
Monken talks to gamers usually about a couple of of his tenets: perspective, power and physique language. It’s in these areas the place he felt he wasn’t constant sufficient in his earlier stint as an NFL offensive coordinator in Cleveland. He frightened about sure issues that had been past his management. He didn’t all the time really feel like he carried himself with the “perspective, power and physique language” that was required to get essentially the most out of gamers every week.
When he thought of what he’d have to do higher when he made his subsequent teaching cease, Monken concluded that he simply wanted to be himself. For the Ravens, that’s been lots ok.
“I feel it’s essential to be genuine and to be you,” Monken stated. “Is that troublesome by way of the ups and downs of a season, from a personnel, confidence, pleasure (standpoint)? Positive. It’s rather a lot simpler when issues are going effectively. However generally, I feel it’s essential to be related with the participant. I do consider that. I feel it’s essential for them to see who you’re and to attempt to present them the idea in them and the idea in what we do.”
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper contributed to this story
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; images: Nick Cammett, Scott Taetsch / Getty Photographs)
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