To that end, O'Connell's offseason program and practices prioritized injury prevention and mental reps over physical exertion. Much is left to be learned, but during the first few months of his tenure, he has positioned himself in two key ways: (1) as a straight shooter who emphasizes direct communication and (2) as a coach with an inherent understanding that players appreciate attempts to minimize wear and tear on their bodies. But relatively little was known about his personality, approach and leadership values when the Vikings hired him in January at age 36. He was the Los Angeles Rams' offensive coordinator the past two seasons. O'Connell has been in the public eye for more than a decade, as an NFL player for four seasons and then an assistant coach for seven more. It's just, 'We're trying to get done some things that need to get done.'" You say, 'We didn't do the things that we needed to do, so this is why we have to alter and change.' It's not because of some old trick or some philosophy thing. Here's how we're going to do it.' And then you've got to be able to have the tough conversations when you don't. "There's no Wizard of Oz behind a curtain somewhere. You give these guys the why behind everything we do, and then it's remarkable how easy it is to connect with them and coach them hard from there, because they understand it. I just feel like you communicate intentions of what we're trying to get done. They can't own something that they're not completely in understanding of. "From the first day I set foot in this building, I talked about player ownership. "I just feel like it's part of empowering our team," O'Connell said. But early signs suggest O'Connell prefers to avoid them. Mind games are a part of coaching at all levels, and during an interview this summer, O'Connell said they often achieve the desired result. O'Connell rejected the late-spring charade that typically plays out around the NFL, wherein coaches schedule a full minicamp and then cancel the final day as a "reward," a move designed to generate positive vibes as players head into their summer break. He decided against planning a third day of minicamp, instead informing players that on-field work would end a day early in mid-June.īelieve it or not, this bit of scheduling was notable and offered an early glimpse into how a rookie head coach will operate behind the scenes with his first training camp practice looming this week. As he finalized his first offseason program as the Minnesota Vikings' head coach, Kevin O'Connell took a seemingly innocuous step. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell: 'There's no Wizard of Oz behind a curtain somewhere'ĮAGAN, MINN. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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