Mike McDaniel refuses to reinvent offense, revives proven 49ers blueprint

Mike McDaniel is not trying to reinvent the running game with the Los Angeles Chargers.He is looking back at the flexible backfields he helped construct during five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.Although McDaniel is regarded as one of the NFL’s most creative offensive minds, he said innovation for its own sake does not drive his process.“I think the most important thing—the thing that I don’t think about—is inventing stuff,” McDaniel said during an appearance on “NFL Daily” with Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue.

“If you stay true to your core of what your job is, and for me, I see it as creating advantageous situations for all these players, then you’re kind of solution-oriented, reverse-engineering issues.”That philosophy helps explain how McDaniel views a Chargers backfield featuring Omarion Hampton, Keaton Mitchell and Kimani Vidal.Instead of assigning fixed workloads before kickoff, he plans to select the back best suited for the opponent and adjust according to who produces during the game.“You kind of play the hot hand once you’re into games,” McDaniel said.

“Specifically, I’ll use all three of those guys probably every game.The relative ratio? That will be based on opponent and what we’re asking the guys to do.”It is a familiar formula for McDaniel, who worked alongside Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco from 2017 through 2021, first as the team’s run-game specialist, then as run-game coordinator and eventually offensive coordinator.During that stretch, the 49ers rarely depended upon one permanent workhorse.

Injuries contributed to the constant movement, but performance also allowed backs to rise and fall within the rotation.The clearest example came in 2019.San Francisco began the season with Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida leading the backfield, but Raheem Mostert forced his way into a larger role.

After Coleman started against Baltimore, Mostert took control and rushed 19 times for 146 yards and a touchdown.�...