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5 Takeaways: What New OC Kellen Moore Brings to the Bolts

Moore

The Chargers have found their next offensive coordinator.

The Bolts announced Monday they have agreed to terms with Kellen Moore, who spent the past four season in the same role with the Cowboys.

Here are five takeaways from Chargers Senior Writer Eric Smith on the addition of Moore:

1. This was a coveted job

Things developed quickly with the Chargers and Kellen Moore.

When the 34-year-old became available, the Chargers swiftly interviewed Moore on Sunday evening, agreeing to terms shortly thereafter to become to the team's offensive coordinator.

Given the expedited timeline, it was clear how much both sides were interested in the other.

For the Chargers, it was a chance to add one of the league's top offensive minds to their coaching staff. Remember, Moore has already conducted head-coaching interviews in his young career.

And for Moore, the chance to work with Justin Herbert and a bevy of skill players was surely a fantastic opportunity, too.

The Bolts interviewed multiple qualified candidates for this role, but the addition of Moore is a win-win for both sides.

The Los Angeles Chargers today agreed to terms with Kellen Moore as the team's offensive coordinator.

2. Moore's offenses have been elite

Although he's only 34 years old, Moore already has four seasons as an offensive coordinator on his resumé.

And he helped guide one of the league's top offenses in his four seasons in Dallas.

The Cowboys had the league's No. 1 offense in terms of yards per game (2019 and 2021) and led the league in points scored in 2021 with 31.2 per game.

From 2019-2022, the Cowboys ranked second in total yards and points scored behind only the Chiefs in that timespan.

Dallas was also third in total first downs (2,279) and tied for sixth in offensive touchdowns (317).

On a more advanced level, the numbers showed that the Cowboys were a top-tier offense when Moore was calling the plays.

From 2019-2022, Dallas ranked eighth in EPA/play (0.049) and ninth in EPA/dropback (0.110). EPA stands for Expected Points Added and is a metric that defines that value of each play by the effect it has on the offense's likelihood to score.

Whether you look at basic stats or more analytical ones, the numbers show Moore had plenty of success with the Cowboys.

3. Pushing the ball down the field

The Chargers offense could be ready to air it out a bit more this season.

In Moore's four seasons in Dallas, the Cowboys ranked seventh overall by averaging 7.50 yards per pass attempt.

If we only count the past three seasons with Herbert under center, the Chargers rank 19th in the same stat at 7.13 yards per attempt.

Herbert, who battled rib and shoulder injuries this past season, averaged 6.8 yards per attempt in 2022. That tied him for 24th across the league.

Take a look back at some of the best Chargers photos in monochrome from the 2022 season

4. Lots of quarterback experience

Moore will have the chance to work with plenty of talent on the offensive side of the ball. 

Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley headline the backfield while Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, Joshua Palmer and Gerald Everett are among the receiving threats.

Corey Linsley and Rashawn Slater highlight the offensive line that also features 2022 rookies Zion Johnson and Jamaree Salyer.

But it's Moore relationship with Herbert that will be paramount, as the 24-year-old quarterback is the central figure on the Chargers offense.

It will help that Moore is a former quarterback himself both at the NFL and college level. He spent six seasons with the Lions and Cowboys, and that came after a highly decorated college career at Boise State.

Moore went 50-3 with the Broncos and won three straight Offensive Player of the Year awards in his respective conferences to close out his college career.

5. Helping the run game

Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley said earlier this month that he wants a more potent rushing attack in 2023.

Moore should help with that given his recent success in that phase of the Cowboys offense.

In the past four seasons, Dallas ranked seventh overall with 8,358 rushing yards and were ninth with 71 rushing touchdowns.

One sneaky area to keep an eye on: third-down rushes. Dallas ranked second from 2019-2022 as 59.2-percent of its runs on third downs went for a first down.

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