Rams HC Details Relationship Between Bruins Legends Carnell and Quentin Lake

Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay expressed what it is like to coach the son of a former player, praising the bond between the UCLA defenders.

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery runs against Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake during the first half of the NFC wild-card game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

It is every father's dream for their son to follow in their footsteps. It is every son's dream to make their father proud. For UCLA's Carnell and Quentin Lake, Los Angeles has served as the place where father Carnell made his name, son Quentin earned his chops and where father and son are united in an effort to put their last name on a Lombardi trophy.

Carnell came close to winning it all, helping lead the Steelers to Super Bowl XXX. Lake and the Steelers would lose to the Cowboys 27-17 in that game and despite being on several talented Steelers teams, he would never appear in a Super Bowl again.

After retiring as a player and entering the coaching ranks, Carnell stepped away from the professional game altogether to be with his son Quentin through his senior year of high school and subsequent career at UCLA. After Quentin was drafted by the Rams, he returned to coaching spring football in order to be present in his son's professional life.

Rams coach Sean McVay spoke on Monday about what it is like coaching the son of a former NFL player and in his answer, he detailed the strong relationship between Quentin and his pops.

“I think there are certain guys that just have a pedigree, a love for this game and understanding
of some of the nuances that maybe you wouldn't even realize," McVay said. "I know for me being around this game, I don't even realize some of the things that I pick up until I get into these situations.
Subconsciously, you’ve just been around that atmosphere and environment. ‘Q’ talks about it all
the time. Him and his dad have an incredible relationship. He was always so interested and
inquisitive about what was going on and his dad was so willing to share.

"As a player and as a coach, I just think there's a maturity that goes beyond maybe some things. There’s no amount of experience that can replicate what has gone on when it is something that you're intrinsically motivated and then you see what it looks like, and you have a great representation with a great relationship with that you have with your father. You just get a feel that the game makes sense. There's an instinct. There's an understanding. There's an ability to know how to have the emotional intelligence to navigate different situations and how to authentically connect with guys. I think that’s been a big part of why he was almost unanimously voted as a captain by his teammates. You definitely feel that pedigree based on the love that he has and that relationship that he has with his father that’s been a lot about their shared experiences because that's the path that he wanted to take while never feeling pressured to have to do that.”

Quentin and the Rams play Minnesota next Monday in the Wild Card round. In the spring, Carnell returns to the Memphis Showboats of the UFL as their defensive coordinator. Both men hope to put their last names on their respective championships within the next few months. Excellent people, excellent players, and another shining example of excellence representing the Bruins football program.

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