Chargers News: Brandon Staley Anticipates Run Game to Grow as Season Progresses

How different will the run offense look under their new regime?

The Los Angeles Chargers will look for different results in the 2023 season. The 2022 season didn't go as planned for many reasons, but one cause of concern (out of many) was the running game. 

Outside of Austin Ekeler, there was no one that the team could've counted on, and with all the injuries they suffered in 2022, they needed Ekeler to be more than just a running back. 

He failed to reach 1,000 yards rushing but excelled in the role he was given. Although it worked, that will need to change, and it has the chance to under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Moore is coming into LA with a running game that was successful in his time in Dallas, and head coach Brandon Staley sees that success translate to his roster. 

LA's run game was nonexistent, but so far, it's working, and Staley said they must establish it, and it could get better as the season progresses. 

Lack of identity in the run game was a huge issue for the Chargers last year. They’ve made some real strides over the last couple weeks under Kellen Moore. Here’s what Brandon Staley has to say about it today: pic.twitter.com/ajHzy9U15H

— Guilty As Charged Podcast (@GACPodcast17) August 18, 2023

“I think that we’ve certainly formulated identity that we wanted to play with. There have been a lot of runs in camp, so I think that we’ve been able to evaluate our guys in pads. We still have two games to go, but it’s still really important to us to establish who we are both on the line of scrimmage and at the running back. Again, we still have a lot of time until our first regular season game.” 

(via Brandon Staley)

Things will be, and they must be different to get over the hump and reach the next level.

With Moore, they could undoubtedly make the run game part of their identity. You have Austin, one of the most dynamic backs in the league, and guys like Isiaih Spiller, Joshua Kelly, and possibly Elijah Dotson to carry the load when Ekeler is getting rest. 

Moore led Dallas the number seventh-ranked rushing offense with 126.6 yards per game. He also led his former team to the number two-ranked total offense and scoring offense in the four seasons as OC.

This is precisely the guy LA needed, and there's no excuse for the Chargers to match or excel in those stats Moore put up with the Cowboys.