Chargers News: Giff Smith Officially Interviews With LA For Permanent HC Position
Interim Los Angeles Chargers head coach Giff Smith is getting a crack at the permanent position, even as the Bolts cast a wide interviewing net this offseason.
Omar Navarro of Chargers.com reports that LA has interviewed both the 55-year-old Smith, who's been a coach for the club in some capacity since 2016, and 34-year-old offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who just completed an ill-fated first season with the franchise.
After owner Dean Spanos canned Day 1 head coach Brandon Staley following a hilariously bad 63-21 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders in December, Smith was tapped (over Moore) to fill in as a temp replacement down the already-doomed season's home stretch. He was elevated from his role as the club's defensive line coach.
The Bolts went 0-3 during Smith's reign at the helm (without the availability of his two most valuable offensive assets in Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert and Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen, amidst a rash of other injuries), though all three losses were within a single touchdown, a marked improvement over several Staley-era blowout defeats earlier this year. Los Angeles lost by an average margin of 3.33 points per bout.
Although he hasn't picked up a single head coaching win just yet, Smith seems to have earned the respect of his locker room. One wonders if he'd be retained as a position coach, even if he is passed over for the head coaching gig in favor of a splashier hire.
"Giff did an awesome job stepping in when it was tough to do," Pro Bowl outside linebacker Khalil Mack said when the season officially wrapped after LA's 13-12 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend. "I don't know if anybody else would want to step in at that moment in the season.
"Seeing how he rallied the guys and had us ready to go, even though we weren't able to lock it down and get the job done on Sunday, we played for each other and he did a great job bringing us together for that," Mack added.
