Chargers News: Players Give Vote of Confidence to Giff Smith as Interim HC

After one game, players approve of their interim head coach.

Your 5-10 Los Angeles Chargers are pivoting in a new direction. They'll be in search of a new head coach and general manager, but all that won't be resolved until after the 2023 season. 

As things stand, LA's outside linebackers coach, Giff Smith, earned the interim head coach tag following the firing of Brandon Staley. Smith has only been the interim for two weeks and one game; however, there's no denying his impact in a short amount of time. 

The Bolts are 0-1 with Smith, but players are gravitating toward the 55-year-old coach, including Chargers star safety Derwin James Jr. 

James spoke with Kris Rihm of ESPN, and it sure sounds like Derwin is all on board the Giff train. 

"I like Giff out there," James said. "He's straightforward. He's not trying to be one way or be your friend; he's straightforward with who he is. I think that a lot of guys gravitate toward that."

(Per 

Kris Rihm of ESPN

)

James isn't the only one who likes Giff's style. Chargers safety Alohi Gilman is also a big fan of his interim head coach due to the confidence he instills in his players. 

"He'll obviously hold you accountable to what you got to do, but at the same time, he's going to let you know that he also believes in you," Gilman said. "Building confidence is, I think, as a coach is so underrated. I think that's what his superpower is -- that he's able to build confidence in guys regardless of the circumstances, and that elevates players."

(Per

Kris Rihm of ESPN

)

Giff has been with the team since 2016, serving as the defensive line coach from 2016 to 2021. After that, he became the outside linebackers coach and is now the interim head coach. Outside his time with the Bolts, he has a long list of places he has coached, from the college to the pro level. 

The interim head coach is no stranger to leading men on the football field. The players believe in him, but what are the chances of Giff securing the job for good? Very little. However, with a new coach and general manager likely on the way, Giff could continue to play a role in building this team into a true contender for years to come.