Todd Monken Reveals Blueprint for Success As Ravens New Coordinator

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh has confidence in Todd Monken's versatility to run the Ravens offense.
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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Todd Monken is with a new team but will not stray from his core philosophy. 

As the Ravens' new offensive coordinator, he will face challenges to get the attack on the same level as teams that have gone deep in the playoffs, namely the Chiefs, Bengals and Bills.  

Monken's overall strategy entails being explosive, scoring touchdowns in the red zone, being good on third downs, not having loss yardage plays and scheming for athletic quarterbacks that make off-schedule plays.

One of the key will be keeping Lamar Jackson in the mix to take the offense to the next level. 

"That’s the analytical part," he said. "How do we get to that model? Don’t turn it over, and how are we explosive? I don’t care if it’s with a fullback, without a fullback, four wide, three wide. My cousin [Army head coach Jeff Monken] at Army runs a triple-option; that works. 

"Now, you can only run what you know. You can’t just make stuff up. It’s fun to do that, but usually it doesn’t work. The reality is that there are a lot of ways to skin a cat, but still the principles of how you win are the same.”

Last year, Monken led Georgia to the No. 5 offense in college football, averaging 501.1 yards of total offense and 41.1 points. Former walk-on quarterback Stetson Bennett was named a Heisman finalist after throwing for 4,127 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also 10 more scores on the ground.

Can that type of success translate to the Ravens?

Baltimore coach John Harbaugh has confidence in Monken's versatility. 

"The ability to move in different kinds of systems, different kinds of types of football, different personnel groups – run game, pass game, protection, RPOs, quarterback-driven stuff, downhill run game, play-action stuff tied to it – all the stuff that we’re kind of looking for," Harbaugh said. "Different kinds of tempos, huddle, no-huddle, real fast, controlled tempo, call plays at the line, don’t call plays at the line … These are all things that you talk about [and] things that he brings to the table that he’s really very versatile with."


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Todd Karpovich
TODD KARPOVICH

Twitter: @toddkarpovich Email: todd.karpovich@gmail.com Skype: todd.karpovich Todd Karpovich has been a contributor for ESPN, Forbes, the Associated Press, Lindy's, and The Baltimore Sun, among other media outlets nationwide. He is the co-author of “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Baltimore Ravens Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box,” “Skipper Supreme: Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles,” and the author of “Manchester United (Europe's Best Soccer Clubs).” Karpovich, a Baltimore native, is a graduate of Calvert Hall College high school, Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, and has a Masters of Science from Towson University.