The Seattle Seahawks have hired a new offensive coordinator.
Former Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer was named the team's offensive coordinator on Tuesday.
Schottenheimer's addition to the Seahawks' coaching staff comes less than a week after the team ended offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's seven-year run in Seattle. Schottenheimer, 44, previously served as offensive coordinator for the New York Jets (2006-11) during their back-to-back trips to the AFC title game and was the Rams' OC from 2012-14.
Following his two-year stint with the Colts, Schottenheimer will be tasked with diversifying a Seattle offense that has been too dependent on quarterback Russell Wilson. The do-everything signal-caller became the first player in NFL history this past season to account for 100 percent of his team's passing yards while chalking up at least 30 percent of the squad's rushing yards.
Schottenheimer will try to accomplish that by injecting life into a ho-hum running game that was hampered by a committee of underwhelming performers in 2017. Seattle ranked 23rd in league rushing (101.8) and no one other than Wilson rushed for more than 250 yards on the ground. Injuries played a role, but Mike Davis, Chris Carson, J.D. McKissic and Eddie Lacy couldn't get the job done. Schottenheimer likely will have a few new players to work with in the backfield once general manager John Schneider tinkers the roster.
Although Schottenheimer's Colts offense fared better than the Seahawks on the ground -- thanks to the efforts of Frank Gore -- it remains to be seen if he'll be an upgrade over Bevell in helping Carroll's steer Seattle back into the playoffs.
