Unsung Jalen Hurts assistant gets well-deserved praise from Eagles
12/18/2024 10:40 PM
After taking a step back in 2023 from his career-best 2022 run, Jalen Hurts’ offensive development has been one of the most underrated reasons for the Philadelphia Eagles’ success in 2024.
Sure, he’s throwing the ball a bit less frequently than during his past starting seasons, and the Eagles have been embracing the run more than seemingly ever before. But when it’s time for Hurts to air it out, he’s been doing so at a career-best efficiency and with a career-high yards per attempt to boot.
But how has the fifth-year signal-caller improved his efficiency despite throwing the ball less often? Well, part of it could be the addition of new quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, who Nick Sirianni took some time to praise on Wednesday during his media session.
“I think he's an outstanding coach who played the position at a very high level in the NFL and in big time college football. [Quarterbacks Coach] Doug [Nussmeier] has been a great coach for a long time, too, in college and in professional football. Coached a lot of good players. Has been a coordinator,” Sirianni told reporters.
“I just think he's done a really nice job of coaching [QB] Jalen [Hurts] and coaching the other guys. I think he's fit in really well with our staff. Obviously, he and [Offensive Coordinator] Kellen [Moore] have a prior relationship. Really pumped that he's on our staff because I think he's a heck of a football coach, heck of a person, and he's doing a great job.”
After largely working with his family friend Brian Johnson through his initial run as the Eagles’ starting quarterback, first as a quarterbacks coach and then as an offensive coordinator, getting some fresh blood has done wonders for Hurts in 2024. If he can match his efforts from Week 15 into the future, no one will be able to say that passing is the Eagles’ weak spot ever again.
Kellen Moore is a huge fan of the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, too
Speaking of Moore, he, too, complemented Nussmeier for being a great support coach, noting that they have worked together at each spot of his NFL journey, and the relationship has remained impeccable through the journey.
“I've been fortunate to be around [Quarterbacks Coach] Doug [Nussmeier], going back to Dallas and L.A. and now here. Worked with him in the quarterback room for a long time. I think what makes [Quarterbacks Coach Doug Nussmeier] Nuss is his experience. He's been a longtime coordinator in college football at a lot of big-time schools and had a ton of experience there,” Moore told reporters.
“I think he does an excellent job with the details and fundamentals of the position. Hammering that in each and every day, each and every week. Tying the QBs footwork to the pass concepts and making sure we all have the right timing, the anticipation, all that sort of stuff. He does an excellent job preparing those guys.”
Originally coming to prominence as a very good college quarterback at Boise State, Moore knows a thing or two about what it takes to play the position at a high level. If he trusts Nussmeier to shepherd Hurts through the process of working within his offense, the Eagles really lucked out that they could secure his services and add him to the organization.
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