We'll reveal our top 10 things to watch for at training camp each day leading up to the first practice on July 30.
What is Whisenhunt's Impact?
As soon as last season ended, fans clamored for Ken Whisenhunt's return as Offensive Coordinator.
That wish came true as Whiz returned to the same post he held in 2013 after serving as head coach for the Tennessee Titans for parts of the past two seasons.
Philip Rivers earned Comebacker Player of the Year honors during his first go-around as OC, while the ground game was at its most effective during the Mike McCoy era. Still, the roster is quite different from his first time in America's Finest City. Only six offensive players remain from 2013 in Philip Rivers, Danny Woodhead, Antonio Gates, Keenan Allen, King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker.
So what will Whisenhunt's impact be in 2016?
Chargers Camp will offer our first glimpse into how Whiz will put his fingerprints on the current offense. One big difference may be less shotgun formations than recent years.
"A lot of it goes back to what you are trying to do (each game)," Whisenhunt said this offseason. "When you are in shotgun, it enables you to do some different things. But a lot of times it is good to be under center, go downhill and get after guys. It makes the linemen feel like bad asses. Part of that is being able to run the football better. It sets up some of your play action. But, there are a lot more versatile things you can do from shotgun from the standpoint of your back being able to cross protect from both sides. When you have a quarterback like Philip that understands protections, it can really help with that because when the defense brings pressure, and you don't have to throw it quick but can actually let a play develop, you can really hurt a team that way. It's important to do both. We had a pretty good balance with that in 2013."
Another focal point for Whisenhunt is revitalizing the ground game. The Chargers ranked 13th in the NFL with Whiz at the helm in 2013, yet dropped to 30th and 31st the past two seasons.
"The one thing that stands out is we need to run the football better than we did last year," he said in February. "There is no blame associated there, as there are always factors that are involved. But that is probably the biggest thing we have to do, because then your play action builds off of that, your time of possession increases where you can control the ball and you are in better third down situations. All of those things tie in together."
