2021 is in the rearview and 2022's offseason is here.

With that being said, we thought this would be a good time to check in with some people we don't hear from often: the Chargers position coaches.

A Conversation with the Chargers Position Coaches

Evaluating the Quarterbacks with QBs Coach Shane Day

Evaluating the Wide Receivers with WRs Coach Chris Beatty

Evaluating the Running Backs with RBs Coach Derrick Foster

Evaluating the DBs with Secondary Coach Derrick Ansley

Evaluating the Outside Linebackers with OLBs Coach Jay Rodgers

We conclude with LBs coach Michael Wilhoite.

Wilhoite details how the scheme and Kyzir White's physicality were the perfect match in 2021, why he's encouraged about Kenneth Murray moving forward, and more.

We'll break down some of the players you specifically worked with, but overall, how would you assess the linebacker group last year?

Michael Wilhoite: I thought they were great. It's a very good group, very disciplined. Great energy and very active and very eager to learn. When you have all of those things, and when you have guys who play hard, you can't go wrong. All you can do is get better and that's on my part to be better and help them get better.

Let's start with breaking down Kyzir White's year. So many guys on this team had breakout seasons, but he surprised so many of us.

What was the goal with him heading into 2021?

Wilhoite: I think the goal with him was the same as with anybody in the room, it was just getting the best out of them. And, to get them to play to their potential every time they stepped on the field, whether that took the mental energy and mental stamina or whether that took making it simple for them so they could play fast physically.

I thought that we kept it simple for him and he was able to communicate with me what he needed and what he didn't need each week – I think we got a good feel for each other, and I understood where he wanted to go and what he needed to hear and what he didn't need to hear. I thought he played really well, and I think there's more in the tank. I think he can get better as he plays more snaps at the position. He's a great young man. Our group was eager in every way to do the right thing at all times, and he was the ringleader for all of that.

KYZIR WHITE IN 2021

144 total tackles | Career-high | Most single season tackles in Chargers history since 2005

When you talk about breaking things down for him and being able to tap in to more of him as the scheme becomes more familiar, why was this scheme such a good fit and what does the future look like for him?

Wilhoite: The way he plays his game, it's very conducive to our system. He does a great job of playing square, striking people; he's very explosive, he uses his hands well. He does a good job of leading and being a general and being in front of that defense, he has to be able to do that. That's something he worked on hard and diligently and was able to improve on.

As soon as I saw him, I knew this guy fit our system so well. He has a great feel for the game; finishes well on the ball, plays hard, and does the little and simple things that make you a good football player. He had all those things and that just leads him into year two the same way it led him into year one. I think you can see him take off and become an elite linebacker in the NFL.

How would you describe last season for Kenneth Murray?

Wilhoite: I think it was unexpected and I'm thinking of what he would say in his mind. But I'm not discouraged, I'm encouraged. I think when you have a person like him who is willing to do anything and everything to be great, who is gonna ask all the right questions and as a young man still learning, I think the sky's the limit for him.

I think that we can't expect everybody to learn and play at the same level at the same time. We have to be able to let him mature and grow within the game of football and become who we know he will be and understand that.

I know last season for him had a lot of challenges both physically with his own injury and at times, filling in at different roles for guys who were out.

General manager Tom Telesco said that he really views Kenneth as an inside linebacker, is that were you see him best?

Wilhoite: I do. I think he does have the capabilities to play on the edge and play inside and be a good player at both. I think it's just a matter of getting him the reps and snaps at both, getting him the experience to go out there and feel comfortable doing both and have confidence in that. I think once we do that, he'll be fine.

2021 LINEBACKERS

"It's a very good group, very disciplined. Great energy and very active and very eager to learn. When you have all of those things, and when you have guys who play hard, you can’t go wrong. All you can do is get better and that’s on my part to be better and help them get better."

What does Drue Tranquill bring to this group?

Wilhoite: Energy, lots of energy. Toughness. Those are the two things that jump in my mind right away that you can't replace. He plays hard though the whistle every play. He does it in practice, he does it in a game. He plays physical. I'm a huge fan of the person he is and the way he tries and the way he plays his game.

He brings a lot to the room in the sense of he keeps guys going, he's a good leader in the sense that he talks to everybody and does a good job checking in with the guys. Even this offseason, just checking in here and there making sure everybody's good and I think that's something you can't minimize.

And then lastly, two rookies you worked with last year: Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga. One was drafted, the other, undrafted.

What did you see out of those guys?

Wilhoite: First and foremost, good people. Eager to learn, eager to work, eager to find work, eager to find ways to get better. Both guys are tough. Both guys are athletic, very smart. One guy has a really good feel for the game and one guy is getting there. One guy has great length and speed and athleticism and another guy has great [vision.]

Them together is a great group and I think as they both go [further in their careers], the sky's the limit for them. I think they both can get a lot better. I think they played well this year, better than I think anybody had ever expected, and I think they're only gonna get better as they go.

1 / 21

HANDS UP - Although wide receiver Mike Williams didn't catch this, I liked the juxtaposition of the ball hovering over his hand and the defender's hand in his grill. It's called football, but every now and then, we're reminded it's a hands game. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

2 / 21

FUMBLE IN THE FOURTH - Washington ended the third quarter of the season opener with a 16-13 lead over the Bolts. But that all changed quickly in the fourth quarter as linebacker Kyzir White forced a fumble on running back Antonio Gibson deep in WFT territory which three plays later, led to a Chargers touchdown. I like how you can see the varying levels of defense and a goal-line view of the ball popping out. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

3 / 21

W FOR HC - Week 1 was Brandon Staley's first win as a head coach in the NFL. He was so excited to hand out game balls, but the ever-conscientious quarterback Justin Herbert flipped the script and delivered a ball to Staley himself. It was a small space, but the emotion was big. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

4 / 21

BACK TOGETHER - SoFi Stadium finally got to play host to fans in 2021. Here's a shot which shows the perspective of being in attendance at the very first regular season home game for the Bolts at SoFi with fans. - Travis Ellison/Los Angeles Chargers

5 / 21

33 - No one was probably more hyped to be back at SoFi Stadium than safety Derwin James. This photo encapsulates the sheer emotion of No. 33 being extra fired up for his return to homefield action. - Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

6 / 21

ENEMY TERRITORY - Kansas City is notoriously one of the most hostile environments in the NFL and as you can see, Chiefs fans were out in full force in Week 3. I liked this shot of our captains walking out as the colors pop against the sea of red. The Super Bowl champions sign was a reminder to keep an eye on the ultimate prize. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

7 / 21

VICTORY - Here's an inside-look at the locker room after the victory over the Chiefs in Week 3. Wins are sweet, but wins against your largest divisional rival are even sweeter. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

8 / 21

IN MOTION - You achieve a look like this by keeping the shutter open and I like the stark contrast of the movement on the field set against the stillness of the fans in the stands. The lighting also makes everything look so vibrant, a benefit to shooting a night game. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

9 / 21

30 GOES UP - Guard Oday Aboushi gives running back Austin Ekeler an assist in celebrating this MNF touchdown. I like how this shot takes the viewer onto the field to show what a TD celebration is really like from an NFL player's (or photog's!) perspective. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

10 / 21

OUR WAY - Derwin James is unmistakably the heart and soul of the Chargers defense and one of the squad's leaders overall. This photo showcases his intensity leading a pregame huddle. I also like how you can see the reflection of the infinity screen in his visor. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

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MIKE & JUSTIN THINGS - Here's a shot at the celebration after the 42-yard touchdown from Justin Herbert to Mike Williams which put the Bolts up 28-27 over the Cleveland Browns in Week 5. Herbert ran all the way down the field to celebrate. Crazy to think this was just the beginning of a wild fourth quarter that cracked the game open with the Chargers ultimately winning, 47-42. - Travis Ellison/Los Angeles Chargers

12 / 21

81 FOR SIX - Williams had a big day against Cleveland, but I love how this photo shows off the unique aspects of SoFi. If you look closely at the infinity screen, you can see the reverse angle of this shot. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

13 / 21

ELECTRIC- A static electricity globe is setup in the tunnel to charge players up before they are introduced to the SoFi crowd. It's usually so dark back here, but when guys touch the globes, the light from the bolts pop against their hands. Note tight end Jared Cook looking into the camera here, too. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

14 / 21

GET LOW - Because the player tunnel entrances were back this year, I put a camera on the ground to really get a good look at the guys walking, running, or dancing out. As Mike Williams moved forward, he missed stepping on the camera by about an inch. All for the shot, right? - Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

15 / 21

HERBO BOMB - With :23 seconds left in the first half in Week 14, Justin Herbert launched an absolute bomb to wide receiver Jalen Guyton for a 59-yard score. The pass traveled 63.8 yards in the air and went viral - for good reason - but this angle shows just how incredible of a feat it was as Herbert was getting hit as he threw. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

16 / 21

ALBUM DROPPING SOON - Primetime games are exciting for lots of reasons, but as a photographer, having them at night presents a whole different canvas for shots. This was taken in the tunnel pregame. The blue lights and smoke give off a silhouette-type look almost akin to a music video.- Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

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NO DICE ON 4th DOWN - Chargers and Chiefs games are always emotional, but here's an emphatic Joey Bosa after the defense stopped Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense on fourth down in primetime. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

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30's GOT HOPS - Austin Ekeler is known as pound-for-pound the strongest guy on the team, but it's impressive how high he got after this touchdown celebration which gave the Bolts the lead in the fourth. - Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

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BROTHERHOOD - Specialists are a unique group on a football team, and this photo of kicker Dustin Hopkins, long snapper Matt Overton, and punter Ty Long really showcases the bond between them. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

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GO DEEP - This was another seemingly routine deep ball catch from Mike Williams. I really love the way the gold on his sleeves and pants (and the lightning bolts) shines and pops against the rest of the photo. - Ty Nowell/Los Angeles Chargers

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LEFT IT ON THE FIELD - Though this photo marks the end of the Chargers season, it truly tells a story. The story of a team that fought, battled, and clawed their way to tie the game and bring it to overtime. Though the team didn't get the outcome they wanted, they gave it everything they had. - Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers

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