Rams OC Schottenheimer Leaves Rams for Georgia

Schottenheimer now with UGA. Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA Today Sports

Wednesday afternoon news broke that Brian Schottenheimer, who has been the Rams offensive Coordinator for the last three years, has decided to leave and pursue the same position at the University of Georgia.

By: Niqko Marshall (@NDMHoops) 

The rumor about Schottenheimer was thrown around last weekend that he would be a candidate for the offensive coordinator position at Georgia. Many Rams knew there was a possibility that he could be gone, but many ultimately felt that he wouldn't leave an NFL coordinator position to take the same position in college. Nonetheless, it was announced Wednesday that he has accepted the position. At Georgia, he will be the offensive coordinator and the Quarterback coach as well.

In the last three years will the Rams their offense has ranked 27th, 17th, and 27th in the league this sort of comes as a surprise to Rams fans as well because in Head coach Jeff Fisher's end of the season interview he gave a vote of confidence to Schottenheimer alluding that he was an "outstanding" play caller and that he shouldn't solely be blamed for the Rams lack of offensive production.

To Schottenheimer's defense, he has not been able to work with his starting quarterback the last season and a half. Sam Bradford tore his ACL in week 7 of the 2013 season and re-injured it again in the preseason of 2014 ending his season once again.

 In the last two seasons, Schottenheimer has worked with Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill, and Austin Davis, that could explain the low rankings for the Rams offense.

Schottenheimer also got flack for not being able to use weapons on offense correctly such as Tavon Austin, who the Rams traded up and drafted 8th overall in the 2013 draft. 

Austin is an extraordinary talent who has not quite lived up to expectations yet, and many believed that Schottenheimer didn't do enough to utilize the slot receiver.

As head coaching vacancies are being filled, the Rams have an offensive coordinator position needing to be filled it will be interesting to see who the Rams hire to fill the position.