If we get the Sam Darnold we got yesterday....

[mblack]

Agreed, he doesnt go in the shitter with bad decisions? He will get Baker type $$$ - probably a bit tilted to incentive laden. 

I really want to keep McNown around for JJM...More so then Wes if we had to choose between the 2. 

I'll tell you a secret thats no longer a secret. The least talked about guy on the O staff who KOC loves (Grant Udinski). He's been super valuable for JJM's rook season in re-hab.
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Meet Grant Udinski, the most interesting man on the Vikings coaching staff

Officially, the 28-year-old is assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach. Unofficially, he’s mentor to J.J. McCarthy, protégé of Kevin O’Connell and the most likely to go off the grid in the mountains somewhere.

The man who’s become one of the Vikings’ most important coaches is, quite often, the man who can’t be found.

Grant Udinski is on some faraway practice field, doing extra work with a quarterback, when Kevin O’Connell gestures over reporters’ shoulders to point him out in a news conference. Long after players and coaches had left on Fridays last November, Udinski stayed on the Vikings’ indoor field, for cram sessions with Jaren Hall and Joshua Dobbs that sometimes lasted six hours.

To J.J. McCarthy’s frequent 11:30 p.m. questions about the Vikings offense this spring, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips simply responded, “Text Grant.” Udinski added McCarthy to the small group of people whose texts break through the do-not-disturb settings on his phone. 

O’Connell gets the same priority, two years after Udinski, then the coach’s personal assistant, forgot to give him the dates for a Rocky Mountain hiking trip and a question from O’Connell was lost in spotty cell service, leading to dozens of texts and voicemails making sure he was OK.

”When I say he’s all football, all the time, I mean it — if he’s not hiking a mountain in Colorado,” O’Connell said. “And he’s not staying in the most luxurious accommodations. He’s sleeping on the side of a mountain somewhere. I mean, if we could ever do a day in the life of him when he’s not doing football, it would be much more exciting than when he is.”

Since hiring Udinski in 2022, O’Connell has promoted him twice. This year, the 28-year-old’s official title is “assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach.” His unofficial roles include: mentor to McCarthy; post-practice pass rusher or receiver for Sam Darnold; advance scout and practice lieutenant for Phillips; complement to QB coach Josh McCown; “Crazy Grant” to O’Connell’s kids; confidant, protégé and occasional comedic target for O’Connell.

Udinski recalls plays with such specificity, McCarthy is convinced he must have a photographic memory. McCown watches Udinski lead a presentation to the team’s quarterbacks and sees a young O’Connell.

“It reminds me a ton of Kevin, when I had him as a quarterbacks coach [in 2015 with the Browns],” said McCown, a former NFL quarterback. “You could tell immediately, with his presence and intellect, he was going to be a really good coach. That’s definitely what I can feel from Grant.”

O’Connell came up with a cadre of fast-tracked coaches under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. He thinks within a few years, Udinski could be an offensive coordinator or even a head coach. “It would not surprise me if he’s on a pretty skyrocketed timeline,” O’Connell said. He jokes with Udinski, “When I’m working for you years from now, please go easy on me, no matter how I treat you right now.”

Source: Startribune

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Darnold managed to produce his bounce-back game against a Titans defense that pressured him on 14 of his 37 dropbacks, the second-most times he has been under duress in a game this season.

He ran a season-high eight times, recording a first down three times and a 1-yard touchdown plunge on a fourth. And on the occasions he stayed in the pocket, he completed a season-high six passes while under duress for 127 yards and both of his touchdown passes.

"It speaks to where he's at right now," coach Kevin O'Connell said. "Really proud of the way he played. How he played in those moments was a huge indicator of a guy that had put the work in, and was confident and was just going out there and doing his job, and also overcoming some things around him to go out and make some plays."

Darnold now has 19 touchdown passes this season, tying a career high he set in 2019 in 13 starts with the New York Jets. He is also averaging more passing yards per game (238.7) than he did in any of his previous six NFL seasons.

O'Connell was effusive in publicly supporting Darnold after his three-interception game last week against the Jaguars. Sunday, in a speech to players and coaches after the game, he gave Darnold a game ball. Darnold, O'Connell said, "went to work this week," a reference to an improvement in the decision-making that led to some of his mistakes earlier this month.

"He just keeps grinding away getting better leading our offense," O'Connell added.

Source: ESPN

Udinski is one of the people I thought of when JJ got hurt. 
1. We are very lucky to have KOC (I really wanted Harbaugh).
2. He is a great offensive mind and good with QBs so I am glad he cannot be hired away.
3. That led me to Udinski because there were a few suggesting the work he did during doubting and combine and I hope he is around for a while to help JJ.
4. KOC loves Wes. So between Wes and Udinski we have a some really good group going. Plus I don’t see Wes getting a head coaching job anytime soon. KOC is becoming another Andy Reid (in terms of scheming an offense). He is the offense

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JJ McCarthy on Udinski…
[The guy’s the most interesting man in the world,” McCarthy said. “He should be on a Dos Equis commercial.”]

That’s fire!

[Kentis]

   
Let’s hope for:    

[purplefaithful]

Several times yesterday I thought how Sam was making the OL look better than they were with his ability to quickly escape the rush.  The OL did not get that pass with Cousins here, which shows how OL like KC, Buffalo and Baltimore really benefit from their QB.

I think best case scenario for Sam would be going to the Rams.  He would return to his home roots in SoCal and be with a similar coach and offense. There were rumors of Rams trading Stafford, so you would wonder if they may be interested in going younger and also the KOC connection could be a factor.

Interesting idea and it makes a lot of sense. They'd get about 10 years younger at QB and Darnold would have a similar offense, a similar play caller and some good weapons to work with. I think the Rams would have to eat a shit-ton of Stafford's dead cap in order to pull it off, but they could feasibly write Darnold's contract so that there is a minimal hit in the first year.

I'd rather him go to AFC, but that is actually a very good idea/take.

[Mattyman]

The Vikings offense and Darnold adjusted and improved off what happened in Jville.

I think that's a big deal.



Well done to KOC, Darnold and Vikes Offense.

[StickierBuns]

I think I've been clear here that he won't be resigned in Minnesota. I know some fans still want this but its not happening. The point of my starting this thread is because Good Sam is as good a passer as you could want when he's on, fun to watch. I'm just enjoying this ride as far as it goes. I'm looking forward to the JJM era starting, I think KOC will make him a legit force:

https://twitter.com/PlayerStormy/status/...3714863120

[Canthony]

The Vikings offense and Darnold adjusted and improved off what happened in Jville.

I think that's a big deal.

 

Well done to KOC, Darnold and Vikes Offense.

I don't see any way that we resign Darnold. It will be JJ

[MaroonBells]

I think I've been clear here that he won't be resigned in Minnesota. I know some fans still want this but its not happening. The point of my starting this thread is because Good Sam is as good a passer as you could want when he's on, fun to watch. I'm just enjoying this ride as far as it goes. I'm looking forward to the JJM era starting, I think KOC will make him a legit force:

https://twitter.com/PlayerStormy/status/...3714863120

You've heard fans say they want to resign Darnold? Like now they're saying this? Seems a little premature.

[DeepFreeze05]

[badgervike]

For those wondering, virtually identical YTD stats to Cousins (and Mahomes for that matter). 

Pass Yds  Yds/Att Att  Cmp     Cmp %   TD  INT    Rate  

Kirk Cousins
2807       7.8       360   245      68.1      17   9      96.6  

Sam Darnold
2717       8.3      327    221     67.6       21  10     101.7 

Patrick Mahomes
2673        7        381   266      69.8       18  11     93.2

[purplefaithful]

I am going to miss good Sam....We'll see what the next 6 weeks brings.

What a year for the franchise and fans huh?