Jaguars 2025 head coach candidate profile: Ravens OC Todd Monken

For the third time in 5 years, the Jacksonville Jaguars are trying to find a brand new head coach.

Huge Cat Nation’s Jaguars head coach hiring course of tracker is continually being up to date — however to offer extra data on the highest candidates being interviewed, we’ll be releasing in-depth profiles all through the search.

Different head coach candidate profiles:

Subsequent up: Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, whom the Chicago Bears, the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Jaguars have all requested interviews with.

Photograph by Nick Cammett/Diamond Photos through Getty Photos

Expertise

One of the skilled coaches of this cycle, Todd Monken started his soccer teaching profession as a three-year letterman at quarterback at Knox Faculty in Galesburg, Illinois. In 1988, he was ranked first within the nation in move makes an attempt, completions, and completion share as he earned All-Convention honors. Monken then started his teaching profession in 1989 at Grand Valley State as a graduate assistant for 2 years earlier than transitioning to Notre Dame to fill the identical function for 2 extra seasons. He would then obtain his first place coach function in 1993 because the defensive backs and large receivers coach for Japanese Michigan College. He would obtain a promotion to offensive coordinator and large receivers coach in 1998. After a two-year stint at Louisiana Tech College, a three-year function as passing sport coordinator at Oklahoma State, and a two-year related function at Louisiana State College, Monken would land his first NFL function in Jacksonville.

After being employed because the large receivers coach for the Jack Del Rio-led Jaguars in 2007, Monken would lead a beginning unit of Dennis Northcutt and Earnest Wilford in his first NFL season. Surprisingly, the staff would go 11-5, totally on the again of a powerful run sport and a bodily protection. After a 31-20 divisional spherical playoff loss to the New England Patriots in 2007, the wheels would fall off in 2008 with Jacksonville going 5-11 with Monken’s unit that includes rookie WR Matt Jones (65 catches-761 yards-2 TDs) and Reggie Williams (37-364-3). Within the following 2009 season, whereas Monken’s receiving core of Mike Sims-Walker (63-869-7) and Torry Holt (51-722-0) would enhance in uncooked numbers, the staff would nonetheless end at 7-9 earlier than going 8-8 in his remaining full season in Jacksonville.

After leaving Jacksonville, Monken would settle for an offensive coordinator function with Oklahoma State for 2 years earlier than getting his first head teaching function on the College of Southern Mississippi in 2013. Monken would flip the beforehand 0-12 Golden Eagles program round right into a 9-5 staff enjoying within the convention championship by 2015. He would then return to the NFL because the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator following the 2015 season. Monken’s Buccaneers offenses ranked 18th, ninth, and third in yards within the following three seasons, whereas rating 18th, 18th, and twelfth in factors. After the workers was let go following the 2018 5-11 season, Monken would turn into the offensive coordinator for the Freddie Kitchens’ Cleveland Browns. Regardless of Nick Chubb speeding for the second most yards in his profession that season, the workers can be let go after going 6-10. Monken’s unit struggled to ship, rating twenty second in each factors and yardage with QB Baker Mayfield, RB Nick Chubb, and WRs Odell Beckam Jr, and Jarvis Landry on the roster.

Nevertheless, Monken teaching performances would bounce again in an enormous method over the following 5 years, touchdown on the College of Georgia in 2020 as their offensive coordinator beneath Kirby Sensible. Monken’s offense averaged 32.3 factors per sport in his preliminary season (thirty eighth), with the staff going 8-2 with a Peach Bowl win over Cincinnati. He would observe that season up with 14-1 and 15-0 nationwide championship seasons the place his offense would enhance to 38.6 (ninth) and 41.1 (fifth) in factors scored.

Monken would then turn into the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator in 2023, changing into probably the greatest offensive coordinators within the league whereas getting probably the most out of Lamar Jackson’s distinctive ability set. In constructing an offense round Jackson’s expertise, Monken’s unit completed sixth in yards and 4th in factors, with Lamar securing the offensive participant of the 12 months. The development didn’t finish there, as Baltimore’s offense continued to enhance in 2024, rating 1st in yards and third in factors, with Lamar once more prone to obtain the MVP trophy this season.

Efficiency

2024 Ravens offense

Factors per sport: 30.5 (third)
First downs per sport: 23.1 (third)
Yards per sport: 424.9 (1st)
Yards per play: 6.8 (1st)
EPA per play: 0.199 (1st)
Success price: 49.4% (2nd)

Passing offense

Complete touchdowns: 41 (2nd)
First downs per sport: 11.7 (eleventh)
Yards per sport: 237.4 (seventh)
Yards per try: 8.1 (1st)
EPA per play: 0.328 (1st)
Success price: 52.5% (4th)

Dashing offense

Complete touchdowns: 21 (sixth)
First downs per sport: 9.65 (1st)
Yards per sport: 187.6 (1st)
Yards per try: 5.8 (1st)
EPA per play: 0.053 (2nd)
Success price: 46.0% (2nd)

Situational offense

Early down EPA per play: 0.172 (1st)
Early down success price: 48.9% (2nd)
Late down EPA per play: 0.307 (4th)
Late down success price: 51.6% (4th)
Landing price within the purple zone: 74.2% (1st)

Quotes

Ravens HC John Harbaugh discusses early returns of hiring OC Todd Monken

From Kevin Oestreicher RavensWire (July 2023)

“Man, there’s nothing like the real thing, right? Seeing Todd in real life is even better than reports I would say. He’s a very good teacher. He does it in a very energetic kind of way, the way that we love to see around here. He’s just very relatable. He’s also a very detailed coach—especially in the passing game—but not just that: the protection, the run game, the quarterback reads, everything. He’s very involved, very hands on.”

Why it’s simple to place Todd Monken amongst finalists for Bears job

From Gene Chamberlain for Chicago Bears on SI (Jan. 2025)

With Greg Roman, Lamar Jackson by no means went over 64.4% completions. He’s at 66.7% this 12 months after 67.2% final 12 months, each with Monken. Jackson leads the NFL with a 119.6 passer score and eight.6 landing share. He’s averaging 8.8 yards per move try. Below Roman, he twice failed to achieve 100 passer score and had a excessive of 99.3. His yards per try have been between 6.9 and seven.5.

Is Todd Monken the following Bruce Arians?

From Brendan Sugrue for BearsWire (Jan. 2025)

The Bears proceed to prioritize offensive-minded candidates for his or her subsequent head coach, and Monken has arguably extra expertise on that facet of the ball than every other individual they’re interviewing. Monken has spent over 30 years teaching place teams and holding coordinator positions on the school {and professional} ranges, from Japanese Michigan within the Nineties to the Jacksonville Jaguars within the 2000s, Southern Miss within the 2010s, and now the Baltimore Ravens within the 2020s. He has seen all of it from a soccer standpoint, and he’s had success at quite a few spots. It’s that sort of expertise that might make him invaluable to the Bears.

5 Issues to Know About Ravens OC Todd Monken

From Omar Navarro for Chargers.com (Jan. 2024)

In 2018, the offense was capable of lead the NFL passing yards (320.3) and completed third in complete offense (415.5), setting single-season franchise information. Vast receiver Mike Evans had probably the most manufacturing of his profession hauling in 1,524 receiving yards. Monken would transfer on to Cleveland for one season and noticed related explosiveness as Nick Chubb rushed for the second-most rush yards in a single season for his profession (1,494) in 2019.

25 potential NFL head coaches for 2025

From Wendell Ferreira for AtoZSports (Oct. 2024)

Monken has been an offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers and Browns. With the Ravens since final season, he unlocked a brand new model of Lamar Jackson and of the Ravens offense, who leads the NFL in DVOA by 5 weeks.

Lous Riddick on X

From ESPN & former Washington and Philadelphia govt, Lous Riddick (Jan. 2025)

“If you don’t want to talk to Todd Monken about your HC vacancy…you don’t know what you are doing.”

Obvious pluses
A big variety of years of participant growth: Heisman Finalist QB Stetson Bennett (College of Georgia), first spherical receivers Dwayne Bowe and Buster Davis (LSU), QB Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens), and profession seasons for WR Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) and Nick Chubb (Cleveland Browns).

Monken toying with pitt within the learn sport. Movement to get the LB out of kinds, fold RG/RT, and if 41 is a scrape defender then hes simply completely out of place pic.twitter.com/IHjWZXbe5I

— mike faltas (@mfaltas_) January 12, 2025

Head teaching expertise in dealing with a rebuild, with proof of idea at constructing a profitable tradition from the bottom up at Southern Miss. Monken was additionally a finalist for the Broyles Award, obtained by one of the best assistant coach in school soccer throughout his time at UGA.

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken did not just like the WR method to ball safety drills to start out follow, so he went as much as go over it. He is aware of what Pittsburgh’s protection is able to come Saturday.

Steelers are tied for first in turnover margin +18. pic.twitter.com/OuYJHT1J4X

— Morgan Adsit (@MorganAdsit) December 18, 2024

Monken has constructed up a really convincing resume in bettering upon a strong offensive basis, turning them into dominant ones (IE: College of Georgia, Baltimore Ravens, and arguably his Tampa Bay Buccaneers offenses)

Todd Monken is a critical offensive thoughts. He led the NFL in yards (424.9 per sport) and third in scoring (30.5 ppg). Monken gained 2 titles 2021/2022 as UGAs OC.

In 2018 w the Bucs he led the NFL w 5,358 passing yards behind QBs Jameis Winston/Ryan Fitzpatrick. #DaBears #Bears pic.twitter.com/J5qUQAJXdQ

— Clay Harbor (@clayharbs82) January 8, 2025

Has an in depth 30+ years of teaching expertise, with the flexibility to forged a large web in increase an skilled teaching workers.
Lingering questions

Because of one in all his current interviews reportedly not going as nicely within the final teaching cycle, questions might exist as to Monken’s want or capability to be a head coach on the NFL stage. Nevertheless, this might have merely been a team-specific state of affairs, as he has interviewed with a lot success in previous years for a number of teaching roles with out rumors of subject. I’d guess this will have merely been an ill-fit with both the Panthers or the Chargers management.
Is Monken capable of succeed and not using a dominant offensive line, corresponding to what he has had at his final two profitable stops (Baltimore and the College of Georgia)? Inside Monken’s offense, a lot of the play relies off first establishing the run. Does he produce other instruments in his bag when his staff isn’t larger, stronger, and extra bodily than his opponent? In his early years, with a brand new group will Todd have the ability to achieve constructing an elite unit up entrance? These are a number of the questions that normal managers with openings should reply all through this interview course of.
Would somebody with the huge expertise and age of Monken pair higher with Jaguars GM Trent Baalke than say one of many youthful accessible candidates? An argument may very well be made that Monken, together with his mixture of age, soccer community, offensive ingenuity, and adaptableness might give him an edge in Jacksonville over a number of candidates when evaluating the plan wholistically. This could be very true if Shad Khan was caught on maintaining Trent Baalke inside the entrance workplace transferring ahead.
After Trent Baalke’s extensively reported previous conflict with Jim Harbaugh in San Franciso, one must assume that in a league constructed on relationships that Monken would’ve mentioned that prior scenario together with his boss, Baltimore Ravens head coach (and Jim’s brother), John Harbaugh. That dynamic could also be some of the fascinating items of this interview course of. Would Monken, a former Jaguars place coach, be prepared to work with Trent Baalke in an effort to return to Jacksonville, with an consciousness of what has occured and will once more happen?

Jaguar followers, how do you’re feeling about Monken? Tell us within the feedback!