It was a jam-packed Friday at The Bolt as the Chargers held Day 1 of rookie minicamp, which also meant the chance to chat with coordinators Mike McDaniel, Chris O’Leary and Ryan Ficken.
All in all, the trio combined to speak at the podium for nearly a hour, with McDaniel occupying almost half that time in his second press conference since being hired in January.
Here are five takeaways from McDaniel, O'Leary and Ficken:
1. McDaniel raves about Herbert
McDaniel was clearly fired up on January 27 when he detailed why he took the Offensive Coordinator role with the Chargers.
Just over 100 days later (101 to be exact), McDaniel was still raving about his first few months with the organization.
"I feel very confident in my decision-making. I feel like I'm really smart at this point," McDaniel said with a smile. "It's exceeded expectations, what you're looking for professionally, just to have the opportunity to come to a place that's highly motivated, that's as exuberant about getting better and chasing, maxing out our potential.
"Working with the front office, the coaching staff, it might be as good of a coaching staff as I've ever been on," he added. "Just a very focused [group] — focused in May, focused in April, football team — to make a jump in their game and really do something with this opportunity. It's been awesome."
Perhaps the biggest reason for McDaniel's excitement? His early rapport with Justin Herbert.
McDaniel gave plenty of long-winded answers about the Chargers quarterback on Friday, but what's stood out to McDaniel the most is Herbert's ability to pick up the scheme.
"I had very, very lofty expectations. Justin's up there as one of the main motivating factors of moving my family here," McDaniel said. "Lofty expectations and I can say with absolute certainty he's exceeded those. Just very motivated and focused.
"The meetings have been great, we've been able to meet for about three weeks, but getting on the field this last week, being able to do things, with a reasonable expectation, I'm thinking are going to take, new things he hasn't done before maybe will take three to four weeks, maybe take all spring, and there's things he's been able to get done and master in the span of three to four days," McDaniel continued.
"I've been very impressed, very motivated to continue the process because so far, so good," McDaniel added. "We're at the very beginning stages of the race, but at this stage I couldn't be happier with that working relationship and the process moving forward with him."
McDaniel later explained how Herbert has responded to a myriad of challenges thrown at him.
"Players are at the mercy of what their coaches can offer to challenge him," McDaniel said. "By nature, I kind of look at my job, inherent to that, I'm supposed to make people better and you do that through challenge.
"I've challenged him to do things that he hasn't done up until this point, did a ton of those Week 1 on the field [during the offseason program]," McDaniel added. "As you'd expect, he enjoyed that process, it's been so interesting how bold he can be trying new things that typically elite performers don't like to try new things, or takes them out of your comfort zone, you don't feel as good, the result isn't good.
"He's dropped the burden of sort of something that can hold him back, he's really let go, tried new things. It's been very impressive, but he's worked through it and been able to find the beginning level of something that he can master very, very fast," McDaniel added.
So, what exactly have Herbert and McDaniel been working on of late?
Quick and timely throws, something McDaniel brought up back in January.
For reference, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, Hebert's time to throw during the 2025 season was 2.9 seconds, which ranked 32nd among all quarterbacks. That elongated time was likely due to the absence of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, which led Herbert to be scramble and be on the run more last season.
McDaniel on Friday said he's emphasized Herbert to get the ball out in 2.4 seconds or less, a time McDaniel said usually produces a completion percentage around 80 percent.
Getting the ball out faster, McDaniel explained, will do two things: limit an opponents' pass rush and create more chances for yards after the catch.
"In those successful 2.4 plays, how do you do things where you can delegitimize pass rush based upon the timing in which you get the ball out? Challenged him in some stuff he's already been successful with in those shorter throws, changed his footwork and asked him to do things, based on looking at every pass he's had, he's never done," McDaniel said.
"Whether it's changing his feet and asking him to get the ball out in a quicker rhythm, or by and large, we're much more footwork-driven in terms of our feet, being able to tell us when to progress and how to continuously get the ball out on the frontend of the pass rushes work," McDaniel continued.
"Realistically, whether it's been changing his feet of having his eyes in a different place and different focus and being able to throw with a quicker drop, two different routes at the same time in the same exact footwork, he's attacked those challenges," McDaniel added. "All those nuances are things in the pass game is what we're diving into as we speak."
To be clear, there is still a long way to go as Herbert and McDaniel get to know each other and dive into the new offensive scheme.
There are still Organized Team Activity (OTA) practices that begin past this month, plus a mandatory minicamp in June and training camp in July.
As McDaniel mentioned above, "we're at the very beginning stages of the race."
But the early returns seem to indicate that we could potentially see a dynamic and efficient Chargers offense in 2026 with Herbert and McDaniel at the helm.
"We're looking to master and be elite at everything that we do and being able to own the position in a new way," McDaniel said, "Being able for him to own the position a way he never has and ultimately for it to be obvious to everyone around that he's playing the best football of his career."