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Sarah Barshop, ESPN Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Chris Shula knows that when he meets new people and they hear his last name, they likely think of the men who came before him.
Shula is the grandson of late Hall of Fame coach Don Shula. His father, David Shula, was the Cincinnati Bengals‘ coach from 1992 to 1996.
So when the Los Angeles Rams‘ new defensive coordinator first started coaching, he sometimes didn’t use his last name when he introduced himself because he was “almost a little embarrassed.” He didn’t want people to think he was in “certain positions” because of who he was related to.
“I always had a little chip on my shoulder to kind of work extra hard to show that I earned whatever role I got or whatever,” Chris Shula said. ” … Now it’s something I take a lot of pride in.
“It’s something that I’m very proud of.”
Along with his football family, Shula has also learned from several past Rams defensive coordinators since joining Sean McVay’s staff in 2017. During his introductory news conference, Shula thanked Wade Phillips, Brandon Staley and Raheem Morris — who was hired as the Falcons’ coach this offseason — for what he learned coaching under them.
But while he outlined what he took from each coach, he also addressed what he wants his identity to be as a defensive coordinator. His focus, he said, is making sure it’s “about the players.”
“It’s relentless pursuit of the ball, it’s getting off blocks, it’s tackling and it’s taking the ball away and defense hasn’t changed over that over the course of time,” Shula said. That’s what this defense is going to be about.
“Now, we do want to keep an element where we want to have an identity, but we also want to have an element of unpredictability where we want to keep the offense guessing.”
What does Shula bring to the Rams?
By promoting a coach already on his staff, McVay ensured continuity on defense, something especially important given how young the unit is outside of Aaron Donald.
Shula said last season he learned a key to working with a young group is “how important it is for the coaches to be aligned.”
“I think last year our coaching staff, and it started with Sean [McVay] and obviously to Raheem [Morris] where we were so aligned and in our beliefs … and everything that we expected with every defense.”
What can the front office do to help Shula?
The Rams need to continue to invest in help on the defense, although it likely won’t be through big defensive splashes in free agency.
Rams general manager Les Snead said in his end of season news conference that while Los Angeles does have more financial flexibility this offseason, he plans to take a cautious approach.
“I probably would not expect it to go out on … the bell rings, open new year and spend $40 million,” Snead said.
But, the Rams showed last season that they can find difference-makers in the draft, even without a first-round pick. In 2023, the Rams added nose tackle Kobie Turner and outside linebacker Byron Young in the third round. The pair finished first and second in rookie sacks last season, and Turner is a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The Rams have several areas of need on their defense, including a pass rusher and help in the secondary, so they may choose to use their first-round pick — if they keep it — on the best defensive player available with the 19th pick.
What changes could Shula make to the defense?
There’s no doubt Shula will have his fingerprints on the version of the defense the Rams run in 2023, but it sounded like he won’t be making major changes to what Los Angeles ran under Morris.
“I think that’s a work in progress,” Shula said when asked whether he anticipates sticking with the same base scheme. “There will definitely be elements to it. I think we’ll use a lot of the same structures, the same 3-4 structure and some of the same core beliefs.
“But it’s all about the players. We’re going to do whatever the players can execute at a high level where they can go out and play fast and play confident and whatever the offense gives us, we’ll be able to have answers to and they can go be the best versions of themselves.”
Shula, who has called plays during the preseason, said he isn’t sure whether he will call the game from the field or from the booth. Morris called plays from the field.
“My anticipation is probably down on the field, but I had never called it from up top before,” Shula said. “But that is something we’ll definitely look into. Obviously, that’s a long way away but it is something I’ll definitely consider and definitely look into.
“And if [linebacker] Ernest [Jones] hears it better and if that’s the best way to get the players playing the best, then I’ll do whatever it is to make these guys play their best.”
