EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jim Harbaugh was in constant motion as he navigated his first full training camp practice for the Los Angeles Chargers this week.
A gold-strapped whistle bounced around his neck as he moved about, clad in Jordan 12 cleats, khakis and a powder blue Chargers polo. Harbaugh was in his happy place as he directed traffic in the middle of the field — telling players where to go for the next practice period.
“A little swag,” Harbaugh leaned over and told a coach when asked about his choice of footwear. “A little sugar on the flakes. Not too many.”
Things moved at a workmanlike pace as players moved through individual drills. Gone was the music and DJ that usually serve as background ambiance at most NFL training camps.
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Harbaugh even picked up a stray mouth guard he found on the grass and delivered it to its owner on the defensive practice field, outside linebacker Ty Shelby.
Fresh off winning the national title with Michigan, Harbaugh and the Chargers have high expectations — including a goal of returning to the playoffs for just the second time in six seasons.
The Chargers are 57-58 with one playoff win since they moved to Los Angeles and have not finished atop the AFC West since 2009. But Harbaugh has a history of fast starts when he takes over a new program.
He took a 5-7 team at Michigan and churned out 10 wins his first year in Ann Arbor in 2015. And in San Francisco, he quickly flipped a 49ers squad that went 6-10 in 2010 into a 13-3 heavyweight in the NFC West in his first year in 2011.
Safety Derwin James, one of the longest tenured Chargers, sees the same thing happening with the Bolts this season, predicting that his team’s 5-12 finish last season will soon be a distant memory.
“I don’t even care about last year,” James said. “I’m so focused on the moment right now, the buzz we have on the team and everybody coming together. I’ve totally forgotten about last year, and I’m just ready to come out this year and compete.
“And I’m sure the guys in the locker room are ready to do the same thing. We’re tired of hearing about last year. It’s a new team, new coaches and everything is different.”
What are the expectations for the Chargers?
The king of analogies, Harbaugh described the start of training camp as the beginning of life for the Bolts.
“It feels like New Year’s Day,” Harbaugh said. “It feels like being born. It’s like coming out of the womb, you know. You’re in there and it’s comfortable. It’s safe. And now, poof! You’re out and you’re born.
“The lights are on. Chaos. It’s bright and people are looking at you, people talking at you. It just feels good to have it happen.”
One man Harbaugh expects to be a key figure in his efforts to turn around the Chargers is offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Harbaugh credits Roman for his ability to see into the future and anticipate what plays to call later in a series or in a game.
Much like Roman, Harbaugh’s detailed and experienced approach to team building could help the Chargers avoid some of the pitfalls they’ve experienced in years past by reverse engineering the season.
“I think one thing that does help a coach is when you start at the end point and work backwards,” Roman said. “When you put something together, you always start at where you want to be and here’s what it looks like here. And then all of a sudden, as you work backwards to start to build it there, you start to see things that start to pop up.”
Is Justin Herbert the problem for the Chargers?
Whatever success the Chargers have this year will depend on the development and production of quarterback Justin Herbert. One of the most talented quarterbacks in the league, Herbert is just 30-32 as a starter and has yet to win a playoff game in four NFL seasons.
“He’s a guy that definitely everyone wants to follow,” Herbert said, when asked what it’s like to play for the quirky Harbaugh. “He’s a great leader. He’s obviously very smart and intelligent. He’s played the game. He knows how to coach it, how to motivate it. So, having him around has been awesome. We’ve learned a bunch.
“And it’s good to see him out there throwing it around, too. He’s definitely one of those guys that brings energy. Wherever he goes, he’s always the same person. And that’s what we respect about him so much. Wherever he goes, he’s always the same person. And to have a leader like that, we’re really looking forward to playing for him.”
The Chargers rewarded Herbert with a lucrative contract last offseason, and now it’s up to Harbaugh to unlock that potential.
“It’s focusing on being the best football team we can be,” Herbert said. “It’s not missing any steps. It’s not going out there and waiting for things to happen. It’s going out there and making things happen.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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