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- Mar 19, 2019
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When Kubiak was hired back in January, he brought a few friends with him as well. Besides his son Klint being named the quarterbacks coach, longtime assistants Rick Dennison (offensive line coach/run game coordinator) and Brian Pariani (tight ends coach) were also brought on board as well.
And when Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman chatted with Twin Cities media members Wednesday, he pointed to the influence of those four veteran coaches in helping Minnesota’s scouting department identify key traits to look for when adding a collection of rookies to the team.
“I think that goes back to giving credit to how well we work together with the coaches,” Spielman said. “The biggest thing when Kevin became the full-time offensive coordinator and Gary was coming in, just having full-time meetings before we got into the personnel, or into the process, was to identify all of the traits we were going to be looking for.
“And, they’re great coaches. They know and everybody knows that these young guys are going to have to play and step up. The coaches take on that challenge, where we’re bringing in the right guys to not only fit the physical part of the scheme but also the type of guys from a character standpoint that we’re trying to build this with, ‘At least you have a chance to have a chance with these guys,’ “ Spielman added. “I do know for as much time as we spend watching tape and evaluating what we do, we really try to spend as much time on, ‘Do they love football? Do they fit all of the off-field traits, do they fit all of the grit and toughness, everything we try to look for when we bring guys in.”
Kubiak’s input — and that of others — was helpful in the Vikings selecting a quartet of impact rookies on offense, beginning with first-round center Garrett Bradbury, the only Vikings player to be on the field for all 731 of Minnesota’s offensive snaps in 2019.
Second-round tight end Irv Smith, Jr., has also come on of late, as he caught his first touchdown pass Sunday against the Broncos. The rookie has 27 catches for 261 yards and a score in 2019.
Alexander Mattison, a third-round running back, has averaged 4.80 yards per carry so far. He has 394 yards and a score on 82 carries.
And seventh-round wide receiver Bisi Johnson has also been called upon, especially with Thielen hampered by a hamstring injury for almost half the season so far. The former Colorado State standout has 24 catches for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
Kubiak has also had a calming effect on Zimmer, much like former Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano had before he unexpectedly passed away in July of 2018.
Zimmer recently said the history between the two goes back to 1994 when Kubiak was in San Francisco as the quarterbacks coach and Zimmer was in Dallas as an assistant defensive backs coach. (Kubiak’s 49ers earned a 38-28 win over Zimmer’s Cowboys in the NFC title game that season as Steve Young had three total touchdowns against Dallas’ defense).
“I don’t know about shooting the breeze too much, once in a while, maybe a couple times a week I’ll walk down to his office and sit down and just ask him questions,” Zimmer said. “You don’t have a lot of time to sit around and just chit-chat, but we usually go down and spend 10-15 minutes there.
“We talk a lot about offensive and defensive football,” Zimmer added. “I just love his demeanor and the way that he and Kevin can communicate during the games and also during the week on game plans.”
Added Kubiak: “I know the job he has to do, and I know the job that I have to do for him. But we have some great conversations. When you’ve been a head coach before and you come off of a game, a lot of times the assistant coaches don’t know what the head coach is dealing with that day. I know when Zim’ is dealing with when other things are going on, so we have a lot of conversations. When I see him coming down the hall, I can see him from a distance because my office is in the corner up there, I know he’s usually coming down to sit and just talk for a little bit. But I’ve really enjoyed it, very impressed with Zim’ and his work and the job he’s doing with this team.”
Kubiak didn’t have much to prove when he arrived in Minnesota, as he’d already cemented himself as one of the best offensive minds of his generation. But that generation wasn’t in the present, where teams are more apt to get in shotgun, spread the ball out and chuck it around 50 times per game.
Kubiak’s system is more focused on a zone-running scheme with mobile offensive linemen who have been supplemented by big-bodied personnel (multiple tight ends and or a fullback.
The topic of Kubiak’s legacy has come up here and there in recent weeks. And yes, the Vikings have shown that you can still be successful playing a different brand of football than most teams.
But Kubiak is also making sure he passes on other traits, too. Mainly to Stefanski, who is looked at as a potential NFL head coach one day.
“I think it’s been great having him around. It’s been invaluable to me, as this is my first year doing this,” Stefanski said. “Having somebody that I can bounce ideas off of both during the week and during the game.
“And then on top of that, you guys know Gary,” Stefanski added. “Great person, so in terms of working together I think he among all of our staff, I’d point out to every single one of our coaches, I think it’s really a great working environment where we can get a lot done and respect each other’s ideas and thoughts, and Gary is certainly at the forefront of that.”
Whether it’s little things such as a word of advice in a team meeting, lending an ear to Zimmer or helping out with a big-picture ideas such as who the Vikings should take in the draft, there is zero doubt that Kubiak has had an immense impact on the Vikings thus far.
Not that it means he wants to be a head coach again.
“The itch? No, it has not given me the itch. I’m doing just fine,” Kubiak said. “I’m enjoying what I’m doing. I had my chance to be the head coach, I really enjoyed it, but I’m enjoying what I’m doing now.”
But it could mean an exceptional final six weeks of the 2019 season for the Vikings, who currently sit at 8-3 and are well-positioned for both a playoff spot and a possible division title.
If Kubiak can help the Vikings achieve something they never have before, it would give Kubiak a total of five Super Bowls in his career.
So far, so good for Kubiak, who is enjoying the ride so far in Minnesota.
“[The success so far in 2019] was my vision, but I think like anything else, I walked in here with a great group,” Kubiak said. “It’s a very experienced coaching staff, especially from the defensive standpoint. Obviously with Zim’, a tremendous amount of experience.
“But I think they told me what they wanted me to do, they kind of explained my role to me, and it’s truly been exactly that,” Kubiak added. “[I’m] looking forward here to the stretch run.”