The Denver Broncos have a new offensive coodinator, and he once played quarterback for Steve Spagnuolo.
The Denver Broncos are mostly running it back on offense other than the big trade that landed receiver Jaylen Waddle, but the quiet variable is new offensive coordinator Davis Webb.
Eric Morris is now the coach at Oklahoma State, but he also worked for Kliff Kingsbury at Texas Tech, and one of his first assignments was to check out Webb back during his quarterbacking days.
“Davis was someone who we all said, even from a young age, was going to be a phenomenal coach,” said Morris when he was asked about Webb’s time with the Red Raiders in a piece written by Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. “It was something you could see. He wanted as much information as you could give him. He was constantly in our offices. ‘What if we did this? What if we did that?’ … His rise in coaching hasn’t shocked any of us who were around him.”
Coach Sean Payton also recognized Webb’s special acumen, and he gave him a promotion this season. He thinks Webb “has a gift” that will elevate Denver’s offense, but his first challenge will be a tough one as he goes up against Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
It’s a pivotal challenge in tonight’s game, but there’s familiarity here. Spagnuolo was the interim coach of the New York Giants back in 2017, when Webb was a rookie quarterback behind Eli Manning.
“I was the scout-team quarterback, and back in the day, only the defensive players and myself got banana pudding from his wife,” Webb said of playing for Spagnuolo. “ … He’s one of the greatest defensive coordinators in this game’s history. It will be a tough challenge for us out of the gate.”
The tag line for Webb’s approach to coaching is intensity and intentionality. Webb certainly doesn’t look all that intense, but it’s basically a requirement when you’re working for and with Payton. Interestingly, Webb had some of the fiery tendencies of current Broncos quarterback Bo Nix when it comes to being demanding while not tolerating mistakes.
“He doesn’t mind challenging guys,” said Curry, who is in his first year on Denver’s staff as the receivers coach. “The way he runs his meetings, you’ve seen nothing like it. He knows how to get on guys and encourage them in the same sentence, and he keeps it light. He has as bright a future as anyone I’ve been around.”
Tight end Adam Trautman has played under Payton for a while now, and he noticed a different trait of Webb and his playcalling ways.
“The cool thing is, he gets on everybody. Nobody’s above the law,” Trautman said. “You especially have to do that, in my opinion, as the younger play caller, right? Immediately establish that respect. He toes that line perfectly. … We’ll be in offensive meetings, and he’ll say something to Bo, like, ‘This throw isn’t good enough’ or ‘This footwork (is off)’ or whatever it may be, and he does it with everybody.”
Payton himelf summarized the bottom line, which is about more than just becoming more consistent and making sure plays come in quickly and on time.
“I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think it was going to help us win games,” the coach said.
