How Chargers' Mike McDaniel is pushing Justin Herbert past his limits

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is heading into his seventh season in the league. In that time, he’s established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league; however, that has yet to come with any accolades or, more importantly, a Super Bowl title.

It’s been shortcoming after shortcoming for Herbert and the Chargers; however, they’ve made strides this offseason to ensure they get over the hump. One of their most significant acquisitions came in the form of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel has all the tools to take the Chargers’ offense to the next level, and Herbert appears to have a grasp of it at the start of training camp. While that appears to be the case, McDaniel wants to challenge Herbert outside of his comfort zone, believing that will help him excel when the pressure is at its highest.

“I think that the toughest part is to really focus on all the little things and have those guys be able to ingrain that into their games so they’re not thinking about it when someone is trying to rip their heads off, so to speak,” McDaniel said. “The quarterback position is, arguably, the most difficult one in all of sports. The real challenge is everybody can focus on arm angle, base with ball placement and stuff, but how does that look when people are trying to tackle you?”

In his system, McDaniel wants to implement a speed-and-space philosophy that utilizes heavy pre-snap motion

McDaniel’s goal is essentially to make Herbert more efficient and comfortable in the new system. If Herbert can make that leap, not only will the Chargers benefit, but he will make a case for the MVP this season.

The 28-year-old has yet to sniff an MVP award, but McDaniel could be the coach who helps him take the next step and break through. Herbert is team-focused and will do all he can to lead the Chargers to their first playoff win in nearly a decade.

Since Herbert became QB1, he’s played in three playoff games and has won none of them. On top of that, Herbert and the Chargers offense have been abysmal, particularly in the last two contests.

Herbert will look to reach an elite level and lead Los Angeles to new heights for the first time in years.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: How Chargers’ Mike McDaniel is pushing Justin Herbert past his limits