The arrival of new Offensive Coordinator Marc Trestman has brought some questions about how the Ravens offense will look and operate in 2015.
Trestman has already said that he doesn’t plan to bring wholesale changes to Baltimore, but one question is where he'll be during games. Offensive coordinators stand on the sidelines or in the coaches' box depending on their preference, and Trestman indicated that he'll determine his location based on conversations with Head Coach John Harbaugh.
"I think that's really up to John. I think that starts with John and what he thinks is best for the team," Trestman said during an introductory conference call last week. "I've done it in both places and feel very comfortable being in the box and on the field."
The Ravens have used both options during Harbaugh's tenure.
Most recently, Gary Kubiak operated on the sidelines where he could have more in-game interaction with quarterback Joe Flacco and the rest of the offense. Jim Caldwell, however, called plays from the press box. Cam Cameron worked from the field during his five years with the Ravens.
Trestman has called plays from the field the last several years as the head coach for the Chicago Bears and Montreal Alouettes.
"Obviously, I've spent most of my time over the last decade on the field calling plays," Trestman said. "I feel good about either."
Each option has its pros and cons. The benefit of the booth is that the coach has a wider perspective of the field to make decisions, but then he needs to rely on the headset communication for the paly calls. The coordinator would also need an assistant coach on the sidelines to get the plays to Flacco.
Working from the field gives the coordinator direct access to the players, but then he also needs to count on his assistants in the booth for their overhead observations. Last year, Kubiak had Quarterbacks Coach Rick Dennison in the booth, and Cameron had Caldwell upstairs during their time together.
Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees works from the booth, but defensive assistants like linebackers coaches Ted Monachino and Don Martindale both stand on the sidelines. A potential option for the offense is to have new Quarterbacks Coach Marty Mornhinweg in the coaching box, allowing Trestman to stand on the field.
"I'm flexible to do either and feel comfortable in either place," Trestman said.
