Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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How will the Vikings offense change under Kubiak?
That's a great question. I imagine we might see some new wrinkles here and there, but I don't expect the offense to change significantly with Gary Kubiak moving into the offensive coordinator role.
When the Vikings hired Kubiak last year as Minnesota's assistant head coach/offensive advisor, it was anticipated that the longtime coach's fingerprints would be on the offensive system, and that proved accurate. Kubiak – who spent time as a head coach in Houston and in Denver – has become known for his implementation of play-action passes, bootlegs and personnel groupings that often utilize a fullback and/or two tight ends.
Former Offensive Coordinator Kevin Stefanski, who departed Minnesota for the head coaching gig in Cleveland, called all of the Vikings offensive plays in 2019, but he and Kubiak worked closely together and aligned on the system.
Throughout the 2019 season, Vikings fans saw Kirk Cousins succeed with those play-action and boot plays, fullback C.J. Ham was on the field for 35 percent of the team's offensive plays (compared to 13 percent in 2018), and tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith often were on the field at the same time.
So while the play calling in 2020 won't be the exact same, the offensive system will stay pretty consistent.
The continuity is something that Vikings players are grateful for – particularly Cousins, who has had a different offensive coordinator for every season as a starter. But at least with Kubiak, there's a lot of familiarity.
Cousins said the following when Kubiak transitioned to offensive coordinator.
"This is going to be my fifth voice in my helmet calling the plays in five years, so I was hoping for continuity, and we're going to be able to have that. … Gary's obviously proven himself as a player, as a coach, as a coordinator. So we're in a good spot. We have great leadership there at the coordinator position, and I'm excited to get back to work with him."