Vikings Bolster Coaching Staff, Add a Pair of Newcomers
For the most part, Minnesota’s coaching staff has remained in place, though there have been a few subtractions.
Earlier today, though, the news emerged that the Vikings will bolster the coaching staff. More specifically, Minnesota is doing so by adding Shaun Sarrett as the assistant offensive line coach and Henry Schneider IV as assistant to the head coach (wording that brings back memories of Dwight Schrute).
Vikings Bolster Coaching Staff
Begin up front.
Chris Kuper has done some pretty tidy work since taking over as the Vikings’ OL coach. Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw have been progressing from solid into elite. Ed Ingram took a huge leap forward as a sophomore and Garrett Bradbury has become a solid center. Kuper will now be leaning on Sarrett to help push the offensive line even further.
Notably, Sarrett has been in Los Angeles over these past few years. Per the piece on the Vikings’ website: “Sarrett spent the past three seasons (2021-23) as the Los Angeles Chargers assistant offensive line coach.” The team website further clarifies that the coach’s experience goes back to the Chargers and Steelers in the NFL and then college stops at Marshall and Duke.
In Minnesota, Sarrett will be helping the Vikings to improve in all facets of the offensive line’s play. Most pressing, though, will be some greater production running the football. The Vikings finished 29th in the NFL last season in rushing yards, a reality that needs to change if there’s a genuine desire to become a true contender.
Meanwhile, Schneider is jumping from Sin City to the Twin Cities.
He worked for the Raiders most recently: “Schneider most recently served as the manager of coaching operations for the Raiders (2022-23), following one year as football operations coordinator (2021) and two years as football operations assistant (2019-20). During his time in Las Vegas, Schneider assisted with aspects of the head coach’s agenda, including day-to-day football operations and coaching administrative needs.”
The newly-minted assistant to the head coach has also done work with the Seahawks, Dolphins, and Crimson Tide (per the Vikings website).
The Vikings are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 7-10 season in 2023. Injuries played no small part in the humdrum record but the franchise is looking to get to a point where that kind of adversity doesn’t sink the ship. The new additions to the coaching staff will help pursue that lofty goal.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.