LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Rams announced their full coaching staff under Sean McVay, who, at 31, is the youngest head coach in the NFL's modern era.
Wade Phillips agreed to become the Rams' defensive coordinator shortly after McVay got the job on Jan. 12, and Matt LaFleur committed to being the offensive coordinator after the Falcons lost Super Bowl LI, though McVay will call the offensive plays in 2017. John Fassel, the interim coach in the three games that followed Jeff Fisher's firing in December, will remain the special-teams coordinator, as previously reported.
The Rams announced their staff on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement, McVay said: "We have a great group of talented coaches that I'm very excited to work with this year. They have a vast array of experiences and the qualities we are looking for as we build this staff. Their unique insight to the game will collectively make this team better as we prepare for the 2017 season."
Below is a look at the offensive and defensive assistants.
OFFENSE
Aaron Kromer (offensive line): Kromer has spent 11 years as an offensive line coach for four NFL teams, including the Raiders (2002-04), Buccaneers (2006-07), Saints (2009-12) and Bills (2015-16). He was also the offensive coordinator for the Bears in 2013-14 and served as the Saints' interim coach for the first six games of 2012, when the Saints were penalized in the infamous bounty scandal. In his two years as their offensive line coach, the Bills led the NFL with 5.06 rushing yards per carry.
Andy Dickerson (assistant offensive line): One of three holdovers from the prior staff, Dickerson spent the last five years as the Rams' assistant offensive line coach, previously working under Paul Boudreau. Dickerson served similar roles with the Browns and Jets. He also worked in operations for the Patriots and was an offensive lineman at Tufts University in Boston.
Greg Olson (quarterbacks): He's spent 15 years in the NFL as an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach or both, including a stint as offensive coordinator with the then-St. Louis Rams in 2006-07. His most recent stint came as the Jaguars' offensive coordinator, a post he was fired from in late October. In his first year on the job, in 2015, the Jaguars' offense made significant strides, averaging nearly 350 yards and 24 points per game. But the unit regressed in the first two months of 2016, specifically in the running game, and quarterback Blake Bortles struggled with his mechanics.
Skip Peete (running backs): Peete returns to this post for the second year. In his first year with the Rams, in 2016, Todd Gurley, the Offensive Rookie of the Year the year before, struggled mightily, ranking 41st among 42 qualified running backs in rushing yards per carry. Peete also coached running backs for the Bears, Cowboys and Raiders.
Eric Yarber (wide receivers): Yarber has spent the last five years coaching wide receivers at UCLA. An L.A. product who won a Super Bowl with the Redskins mainly as a special-teams contributor in 1987, Yarber coached receivers in the NFL with the 49ers (2003-04) and Buccaneers (2010-11). In between, he coached receivers collegiately at Washington and Arizona State.
Zac Taylor (assistant wide receivers): Served on the Dolphins' staff in 2012-15, coaching quarterbacks and then serving as the interim offensive coordinator for the final five games of the 2015 season. After that, Taylor took a job to be the Cincinnati Bearcats' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In Miami, Taylor played a big part in grooming quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Shane Waldron (tight ends): Spent last year as an offensive quality control coach with the Redskins, working under McVay. Prior to that, Waldron spent four years at UMass, as a recruiting coordinator, tight ends coach and offensive line coach. He also spent five seasons with the Patriots, as an operations intern (2002-03), operations assistant (2004), quality control coach (2008) and tight ends coach (2009).
Zak Kromer (offensive quality control): Son of Aaron Kromer, Zak Kromer was an entry level assistant with his father on the Bills last season. Prior to that, Zak spent four years as a student assistant for the University of Oklahoma's football team.
DEFENSE
Bill Johnson (defensive line): Johnson spent the last eight years coaching Saints defensive linemen and was one of five assistants let go shortly after the regular season. Johnson served in the same role with the Broncos (2007-08) and Falcons (2001-06). His son, Billy, is an area scout with the Rams. The Saints ranked 27th in total defense and sacks this past season. But Johnson was part of a Super Bowl-winning staff in 2009, and the Saints ranked fourth in sacks per attempt in 2013.
Joe Barry (assistant head coach/linebackers): Barry has served as defensive coordinator with the Lions (2007-08) and Redskins (2015-16). Redskins coach Jay Gruden then let Barry go after back-to-back seasons in which his defense ranked 28th in yards allowed. Barry coached linebackers with the Buccaneers (2001-06, 2009) and Chargers (2011-14), as well as at USC (2010).
Chris Shula (assistant linebackers): Grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, Chris Shula spent the last two years as the Chargers' defensive quality-control coach. Prior to that, Shula coached linebackers at Ball State (2010) and defensive backs at Indians (2011-13), then spent the 2014 season as the defensive coordinator at John Carroll University. McVay was Shula's college teammate at Miami (Ohio).
Aubrey Pleasant (cornerbacks): Spent the last four years with the Redskins, working as an offensive assistant in 2013 before transitioning to defense, serving as an assistant who worked primarily with defensive backs. Pleasant worked under Barry these last two years. After Barry's dismissal, the Redskins were reportedly getting ready to promote Pleasant to defensive backs coach, but the two could not work out a new contract.
Ejiro Evero (safeties): Evero spent 2016 as the Packers' defensive quality control coach and five prior years with the 49ers, as a defensive assistant, offensive assistant and quality control coach. With the Packers, Evero worked closely with defensive coordinator Dom Capers and, according to the team website, was responsible for "breaking down opponent game film and analyzing their offensive tendencies, playbook development, compiling team and player reports, and coordinating the opponent scout teams the starting defense will face at practice."
Thad Bogardus (defensive quality control): Served as defensive quality control coach with the Bills in 2014, then moved to the Broncos in 2015 and '16, working under Phillips. Bogardus began his career as a graduate assistant at Ball State in 2012-13.