The Saints have found a new lease of life to start the 2024 season.
The franchise, which has proved largely snakebitten since Drew Brees' retirement in 2020, has put the NFL on notice with two scoring outbursts in its first two games. The Derek Carr- and Alvin Kamara-led offense dropped a 47-spot to vanquish the Panthers in Week 1. Such a result could be considered expected, particularly when considering Carolina's near-perpetual toils.
A win vs. the Cowboys in Week 2 proved far more unforeseen. Kamara flourished amid a haze of weary Dallas defenders, finding the end zone on four different occasions while accounting for 170 yards of total offense.
Another 40-point scoring frenzy has some wondering: just who is the person spearheading New Orleans' improved offensive outings in 2024?
The Sporting News gives you the skinny on NOLA's latest offensive icon, Klint Kubiak.
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Who is the Saints offensive coordinator?
The Saints offense is helmed by 37-year-old Klint Kubiak. The Colorado State alum has served in a number of roles since making his coaching debut in 2010-11, serving as a quality control coach, wide receivers coach, offensive assistant, passing game coordinator, and now offensive coordinator in New Orleans.
Kubiak was hired to craft the tactics for the Saints offense this past offseason, taking over for former offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. Under his tutelage, New Orleans has tallied points in bunches, opening the 2024 campaign with 91 points in its first two games, four short of the NFL record (1968 Raiders).
Carr and Kamara have looked rejuvenated after receiving tactical instructions from Kubiak, who represents another branch in the Shanahan coaching tree. Prior to his time with the Saints, Kubiak was the Niners' passing game coordinator. San Francisco proceeded to produce the league's best passing offense, ranking first in pass offense defense-adjusted value over average, an eye-catching 31.8 percent above the league mean. That was nearly 11 percentage points higher than the second-ranked Dolphins.
Based on its performances to start the season, New Orleans could find itself in a similar position come the end of the year.
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Is Klint Kubiak related to Gary Kubiak?
Klint Kubiak is, indeed, related to Gary Kubiak. Gary Kubiak is Klint's father.
Gary Kubiak has played a pivotal role in his son's career. Klint runs a system eerily similar to that of his father, who absorbed the blueprint from another famous coaching father, Mike Shanahan. The current setup has a few wrinkles which differentiate it from the gameplay Gary Kubiak employed — and the one Mike Shanahan cultivated before him.
“Klint is going to put his spin on it,” Gary Kubiak said, per NOLA.com. “It’s going to be his offense. I told him, let’s take it and make it the New Orleans offense.”
Nevertheless, Klint Kubiak has certainly used his familial connection to his advantage. Klint's father hired him as the Broncos' offensive assistant during his time as Denver's head coach back in 2016.
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