1,000 Oaks, California — Upon taking over as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, Sean McVay was informed that the team’s distinctly small training facility, located in a remote area of the city’s outer suburbs, was only a temporary setup.
Turns out, “temporary” actually meant eight years.
The Rams have spent McVay’s entire tenure in a series of plain modular buildings strung together on a windswept stretch of the Cal Lutheran University campus, nearly 50 miles from opulent SoFi Stadium. Most NFL teams train and work in opulent, spacious, multimillion-dollar temples of athletic excellence.
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On Tuesday, the final day of the Rams’ minicamp, McVay rallied the team around him for a farewell speech. At last, the coach was able to turn his attention to the future.
At least according to the plan, that practice marked the Rams’ final one in Thousand Oaks.
This summer, the Rams will relocate to Woodland Hills, a posh neighborhood in Los Angeles that is roughly 25 miles closer to both their stadium and the city center. They will occupy additional makeshift structures at a different suburban location, but at a location where owner Stan Kroenke eventually plans to construct a long-term training facility at an undisclosed later date.
Even though the Rams’ humble circumstances didn’t stop McVay from becoming one of the NFL’s most accomplished active coaches, he still has no serious complaints about the unimpressive surroundings for his lofty accomplishments. Although friends and fellow coaches who relish the luxury of sunlight have teased him for the past seven years, he doesn’t even really mind not having a window in his office.
It’s been fantastic, McVay remarked. “I adore this place’s seclusion. Really, the only drawback is when it gets windy. I think the facilities are excellent. You and the others are in close proximity. I don’t get bothered by that stuff. The one thing I won’t miss is the Santa Ana winds, which can hinder improvement later in the year, but other than that, the movie and the players’ ability to have enough room in the weight room and locker room
Undoubtedly, the most significant disadvantage of the Thousand Oaks facilities is their total lack of wind and rain protection. While this is a rare occurrence in sunny Southern California, it is still a problem, especially during the Rams’ winter playoff run.
McVay has had to cancel or reduce his practices multiple times due to the winds that can whip over the surrounding hills and onto the practice fields.
McVay remarked, “I hate it for the kickers.” They have to modify their stroke because they are attempting to overcompensate for winds that are typically out of sync with the conditions in which we will be playing. We’ve had quarterbacks that can drive the ball through the wind for the most part. They launch a sharp spiral that pierces through. However, it doesn’t help you improve unless you’re playing in those environments.
The Rams have frequently set up a sizable temporary outdoor tent at their complex, especially for outdoor practices when the COVID-19 pandemic was in effect. However, it was inferior to a legitimate practice facility with a dome, and the strong winds often made it feel dangerous.
McVay grinned and remarked, “There were many times in COVID when I thought that tent might be coming down on us.” “You’re trying to get to the back of the room during the two-minute team meeting, and then your voice just goes out of control. My voice is always so hoarse because of that.
The Rams’ new makeshift stadium is still far from complete. In addition to numerous other tasks that need to be finished before Loyola Marymount University’s training camp concludes in August, the football fields have not yet been planted.
However, the team is adamant that it will be prepared for this temporary saga’s next chapter.
McVay remarked, “Cal Lu has been fantastic.” It’s been amazing to be here. Probably, we’ll just move this facility to Woodland Hills and wait to see when the real thing is eventually ready.
NOTES: McVay did not provide an update on the Rams’ ongoing talks with quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is demanding a larger guarantee in his contract. However, the coach anticipates having his franchise quarterback in training camp. Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett, the backup quarterbacks, will also be present in camp. RB Kyren Williams should be ready to practice by the end of the month, according to McVay. A foot injury sustained during the offseason program has limited the third-leading rusher in the NFL from the previous campaign. … Tre’Davious White, the Rams’ new wide receiver, suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 4 of the previous season while playing for Buffalo. White took part in the walkthrough on Tuesday. McVay remarked, “You can see he’s really locked in and engaged on the meeting side, and he’s got a lot of good stuff done on the side.” We’ll see where he is at in terms of his actual process in training camp. We shouldn’t limit ourselves to using just one strategy, in my opinion.
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