Why the Baltimore Ravens need to hire the quarterback guru.

               On Tuesday January 6th, 2026 news stormed the NFL when it was announced that  the Baltimore Ravens decided  to move on from head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons with the franchise. Harbaugh took over as the Ravens leader and went on to have a respectable and successful tenure in Baltimore. Harbaugh is best known for bringing Baltimore its second Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 47. Harbaugh is also responsible for drafting the Ravens best and most dynamic player in franchise history, Lamar Jackson. Despite the on field success, many thought the move was risky at the moment when the Ravens traded up into the first round to select Jackson at pick 32. During his college career at Louisville, Jackson made plays with his legs and arm that looked like they could only happen in a video game. Jackson dominated the 2017 college football season and went on to bring the Cardinals their first Heisman Trophy in program history. Despite the stats, highlights, and accolades many scouts and experts did not view Jackson as a surefire franchise quarterback, with some even labeling him a running back. Harbaugh saw the obvious potential in Jackson and following Jackson’s rookie season, he became the team’s starting quarterback. Jackson has been a superstar in this league bringing the Ravens many years of regular season triumph that has too often led to postseason defeat.  Together, Harbaugh and Jackson failed to make the AFC Championship, despite Jackson winning multiple MVP awards and the team earning the number 1 seed on occasion. Ultimately, the Ravens have made six postseasons with Harbaugh and Jackson that have all led to disappointment and let down. Through all the ups and downs, the Ravens now find themselves in a coaching search, and a crucial one at that. Lamar Jackson is still in his prime but he is surrounded by the aging stars of Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Deandre Hopkins on offense. The Ravens are the perfect example of a win now team. With Baltimore deciding to move on from John Harbaugh it leaves many wondering who the next head coach of the Ravens will be.

               I have no experience in the front office of an NFL team but I am guessing the Ravens will prioritize a coach who can fully tap into Lamar Jackson’s elite potential and maximize it to the fullest. Jackson is a superstar in this league who has been named the league's most valuable player on multiple occasions. Jackson is also one of the league’s all time greatest running quarterbacks, perhaps the best ever. However, Jackson has left some to be desired at times with his throwing throughout his career. Despite being one of the best all around quarterbacks in the NFL, and being a solid passer while doing so, Jackson has struggled with accuracy and sometimes during key moments. In Jackson’s defense however, the Ravens have also been the victim to awful drops by receivers when Jackson has delivered accurate passes. This leaves me wondering who would be the best coach to unlock that extra level to Lamar Jackson’s passing attack. 

            In the modern time of college football when I hear the term quarterback guru one name comes to mind, Lincoln Riley. The Ravens need a quarterback guru and I believe that Riley is the man that they are looking for. Riley is currently the head football coach for the USC Trojans in the college ranks. Riley’s tenure with the Trojans has seen steady improvement year after year but results often fall short of program expectations on the field. Despite a hefty contract for Riley and recent recruiting success, he is under heavy criticism from fans and perhaps internally within the program as well. Riley, without a doubt, is one of the best offensive minds in football and has shown the ability to develop multiple college quarterbacks into first round NFL draft prospects. Riley took two transfer quarterbacks and developed them into Heisman winners and first overall NFL draft picks in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray at the University of Oklahoma. However, Riley’s best accomplishment was how he transformed Jalen Hurts into a Heisman finalist during Hurts’ one season as an Oklahoma Sooner. Hurts transferred to Oklahoma from Alabama with one season of eligibility remaining following mixed results with the Crimson Tide. Hurts was a successful starter but was nothing more than a game manager. Hurts could effectively run the high powered Alabama offense to success against inferior opponents but did nothing elite or extraordinary to elevate his team. Hurts was even benched during the National Championship against Georgia for freshman Tua Tagovailoa due to the lack of success from the Alabama passing attack. It was no secret that Hurts needed to improve as a passer and he decided that Lincoln Riley was the right coach to do that. Under one season with Lincoln Riley Hurts smashed his previous records set for passing yards and passing touchdowns. Hurts was one of college's most dynamic quarterbacks making highlight reel plays with his throws and runs. This dynamic play from Hurts led his team to a College Football Playoff Appearance and earned Hurts a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist. Hurts ultimately became a second round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles and became the Eagles quarterback despite many scouts and experts calling for him to perhaps switch positions to tight end. The Eagles trusted Hurts to lead their offense and he's now a serviceable starter in the NFL leading one of the NFL’s strongest and most balanced offensive attacks. If Hurts does not spend a season learning and developing as a quarterback under Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, then he most likely would have lived up to the beliefs of scouts and experts and would have transitioned to tight end. Lincoln Riley’s elite development of quarterbacks can transform game managing quarterbacks into star signal callers. 

                  If Lincoln Riley can transform a game manager into an NFL quarterback imagine what he could do with a former MVP of the NFL. Riley has the knowledge and skills that few coaches have today. He has taken good college quarterbacks as transfers and improved them into the top NFL prospects. Riley took a simple game manager like Jalen Hurts and turned him into one the league's most successful quarterbacks despite scouts saying his only path to an NFL career was as a tight end. We’ve also seen Riley take elite talent from the high school level in Caleb Williams, and produce one of the most exciting football players in modern college football. Williams was an elite high school recruit who became a Heisman winner and also a first overall pick, joining the likes of Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray to accomplish both feats. If the Ravens want to see the full potential of Lamar Jackson, then go get the coach that gets the full potential of any quarterback who runs his system. Riley has stated he is committed to the Trojans long term but there certainly is tension in Los Angeles. Perhaps a fresh start for Riley would be exactly what he needs. There is obvious risk as Riley has never been an NFL head coach but a brilliant play caller and offensive mind transcends the level of play. If the Ravens want to maximize their MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson, then they need to get the coach who is the quarterback guru.