By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

Jim Haslett wasn’t the only coordinator the Rams hired Tuesday afternoon. Head coach Scott Linehan made the hiring of Greg Olson as offensive coordinator official on the same day Haslett was signed to take over the defense.

Olson inherits the duties that were previously held by Steve Fairchild and will probably serve a similar role to the one Fairchild had under former coach Mike Martz. In that system, Martz called all of the offensive plays with Fairchild around as a sounding board, talent evaluator and de facto quarterbacks coach.

Linehan has already made it clear that he will call the plays for the Rams, but he wanted to bring Olson, a close friend, along to help him handle the daily duties of an offensive coordinator while he does the things that the head coach is supposed to do.

“He will input the offense,” Linehan said. “His role will be very extensive in that he will input the offense; he will be a big part of the entire evaluation of our offensive players in the offseason. He will obviously be in charge of developing and grooming our quarterbacks.”

That doesn’t mean that Olson will hold a dual role as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach, but it is expected that he will work closely with quarterback Marc Bulger and the rest of the signal callers.

“We will probably hire a quarterbacks coach that will work with him,” Linehan said. “Greg’s strength as an evaluator and quarterback coach will be great in this situation. It’s going to be a big role. Calling the plays is one thing, but on a day to day basis, implementing the plan during the season and evaluating the personnel that fit the characteristics that we require of our offensive players as a group…he will have big input in all of those things. I think his strength as an evaluator and a position coach will serve him well.”

Olson and Linehan have never worked together, but both come from similar backgrounds that have led to their crossing paths on a number of occasions. Olson spent the past two years as the quarterbacks coach for the Lions. Previously, he held the same position with the Bears and 49ers in the NFL and Purdue and Idaho in college.

He has worked with such quarterbacks as Jon Kitna, Drew Brees, Rex Grossman and Jeff Garcia in that time.

While Linehan and Olson haven’t been on the same staff, they do have a history where their paths have crossed on a few occasions and clinics and camps. The two are from the same area and were raised in Dennis Erickson’s system.
 At the end of last season, Linehan and Olson discussed possibilities for the future and agreed that if something came up, they would keep each other in mind.

“We said if something comes up this year, we have to get this thing done,” Linehan said. “He was very excited about the opportunity and is ready for it. A lot of people were pursuing him for similar duties. There are a lot of openings this year so the quality guys get sought after quickly so I was lucky to be able to get these guys.”

ELLARD AND LeDUC STAY: Before the Rams finalized the contracts of their new coordinators; they ensured that at least a pair of coaches from the previous regime would be staying in St. Louis.

Receivers coach Henry Ellard, who has been a Ram institution for 16 years, has been brought back in the same capacity. Linehan made it clear early on that keeping Ellard would be a major priority and expressed relief that Ellard is staying.

Ellard had originally been scheduled to interview for the position with at least two other teams.

“He’s got a great reputation as a great player in this league playing for the Rams,” Linehan said. “His stock and reputation is skyrocketing as one of the great receiver coaches in the league from the obvious receiver production and the way the receivers have played for St. Louis. They are really second to none in their route running. I thought it was important to do what was needed to keep Henry.”

The Rams also decided to keep strength and conditioning coach Dana LeDuc, who will be entering his eighth season with the team and has a history with Linehan influence Dennis Erickson.

“I know he is one of the highly respected guys in this league and I know he is very well respected throughout the Ram organization,” Linehan said. “It will be great to have him stay on.”

POWERS VISITS: With two important hires in the head coach and defensive coordinator officially brought aboard, the Rams began the hunt for what is believed to be a new Director of Pro Personnel position that will give the team a better system of evaluating and choosing players already in the NFL.

That search started with the visit of Indianapolis Director of Pro Player Personnel Clyde Powers to Rams Park on Tuesday afternoon. Powers is in his 26th season with the Colts, 11th in his current position. Powers is the first potential candidate to make a visit for the potential position.