As the Chargers kick off their season this Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, the matchup carries extra significance as they face their former general manager Tom Telesco, who is now with the Raiders.
For the Chargers, this game marks the beginning of a new era under coach Jim Harbaugh, as they aim to prove that the changes they've made will lead to success on the field.
Things have dramatically changed since the Chargers took the field with Justin Herbert as their starting quarterback in 2020.
Brandon Staley was on the sideline, Telesco was in the general manager's box and fans were not happy with the state of the franchise.
Owner Dean Spanos went into the offseason and interviewed anyone and everyone, but when the name Jim Harbaugh came up, fans were excited. The Chargers social media team announced each interview they conducted.
The fans react
The post with Harbaugh was the highest viewed and reacted to.
He became their head coach and there was a different type of energy.
"Ecstatic," Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley said. "It was ecstatic, but then it was also like a 'let's go.' It wasn't even like jubilation. It wasn't like we were cheering. We won it. It was, let's go. Let's work.
"The work begins now, because nothing is handed to us. We didn't get Jim and we're going to Super Bowl. We got Jim. We got a coach who's going to motivate us. We got a coach that's going to drive us. And that's what we needed. That's what we want, and that's where we are."
The Chargers then hired Joe Hortiz from the Baltimore Ravens as their general manager and he has been a busy man, adding 23 new players to their 53-man roster.
The former Michigan coach brought several coaches from his national champions staff. He brought back Greg Roman as his offensive coordinator and Jesse Minter as his defensive coordinator.
The Harbaugh-Roman offense is known for running the football and a great offensive line. They will run the football that is why Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins were brought in.
"Can you imagine Justin Herbert with a great running game?" Roman said. "We don't know, but I can imagine what it might look like. So that's kind of the vision."
Harbaugh and Roman have never had a quarterback like Herbert, who can make every throw. Roman said during the first week of camp that they kept trying to throw new terminology or complex plays at Herbert and he would pass the test.
Some changes have come with receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams no longer with the team. They have some replacements, who they will be counting on to help their quarterback.
There will be a healthy amount of running the ball, but the Chargers staff will still let Herbert be Herbert, especially with an improved offensive line.
The offensive staff moved Trey Pipkins to right guard, signed Bradley Bozeman to play center and drafted Joe Alt fifth overall to sure up their line.
"You build a great run game and a great offensive line, you protect your quarterback," Hortiz said. "I've seen it done year in and year out where I came from.
"You help him by supporting him with players that help the entire offense."
Herbert missed a few weeks with a plantar fascia injury, which gave the team a good look at the rest of the quarterbacks.
When Herbert returned, it was a special moment for Harbaugh.
"Music should be playing," he said. "I thought I heard music, voices of angels maybe."
The Chargers coaches and players were happy to see their quarterback back with the starters.
"There was something. I don't know if it was angels, but there was this silhouette — the sun — I can't explain it," Roman said. "There was a moment and I may have heard that too."
New defense, too
On the defensive side, there is a lot of excitement, especially after three preseason games. There were impressive aspects, including Minter's blitzing schemes.
A good example of the Chargers' defensive potential was the joint practice with the Rams. The Chargers frustrated Matthew Stafford and Co. with constant pressure.
For the Chargers defense, it was a chance to put into effect what Minter and the rest of his defensive staff were preaching.
"We want to be tone-setters," James said. "I know me and Lo, that's always our motto."
They will be counting on their pass rushers, Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu, to set the tone and disrupt the opposing players.
"Joey is a monster. Him and Khalil," Minter said. "When you take this job, you're like, 'OK, you've got Bosa and Mack,' and you start thinking about the possibilities of what that could look like. Then it looks like that."
Numerous players have been outspoken about what happened last season. They didn't feel like they were a team but rather individuals.
Harbaugh has come in and changed a lot of things. But his players believe in him and his message.
"He's a different character, man. He is a different individual in the sense of just no-nonsense," linebacker Khalil Mack said. "Knowing the expectation, knowing what he expects from every individual.
"He'll tell you if you're not meeting that expectation."
The four players who have been the loudest about what Harbaugh is bringing to their team have been Herbert, Bosa, James and Mack.
He works out with the players after practice, whether it is sleds or weights or whatever it is. He is there working with them.
"Every year, you feel like you're going to attack it. You feel like you're the team to beat," James said. "You feel like you're going to win the Super Bowl, but this year, it just feels right.
"And Coach Harbaugh is getting the message across to everybody. He's leading the team and everyone is following suit."
Going deeper
Offensive starters
QB Justin Herbert
RB Gus Edwards
FB Scott Matlock
WR Joshua Palmer
WR DJ Chark
WR Ladd McConkey
TE Will Dissly
LT Rashawn Slater
LG Zion Johnson
C Bradley Bozeman
RG Trey Pipkins
RT Joe Alt
Offensive worry? It has to be the receiving unit. Herbert is going from throwing to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to a bunch of unknown players.
Unknown may be harsh, but besides Palmer, there are a lot of unknowns. McConkey is an exciting rookie, but he missed some time during camp. Chark was good early in his career, but what will he be for the Chargers?
And who is Quentin Johnston? There is just a lot of uncertainty around this unit.
Strongest unit? The offensive line is going to get the nod here. They added Alt with the fifth overall pick to secure their tackles. They moved Pipkins inside to right guard, which is a move that Roman compared to when they moved Alex Boone from tackle to guard with the 49ers during their tenure.
Bozeman is an addition and should be an upgrade from last season. The Chargers said Johnson is ready to take a big leap this season, especially after showing up in great shape.
Slater is coming into a prove-it season because even though he has a fifth-year option for next season, the team could pay him if he has a year like his rookie season.
Watch out for: JK Dobbins. There is significant motivation for the former Ohio State running back this season. He has never played an entire season and is looking to make an impact with his new team.
In this offense, Dobbins could be a home-run hitter for the offense, especially with the speed he still possesses. Harbaugh and his staff were smart with his load management, but when he did practice, you could see the burst and when he hit the corner, he would hit the after-burners, to which he looked explosive.
Dobbins, if healthy, could be a dangerous weapon for the offense.
Rookie to watch: Kimani Vidal. The rookie running back out of Troy could find a role in his offense. He was limited in touches during preseason games, but the burst was there and that was with second and third-team offensive linemen.
Vidal could provide a boost to the offense when brought in. Harbaugh and Roman are known for going with multiple backs touching the ball during the game, so Vidal could be an essential weapon to the offense.
Defensive starters
DE Morgan Fox
DT Otito Ogbonnia
DT Poona Ford
OLB Joey Bosa
ILB Daiyan Henley
ILB Denzel Perryman
OLB Khalil Mack
CB Asante Samuel Jr.
SS Derwin James
FS Alohi Gilman
CB Kristian Fulton
Defensive worry? It has to be the defensive line. Morgan Fox is the only player who has made an impact in LA or on previous teams. Ford is coming off playing eight games with Buffalo.
Ogbonnia, Matlock, Tart and Eboigbe are all question marks. Ogbonnia had a promising rookie year before suffering an injury that sidelined him for part of his second year.
Tart was a late addition during camp and is seen as a strong talent, but his desire and will have come into question in the past. Eboigbe is a rookie out of Alabama that had a quiet preseason.
Strongest position group? It has to be the pass rush. It features Bosa and Mack with Tuipulotu and Dupree as the second line. Minter could use a lot of three-man pass rushers, similar to what they did last year with Bosa, Mack and Tuli.
This unit, if healthy, could be near the top of pass-rushing units. Each could get seven-plus sacks this season.
"I just want to win games," Bosa said. "I don't know if there's one thing specifically, but I'm happy with how our room is looking, the edge group.
"I just want to go out there and finally put together one of those seasons as a team that's like we're serious. We've had some good years, but I just feel like we have left a lot out there over the years."
Watch out for: Daiyan Henley. The previous regime misused the middle linebacker, who could be an underrated player for the defense. Henley has been covering tight ends, running backs and even receivers during camp. He has made several interceptions and could prove to be a hidden gem.
Rookie to watch: The easy answer is Junior Colson, but here comes a curveball. Cornerback Tarheeb Still. The rookie made several plays during camp and might be a diamond in the rough selection. He was primarily used in the slot during camp and could contribute to special teams.
Special teams
The special teams unit for the Chargers could be special this season. The only coach Harbaugh decided to keep from last year was special teams coach Ryan Ficken.
In 2020, the Chargers had the worst special teams units in the NFL that improved under Derius Swinton in 2021, but when Staley moved to hire Ficken, his unit jumped up to one of the best in the league.
They feature one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL, Cameron Dicker, who is coming off signing a new four-year deal. They have punter JK Scott, who was a weapon last season, especially against the New England Patriots in a 6-0 victory.
They also have one of the best returners in Derius Davis, who could benefit from the new rules this season.
"Everything is going to change, everything is open," Ficken said during camp. "There's always going to be work to be done in all areas, but right now, we're feeling good in terms of the technique and laying down that foundation and continuing to work the fundamentals and the timing of everything."
As for the new kickoff rules, Dicker has his view:
"Shanking the kickoff," Dicker said. "That's almost the goal, to where if you can shank the kickoff and get it to land early and the returner can't get to it and, hopefully, it dribbles through.
"I mean, I'm just trying to hit low balls and trying to punch them out there. I'm trying to hit it off the ankle just for fun, just to see what happens."