San Diego Chargers to Name Broncos OC Mike McCoy as Next Head Coach

After interviewing the likes of Lovie Smith and Jay Gruden, the San Diego Chargers have finally come to a decision on their next head coach to replace the departed Norv Turner: former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.

McCoy will be the 15th coach in Chargers franchise history.

The Chargers had interviewed other candidates in Lovie Smith, Ken Whisenhunt and Jay Gruden over the weekend, according to a report from UTSanDiego.com.

Chargers president Dean Spanos sent his private plane to Denver to pick up McCoy and bring him back to San Diego for his interview, according to ESPN.com.

All the other candidates had flown commercially.

Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was scheduled to meet with (my self dubbed) "The Quartet" (Dean Spanos, Assistant General Manager & Executive Vice President of Football Operations Ed McGuire, Director of College Scouting John Spanos, and consultant Ron Wolf) and new general manager Tom Telesco later this week.

Arians was considered the frontrunner for the Chargers vacancy. His work as interim head coach with the Indianapolis Colts while Chuck Pagano was undergoing treatment for leukemia made him a desired candidate for a head coaching position.

He also had ties to new Chargers general manager Tom Telesco as the two worked together while in Indianapolis.

McCoy has informed the Denver Broncos he will no longer be their offensive coordinator and will accept the Chargers head coach vacancy.

He had already visited with Arizona, Philadelphia, and Chicago regarding their head coaching vacancies.  Nevertheless, he cancelled on a second visit with the Arizona Cardinals.

McCoy is now the second consecutive Denver Broncos coordinator to take a head coaching job with a division rival.

Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen was the Broncos defensive coordinator in 2009.

McCoy has been credited with turning around a dilapidated Broncos offense and helping them win two consecutive AFC West Division titles.

Information regarding a press conference announcing Mike McCoy as the Chargers next head coach has not yet been released.