Thoughts on Callahan and Pollack from over on the Asthmafield

[AsthmaField]

"I've been saying this for year but no one believed me. That's the reason we won the SB in1995"

-signed Barry Switzer.

You posted without reading the whole thing again, didn't you?

Just like when Switzer won with Jimmy's players and it took a couple of years for his discipline to wear off.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Interesting approach to attributing input from various coaches. I see more than a little reciprocity. A HC can create the culture and make sure that the players work diligently but the position coach has to be the one who actually imparts the knowledge day in and day out. The HC cannot hold his hand in that process.

I'm not as sold on Callahan's OL as others. I thought they faded down the stretch and were suspect in pass protection all year. I'm not so sure Pollack or Callahan is the solution.

 

[Zman5]

You posted without reading the whole thing again, didn't you?

I read the whole thing. Your post to minimize the coordinators contribution to the success of the team is so off base, I made a similar type of comment.

Even Jimmy would not have had same type of success, had he not hired Norv as his OC.

 

[Sasquatch]

Long winded, I know. One of my faults.

You're short of breath after that, I imagine.

Good read. Hopefully Pollack is a capable replacement.

 

[black label]

Interesting approach to attributing input from various coaches. I see more than a little reciprocity. A HC can create the culture and make sure that the players work diligently but the position coach has to be the one who actually imparts the knowledge day in and day out. The HC cannot hold his hand in that process.

I'm not as sold on Callahan's OL as others. I thought they faded down the stretch and were suspect in pass protection all year. I'm not so sure Pollack or Callahan is the solution.

Romo holding the ball forever is not helping the pass protection stat

 

[Brooksey]

Interesting approach to attributing input from various coaches. I see more than a little reciprocity. A HC can create the culture and make sure that the players work diligently but the position coach has to be the one who actually imparts the knowledge day in and day out. The HC cannot hold his hand in that process.

I'm not as sold on Callahan's OL as others. I thought they faded down the stretch and were suspect in pass protection all year. I'm not so sure Pollack or Callahan is the solution.

How and when did you see them fading? It's easy to give up on the run when your facing good defensive fronts and only gaining a few yards a pop. That's the only problem I saw, especially against Detroit.

We did have problems with Blitz pick-up all year. Three ways this offense can improve big time:

1. Run the ball 30-35x consistently. We need a second back who gets 10 carries, IMO.
2. Romo needs to throw it away and not take the sack. (at least he's not throwing picks)
3. Blitz pick-up needs to be addressed.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think Callahan was a heckuva O-Coordinator at Oakland. Their performance metrics indicate that and I don't think they were a loaded team by any means. Him calling the plays here just didn't work out. 2 different offenses and 2 different things we are trying to accomplish.

I hate to see him go to Washington. It's kind of funny how revered he is as an O-Line coach because he doesn't have a ton of experience on the pro level, but I do think he's one of the best.

With that said, we did draft 3 first rounders to help fill this void. We also took Leary who had a 3rd round grade if it weren't for his knee. The Jets didn't do well with Callahan so I don't think the Skins are likely to do well unless they start drafting some early round picks on the O-Line.

The problem with the Skins is that they love to finger point and blame coaches. It didn't really work out well with Callahan his 1st year here either, but we stuck with him and gave him higher round picks to work with and things started to come along. If the Skins are terrible next year, I wonder if they'll keep Gruden which could mean an entire upheaval at the coaching position.

The good part is that from what I've been told, Pollack really coached the O-Line in 2013 and that's when we made the leap. It seemed that Pollack also played a role in this year's O-Line and Callahan did more of scripting run plays to use.

The question is if Pollack can give quality input on who to draft. As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't exactly hate it if the Cowboys drafted another guard or a right tackle in the first 3 rounds. We utilized the O-Line to our advantage in a league where the defenses are designed to stop short, quick passes. I'm not too high on Parnell, Free is probably gone and Leary still has a questionable knee. It just depends if we can find the right player to fit Pollack's coaching.

I think it was a good hire by the Skins and I do believe that position coaches are very critical to success (they have the most interaction with the player and figure out how to improve their performance). But, I don't think we are left without a quality O-Line coach and there's more to creating a good O-Line than have a good O-Line coach.







YR

 

[khiladi]

Cool story bro.

Garrett brought in Houck, who ran power-blocking scheme and used big-hefty lineman. They drafted accordingly. He retired, didn't get fired. Garrett played under him in Dallas and coached with him in Miami. The playbook he devised used these schemes.

Callahan revamped the line. The credit for the line isn't Garrett's, it's Callahan.. It's why he's built an OL wherever he's been and Garrett hasn't.

But keep spinning...

You should have stopped simply that Pollack should be able to carry over what Callahan architected, instead of tried to spin this OL as Garrett's work.

 

[Eskimo]

Interesting approach to attributing input from various coaches. I see more than a little reciprocity. A HC can create the culture and make sure that the players work diligently but the position coach has to be the one who actually imparts the knowledge day in and day out. The HC cannot hold his hand in that process.

I'm not as sold on Callahan's OL as others. I thought they faded down the stretch and were suspect in pass protection all year. I'm not so sure Pollack or Callahan is the solution.

I think the hype about them was a bit extreme at the start of the year and part of that was the unexpected success we had running the ball with Murray. The pass protection did mostly get better through the year especially against 4 and 5-man rushes but sometimes there was confusion when the whole house was sent (6 or more rushers).

I think the three big culprits are inexperience (Martin - rookie, Leary - 3rd year, Fred - 2nd year), Leary just is a borderline player and the receiver route adjustments to all-out blitzes where the middle was available were poor.

Next year should be another step forward for the group and they probably won't peak for another 2 years or so.

 

[ThreeandOut]

I'm not as concerned about losing Callahan from a coaching stand point. Pollack has experience coaching some good OL's in Houston, With the talent we have, I think he'll be fine.

But Callahan was very good evaluating OL talent. He and the scouting department were responsible for finding the players we have today. Now part of the credit can go to spending high draft picks on the line (Smith and Martin). But credit should be given for identifying players that were not quite as sure things like Frederick and Leary. I'm hoping that we don't lose that ability to find this OL talent with Callahan leaving.

 

[khiladi]

We were better with the blitz than in other years, because Linehan was a better play-caller and used screens and drag routes for Dez, and Beasley got looks in the middle of the field. Outside of that, a lot of our passing formations that used long, developing pass routes and defenses knew it was coming, got blitzers through easily, because we didn't have enough blockers to account for protection.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

I look at Callahan leaving like Rob Ryan leaving.

addition by subtraction.

The biggest thing Jerrah has learned is to listen to his staff..

not micro-manage them.

Not even close.

 

[mahoneybill]

Long winded, I know. One of my faults.

Long, but articulated very well and gives us all a great perspective going forward.

Thks for taking the time to share this

 

[PAINFROMUKRAINE]

Cool story bro.

Garrett brought in Houck, who ran power-blocking scheme and used big-hefty lineman. They drafted accordingly. He retired, didn't get fired. Garrett played under him in Dallas and coached with him in Miami. The playbook he devised used these schemes.

Callahan revamped the line. The credit for the line isn't Garrett's, it's Callahan.. It's why he's built an OL wherever he's been and Garrett hasn't.

But keep spinning...

You should have stopped simply that Pollack should be able to carry over what Callahan architected, instead of tried to spin this OL as Garrett's work.

I am in agreement. Callahan built the Jets O-Line before he came to Dallas. The Jets Oline crashed and burned after he left. Garrett wanted Floyd in the Draft not Travis or the trade down. Imagine if Garrett got his way and drafted Floyd instead of Travis and Williams. We all saw the Draft Day footage. Garrett did not build this OL and would not have a clue how to. Furthermore, before Callahan is thrown under the bus for being the OC in 2013, please confirm if he had the same authority as Linehan in 2014. I saw a lot of Garrett's fingerprints in the 2013 play calling. Callahan is know as a very good OL Coach and is respected around the league.

 

[movaughn88]

Cool story bro.

Garrett brought in Houck, who ran power-blocking scheme and used big-hefty lineman. They drafted accordingly. He retired, didn't get fired. Garrett played under him in Dallas and coached with him in Miami. The playbook he devised used these schemes.

Callahan revamped the line. The credit for the line isn't Garrett's, it's Callahan.. It's why he's built an OL wherever he's been and Garrett hasn't.

But keep spinning...

You should have stopped simply that Pollack should be able to carry over what Callahan architected, instead of tried to spin this OL as Garrett's work.

You are really fighting the Garrett tide here man.

Houck came back to the team in 2008, Garrett's 2nd year as OC. He was still fairly new and I don't believe had the power to single-handedly hire his OL coach. Houck worked for the team in the glory days that Jerry was still fond of, and he probably tried to bring that back. Let's just say I don't think that decision was 100% Garret's, maybe he had input but not likely.

Even so, at the time Houck was hired (2008) we had a mauler OL that included Leonard Davis who was in the second year of a massive contract, Gurode on the second year of a huge extension, and Hotel Flozell just signed to a massive extension. That's a line signed and built for power-blocking. Garrett wasn't controlling those contracts to OL, he had to work with what he was given, so Houck wasn't a bad choice. Turned out pretty good - 2009 team won the Division. The team had to follow through on Parcells' work in that time frame.

Once the rebuild started, Garrett was able to bring in the pieces he was given. That didn't truly start until 2011 when everyone realized Parcells roster wasn't going to get it done.

 

[movaughn88]

Frank Pollack will have the same group to work with and they'll be under Garrett's same expectation for discipline, consistency, focus, and work ethic that they were under this season. He worked with Houston's OL for 5 years under Alex Gibbs who is like the Godfather of the zone blocking scheme. Then he worked under Callahan for two seasons and has been slated to be his replacement from the second it was clear Callahan wasn't going to be here beyond 2014.

Pollack knows the zone blocking scheme inside and out and he knows exactly what Callahan has been doing in Dallas. He's already worked 2 years with this OL and they know him well. The OL will still be in Garrett's culture but individual coaching will be Pollack.

I also just saw he actually played OL for the 49ers in the 90's, including in 1995 when they won the SB. He was a backup it seems, but in the league for 7 years. I always like a coach who's played in the league.

90's SB team backups unite!

 

[AsthmaField]

Cool story bro.

Garrett brought in Houck, who ran power-blocking scheme and used big-hefty lineman. They drafted accordingly. He retired, didn't get fired. Garrett played under him in Dallas and coached with him in Miami. The playbook he devised used these schemes.

Callahan revamped the line. The credit for the line isn't Garrett's, it's Callahan.. It's why he's built an OL wherever he's been and Garrett hasn't.

But keep spinning...

You should have stopped simply that Pollack should be able to carry over what Callahan architected, instead of tried to spin this OL as Garrett's work.

Jerry brought in Houck in 2008. He "retired" after a year with Garrett as coach. Jason got rid of him like he got rid of Leonard Davis, Flozell Adams, and Andre Gurode.

I know you hate Garrett, so I never expected you to agree with any of this. If Garrett's performance this year didn't convince you then I sure can't.

 

[mahoneybill]

Romo holding the ball forever is not helping the pass protection stat

I think thats the next area of improvement we will see from if we have a D he feels can get a stop when needed.... In other words .. No 40+ yard RAC TD's following a 3 & 15.....

 

[RS12]

I like Callahan as OL coach. That is his ceiling IMO. Didnt like him at all as a play caller at all. I am glad he brought the ZBS here because it is the key to the running game. I expect Wash OL play to improve a great deal.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Romo holding the ball forever is not helping the pass protection stat

Seemed like that was too much of that the last few games. I kept screaming for Romo to get the ball out of his hand a lot more than I should.