Joe Seahawk
05-25-2008, 10:21 PM
The guy is definitely not blaming anyone but himself for his problems at O.C. with the Chiefs.
Seems like a class guy I'm glad we have him..
In coming here, what are some of the things you have learned about the guys on film and some of the things you would like to change or work on? “I think the big thing we are excited about here are the athleticism of the offensive linemen here. It’s a group that can move and can space and do some nice things. So we are just trying to develop some technique, consistency and being able to perform as a unit.”
Are you going to make any big changes? “No. It is Coach Holmgren’s offense. We are doing what we do. All we are trying to do is improve the techniques and the fundamentals.”
[More:]
How did you end up out here? “I had a chance to become the offensive line coach, so I took a plane (smiles).”
I figured. Perhaps I should have asked it this way: Were there other teams that had an interest in you? “Yes. There were. I had some choices. I thought this was a great opportunity, I loved the organization, I liked the way they always drafted along the offensive line and that has been an important part. And I saw the opportunity to work with coach Holmgren.”
What is your relationship with him? “It is really just the respect and admiration I have had for him, coming from the San Francisco 49ers organization. I missed him when he came out. He was coming out and I was coming in with Mike Shanahan. But I heard nothing but great things, and there is a great respect, especially with the 49ers vs. Green Bay, and what a great opportunity to work with somebody like Mike Holmgren.”
What happened with your tenure in Kansas City both as offensive line coach and as offensive coordinator? “Kansas City was a great situation. I was offensive line coach, it was great, I really enjoyed the organization, and then Herm Edwards became coach and gave me an opportunity as offensive coordinator. It was great. Herm and I played together and he gave me an opportunity and I didn’t get the job done. No excuses. No explanation. I didn’t get the job done and that is part of the job.”
Why was that? Did it have anything to do with Larry Johnson’s situation? “No, no, no. I didn’t get the job done. That is on me. I needed to call better plays, call plays that work.”
You always had a good running game in Kansas City. What do you think about the changes here, with Shaun leaving and Julius coming in? “That’s the thing about the NFL, there is constant change in the NFL. It is a great opportunity, and I know coach Holmgren is evaluating right now what they do best and we want to orchestrate and lean on what they do best, whether it is toss them the ball, move them ball, or is it zone blocking? That is what training camp and preseason is for and we will get a better feel was we get into that mode with pads on, rather than just shorts.”
What are you hoping to accomplish during the minicamps? “Yeah, just get a feel. I’m just trying to get a feel for the offensive line. Gil does a great job with the offense and he is getting a feel for what the run game can do, and how that balances with the pass game. That is his responsibility as the offensive coordinator, and I know he will do a great job. My job is just to get make sure the offensive line is performing at a championship level.”
How is your relationship with Mike DeBord? “It is great. I didn’t know Mike DeBord before. He is a very find line coach, a fine position coach coming out of a quality institution. We are just dividing up responsibilities and trying to get the most out of each minute.”
How do you work that out if you both comes from different systems and have different philosophies? “It is my responsibility. I am the offensive line coach. One of the reasons I was hired here was my background with the San Francisco offense. I know the drills we need to do, and the steps we need to do for building blocks in order to progress.”
Is what lineman are asked to do in the San Francisco offense different that what they are asked to do in the Kansas City offense? “When I went to San Francisco, I learned that system from Bob McKittrick. And then when I went to Kansas City, that was why I was hired there, because of Paul Hackett. I am just throwing out names now. But that was why I was hired in Kansas City. It was the West Coach offense. But that is what we have done. We pull linemen, and we look for athletic linemen. I had a great opportunity and I had a chance to work with some great offensive linemen there.”
One of the biggest things people look at our here is short-yardage situations. What is the biggest thing that goes into that for an offensive line to be successful. “I think the biggest thing we have to do is do what our backs do best, and we have to be consistent in what we ask of the offensive scheme. Gil Haskell has done a great job in the offseason of film study and looking at the best short-yardage and goal line packages. We know what we need to improve on and what direction we need to go and that is something we are working on.”
When you are trying to rebuild a running game like the Seahawks are trying to do, does it help that all the parts are new? “It is still the same system. It is still Mike Holmgren and Gil Haskell’s offense. The blueprint is here and we have to master the techniques and fundamentals.
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/2008/05/25/p26355#more26355
Seems like a class guy I'm glad we have him..
In coming here, what are some of the things you have learned about the guys on film and some of the things you would like to change or work on? “I think the big thing we are excited about here are the athleticism of the offensive linemen here. It’s a group that can move and can space and do some nice things. So we are just trying to develop some technique, consistency and being able to perform as a unit.”
Are you going to make any big changes? “No. It is Coach Holmgren’s offense. We are doing what we do. All we are trying to do is improve the techniques and the fundamentals.”
[More:]
How did you end up out here? “I had a chance to become the offensive line coach, so I took a plane (smiles).”
I figured. Perhaps I should have asked it this way: Were there other teams that had an interest in you? “Yes. There were. I had some choices. I thought this was a great opportunity, I loved the organization, I liked the way they always drafted along the offensive line and that has been an important part. And I saw the opportunity to work with coach Holmgren.”
What is your relationship with him? “It is really just the respect and admiration I have had for him, coming from the San Francisco 49ers organization. I missed him when he came out. He was coming out and I was coming in with Mike Shanahan. But I heard nothing but great things, and there is a great respect, especially with the 49ers vs. Green Bay, and what a great opportunity to work with somebody like Mike Holmgren.”
What happened with your tenure in Kansas City both as offensive line coach and as offensive coordinator? “Kansas City was a great situation. I was offensive line coach, it was great, I really enjoyed the organization, and then Herm Edwards became coach and gave me an opportunity as offensive coordinator. It was great. Herm and I played together and he gave me an opportunity and I didn’t get the job done. No excuses. No explanation. I didn’t get the job done and that is part of the job.”
Why was that? Did it have anything to do with Larry Johnson’s situation? “No, no, no. I didn’t get the job done. That is on me. I needed to call better plays, call plays that work.”
You always had a good running game in Kansas City. What do you think about the changes here, with Shaun leaving and Julius coming in? “That’s the thing about the NFL, there is constant change in the NFL. It is a great opportunity, and I know coach Holmgren is evaluating right now what they do best and we want to orchestrate and lean on what they do best, whether it is toss them the ball, move them ball, or is it zone blocking? That is what training camp and preseason is for and we will get a better feel was we get into that mode with pads on, rather than just shorts.”
What are you hoping to accomplish during the minicamps? “Yeah, just get a feel. I’m just trying to get a feel for the offensive line. Gil does a great job with the offense and he is getting a feel for what the run game can do, and how that balances with the pass game. That is his responsibility as the offensive coordinator, and I know he will do a great job. My job is just to get make sure the offensive line is performing at a championship level.”
How is your relationship with Mike DeBord? “It is great. I didn’t know Mike DeBord before. He is a very find line coach, a fine position coach coming out of a quality institution. We are just dividing up responsibilities and trying to get the most out of each minute.”
How do you work that out if you both comes from different systems and have different philosophies? “It is my responsibility. I am the offensive line coach. One of the reasons I was hired here was my background with the San Francisco offense. I know the drills we need to do, and the steps we need to do for building blocks in order to progress.”
Is what lineman are asked to do in the San Francisco offense different that what they are asked to do in the Kansas City offense? “When I went to San Francisco, I learned that system from Bob McKittrick. And then when I went to Kansas City, that was why I was hired there, because of Paul Hackett. I am just throwing out names now. But that was why I was hired in Kansas City. It was the West Coach offense. But that is what we have done. We pull linemen, and we look for athletic linemen. I had a great opportunity and I had a chance to work with some great offensive linemen there.”
One of the biggest things people look at our here is short-yardage situations. What is the biggest thing that goes into that for an offensive line to be successful. “I think the biggest thing we have to do is do what our backs do best, and we have to be consistent in what we ask of the offensive scheme. Gil Haskell has done a great job in the offseason of film study and looking at the best short-yardage and goal line packages. We know what we need to improve on and what direction we need to go and that is something we are working on.”
When you are trying to rebuild a running game like the Seahawks are trying to do, does it help that all the parts are new? “It is still the same system. It is still Mike Holmgren and Gil Haskell’s offense. The blueprint is here and we have to master the techniques and fundamentals.
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/2008/05/25/p26355#more26355