Are we blaming the wrong position coach?

The firing of Jack Bicknell leaves Tomlin, once again, with having to try and find an offensive line coach. This will be his fourth in seven seasons. The Rooneys have given the mandate that the Steelers MUST re-establish the running game. My question is this. Is the wrong position coach being blamed? When we can't get the running game on track the first coach we want to sacrifice is the offensive line coach. I realize the OL coach bears some of the blame, but could the real culprit be *gasp*...Kirby Wilson, the RBs coach? We've had issues with the run game pretty much ever since Wilson was promoted to that position several years ago. With the exception of Bell, I can't really say that our RBs have developed the way I'd like to see them develop. Mendy, Redman, Dwyer were all mediocre at best. Bell had a solid all-around season but his YPC was still a paltry 3.6 or something like that.

Tomlin seems to love to put the OL coach on the chopping block, but is it that far fetched to suggest that Kirby Wilson should be examined closely for the Steelers woeful ground game? All we hear about Kirby is how he seems to be the OC in waiting and is one of Tomlin's favorites. I'm just not sure I've got a great deal of confidence in Tomlin's judgment when it comes to player and coaching personnel decisions. Thoughts on this?

 

I just don't get what's so great about Wilson. I would have liked to have seen him develop an Arian Foster (or Barry Foster for that matter) or an Alfred Morris, a late round pick or free agent signing that comes in and surprises everyone. I just don't think you can say that Wilson should be held harmless here. Our RBs, for the most part, have not developed well under his tutelage. Bell had a very good season but, quite candidly, excelled more as a receiver than he did as a pure runner. Don't get me wrong, the sky is the limit for Bell and the offensive line is a tough one to run behind, but Wilson hasn't done a bang up job from my perspective.

 

I get what you're saying, Blast, but it seems that everytime the Steelers failures in the running game are brought up, people have a tendency to gloss over Wilson and only look at the offensive line coach. Should we blame the offensive line if the quarterback isn't developing? What about blaming the quarterback if the WR's aren't developing? Is it the defensive line's fault if the DBs are regressing? I realize that there are inter-dependent elements to a football team, but my point is that if a certain position on a football team is failing year after year, at what point should the position coach be blamed?

 

Bell didn't overall, but is 3.6 YPC acceptable to you?

 

But i think, unless it has been publicly mentioned, you're jumping to conclusions Jack in thinking Bicknells firing was because of poor RB play. At least it seems that you're implying that it is. I think it had everything to do with the line and the fact that the ZBS didn't go over well and little to do with RB performance.

 

Bell rocks BTW

 

As I said, I think the sky is the limit for Bell and I expect his YPC to increase next year as well. I just don't get the love for Wilson given that the running game, under his watch, has been mediocre at best the last several seasons. And 3.6 YPC for a season is unacceptable behind any offensive line.

I'm not just talking about Bicknell. You're right, it sounds like there may have been multiple issues with him but our ineffective running game was one of those issues. We've had FOUR OL coaches in SEVEN years and part of the reason they keep losing their jobs is attributed to our poor rushing performance. During this time we've had ONE running back coach who is supposedly responsible for the performance and growth of the running backs. And not only is the RB coach not in danger of losing his job, he is apparently the heir apparent to the OC position. I just don't get it.

 

TBH i really haven't decided how i feel about coach Wilson. I think he's had mediocre talent at RB and weak o lines to run behind for several years now. It looks like things may have finally started to straighten out with the o line and i'm convinced we've found a great RB in Bell, so next season will really cement my opinion on him. I think Wilson finally has the tools he needs to succeed (although i'm still not 100% convinced about the o line), especially with Bell at RB. So next season should tell us a lot.

 

Why can't you be critical of a coach without having "disdain" for him? I'm simply stating my thoughts on the guy from a fan's perspective. It's great that he pulled through the tragic episode with the fire, as a human being you can't help but root for somebody like that. I just don't understand all of the love Tomlin has for the guy. He seemed to be 100% locked in on Wilson as his OC before the fire and I'm just trying to understand why. I'm tryig to look at it as objectively as I can from a limited perspective, but I don't see that he's done such a tremendous job as the RB coach that there is no doubt that he is the obvious choice as the next OC of the Pittsburgh Steelers without giving consideration to other candidates. Based on what I read and hear, that seems to be the case. I don't have disdain for Wilson at all, I'm just trying to understand why Tomlin thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

 

Let's not get too carried away.... Dick Hoak was THE MAN.... No way you find someone to fill his shoes.... We've been spoiled with some long tenured successful coaches and assistants. I would expect in today's era, these same quality guys are hard to find and keep around.

 

You're reaching why would it be the RB coach fault that the O-line sucks every year. If the O-line opened some holes once in awhile maybe the backs could average more than 4 ypc.

 

stats don;t tell the whole story...this guy missed all of preseason and the first 4 games of the season...of course it is going to take him time to get acclimated to the system and the NFL...but when he got his feel wet in some game action he looked like a beast!...


4.1 over his last 5 is more of a realistic type of ypa you can expect from him

 

One does not simply develop a Barry Foster in a few years on the job...

 

we have discussed this before and I had questions too about Wilson.

what really got me thinking was last year when all the fumbling started. not just one back, but all of them. Wilson was then talking about teaching the 5 points of contact to his backs. first off, this should have been taught before that stage and maybe it was, but it sure didn't show.

my next thought has been going on for a couple of years. if Wilson is the heir apparent to the OC job, why all the struggles in the running game. they have wanted to run the ball more efficiently and it even cost an OC his job. where was wilsons 2 cents worth then to better the scheme or ideas to help the run game get better? if he's got OC knowledge shouldn't some of it have come out during that time? if it did, then how can we leave the offense up to a coach that can't improve the team or his players in one of our deficiencies?

it's easy to coach better talent. it makes a coach look good. the true measure is when you may not have the top dogs and you can see improvement.

dwyer was ranked a little higher than the round he went in. he had a good college career, but has never turned the corner here. nor did redman but they kept him. I was just reading where dwyer still is not hitting the right holes and bouncing it outside all the time. isn't this something a RB coach should be concerned with and especially if this is the guy they want to take over the offense at some point. so, yes I still have concerns about his coaching skills. I also have concerns about why dwyer is still here.

 

Good points, mac. And you're exactly right, who has Wilson really developed since he's been here? Is there really a running back that we can look at and say that he's playing better than expected and it appears to be because he's being coached up by Wilson? I don't think there is an example of that under Wilson's tenure.

Better duck, mac! Here comes the "IT'S THE OFFENSIVE LINE'S FAULT!" crowd again.

 

they are some of the problem, but not that much. when one back can do it behind them, they all should be able too. I think redman and dwyer actually have taken steps backward under Kirby. I will give him props on making our RB's better pass protectors, but as far as the run game and receiving, I've not seen a lot.