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Hobson Article on the New Approach from Pollack for the O-line


membengal

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Everything about this article makes me giddy. So, so, SO glad Alexander is gone. To the extent I am able to muster optimism for 2018, it is rooted in Alexander being gone and Pollack arriving. Of all the things the Bengals did this off-season, leaping as quickly as they did to hire Pollack once the Cowboys weirdly let him go was their best thing.

http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/May-grind-for-O-line/96c3f405-1f10-4449-a65e-ba52ee0b6ff8

Quote

The Bengals began their second week on the field Monday without helmets in something the NFL calls “Phase 2,” of the voluntary off-season workouts. But the offensive linemen don’t need their headgear to know new coach Frank Pollack is changing the way they think.

Not to mention move with a bevy of new techniques.

Pollack’s up-tempo, physically demanding drills have emerged as one of the talking points of the sessions that aren’t open to the media. In Monday’s locker-room media availability his players confirmed there’s a new approach up front. Now they’re just wondering how much tougher it’s going to be with helmets in two weeks.

“It’s a lot different,” said right guard Trey Hopkins, who is going to play some center this spring as No. 1 pick Billy Price’s shoulder heals. “There’s not much standing around. It’s, ‘Let’s get out there, get to work and when we’re in the classroom we’ll talk about it.’ It’s about the physical reps and your mind has to be right … He’ll make a point to the group and it’s on to the next rep.”

The line coaches who swapped jobs come from two different schools that have both had enormous success.

The Cowboys’ Paul Alexander, the only line coach the Bengals had from Dave Shula’s last full year to Marvin Lewis’ 15th season, is the cerebral guru who uses the field as a classroom. Pollack, who coached the Cowboys offensive line to nine Pro Bowl berths in the last three seasons, is a ‘90s NFL lineman and a smart, resourceful mechanic schooled under the hood of several models. While Alexander preferred using mainly light blocking shields while teaching, Pollack has rolled out more equipment than a road crew battling with I-71.

There’s the trap-and-chute, where the linemen must stay low near their stance and power through without touching a tight tunnel. The arches are also designed to keep them low when they simulate the movement in trap plays. There are pop-up bags, sand bags, and small tire-like pod objects that the feet must be balanced on while they catch medicine balls.

“I haven’t seen those before,” Hopkins said of the pods. “That’s so you’re able to sit in your stance … trunk strength.”

New left tackle Cody Glenn says he had four different O-line coaches in Buffalo and has seen every kind imaginable. He calls Pollack, “a throwback O-line coach and it’s been good.”

One observation from the trenches is Pollack is “an attitude kind of guy. It’s fun. It’s kind of contagious. He was a player. He knows what we’re going through. He brings energy every day.”

 

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Really hoping to see things improve with the o-line.  The 2018 season really does hinge on the improvement from that group.

This team still has the talent to compete when considering other positional groups. 
The LB corps is my concern on the other side of the ball though...

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I am not sure which departure I liked best - Alexander or Jeffro

Both departures swelled me with happiness....couldnt stop smiling all week long thereafter

The perfect offseason would have included one more departure - Mediocre Marvin - but I guess we cant expect perfect when we have the icon of imperfection embodied by SoaG at the helm of this ship

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Marvin's return almost did me in as a Bengals fan.
I was ready to call it quits on this shitstorm of an organization.  I still can't say anything positive about that.

However, hiring Pollack was pretty massive when considering just how long Alexander was here even though that situation was not the best.
THIS organization just has not done that in the past and it honestly intrigued me.  Then there was turnover on the defensive side of things as well with Austin as the new DC.

For me, the Pollack hire is immensely significant and the impact will certainly be felt.

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With the utilization of blocking chutes, hopefully that’s a sign of more downhill run blocking utilized in 2014 before Hue switched offensive focus. 

Would really play well with Mixon’s style. 

Gio was really good in zone schemes but probably can adjust to hitting the hole first.

Jeremy Hill could never transition.  

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The line will absolutely be better.  There's no way you add Pollack, Glenn, and Price without seeing improvement.  I expect that it won't even be a glaring weakness -- just perhaps a bit inconsistent.  They've really had a strong offseason, and the only thing that gets in my way when I try to experience any excitement is Marvin Lewis.

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5 hours ago, membengal said:

Alexander arriving in Dallas:

 

That's gold, so damn funny.  I'm thrilled to see new blood in here.  Alexander sucked, no other way to say it.  And what mem just posted about our new guy is very exciting.  I'm so ready to see a more physical style of play, a fired up group.  Alexander couldn't inspire paint to dry.

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If you’ve watched the bengals since Alexander switched from tightens coach to line, you’ve seen a lot of vertical drops in passing.  Linemen fall backward and deflect their opponent. They don’t step into and atttack Their opponent

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I am excited about the possibilities with this basic technique change

It's certainly possible that our OL could be worse this year, but I think it is far more likely it'll be better. Hopefully this technique change will make it a LOT better. One even wonders if it could salvage the careers of Oogie and Fisher? Hope does indeed spring eternal.

As I said last year, we will go only as far as our OL will take us - and its the same this year

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 You have to have the talent and that’s the biggest question still with this line.

Glenn if healthy is a big plus.  Boling will be his Workman solid self.  Then who knows after that?  Price has to come in out of the box ready. 

He can’t pull a Bodine and be hidden by 4 over high level players like 2014. 

Ultimately one the previous drafted tackles has to step up big one at a minimum. 

The last two draft classes have been weak and overall highly touted linemen in the draft have gone from safe to risky players in years 1-3.  

Pollack could be undermined if Dalton and WRs struggle to pick up whatever new scheme.  Dalton is pure crap in progressions 3 and 4.    So any discomfort there is going to lead to pressure. 

Most NFL protection schemes assign the 5th and 6th rusher to the QB/WR.  Sometimes the 4th rusher because Dick Lebeau invented a truly revolutionary concept that has stood the test of time and Defenses can overload and mess up the count etc. 

on the flip side he’s got talented RBs.   So I hope they stay healthy and the line can give them more room.    

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  • 4 weeks later...

Holy crap, how neat a trick would this be?

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/6/7/17434272/cedric-ogbuehi-making-big-strides-with-frank-pollacks-help-bengals-offensive-line

 

Quote

 

But according to a source, Ogbuehi has been starting to look like a developed player, “all because of offensive line coach Frank Pollack.”

Ogbuehi has been practicing at both left and right tackle and while he’s not slated to be a starter at any spot on the Bengals’ offensive line right now, he could work himself into that discussion if he continues playing like he has been in pad-less practices. 

“I’ve never seen him doing some of the things he’s doing. He looks powerful and under control,” the source said.

Ogbuehi is now in a contract year after the Bengals failed to pick up his fifth year option, so while it’s easy to assume he’s now being motivated by money, it also could be the new Bengals’ new offensive line coach at work.

“He’s getting coached.”

 

I mean, really. Eff Paul Alexander of course, but IF Pollack can somehow salvage Ogbuehi and make him useful, that is the biggest LOL ever to what we had to endure with Alexander here as line coach. I know this will amuse Shula and TJ in any event...

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I hope it’s true.  They desperately need 1 or both Ced and Fish to play to their draft spot.

At the same time you can create a separate Hall of Fame for players that were OTA hype.  

Competition is a good thing and the biggest mistake with Ced was removing all competition in his path to start the last 2 seasons. 

Alexander’s biggest failure is he had 3 critical o-line picks and they all played like crap during the transition years of the line.

So Pollack gets any quality snaps from the 2 remaining, he’s a hero in my book.  Exactly what this team needs in this season. 

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Unnamed "source" said this....well, uhh, I think that speaks for itself.

If anything can be coaxed out of Oogie at this point, I'm all for it. He is rock bottom as far as I am concerned - even making a horrendously bad player like Jeffro look good by comparison at times - so of course theres no where to go but up.

The problem remains, tho - how far up can he go? He is a long, long way from even rising to the level of below average

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It's an unnamed source because Rebecca spoke to the person and got those quotes - happens all the time. I am not dismissing it. It is WAY more positive chatter about Ogbuehi than we were hearing from similar unnamed sources the past few OTAs about him...

He has physical gifts. If Pollack can actually give him coaching, he can be useful. 

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If Pollack can get Ooglie to play like an NFL caliber player this season then I expect to see Pollack walk across the Ohio and then feed the population of Covington using just 5 fish and a loaf of bread 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Scottishbengal said:

If Pollack can get Ooglie to play like an NFL caliber player this season then I expect to see Pollack walk across the Ohio and then feed the population of Covington using just 5 fish and a loaf of bread 

 

 

Good point.  Covington is need of a good fish sandwich joint. 

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Yes I hope he can play.  But if so we’ll likely have to watch as his one year of decent play coupled with his potential earn him a stupid contract elsewhere.  Won’t happen anyway, he’s just that type of guy who can’t translate what he does in drills to actual game play.

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I hear a lot of "IF's" when talking about Ogboogie becoming a player capable of rising beyond the level of "turd sandwich".
"IF" Pollack can make that happen, a succession plan to head coach should be put in place.

Honestly, I already completely wrote Ogboogie off.  Haven't thought about him in a while.
Can Pollack reach out to the LB's as well ??

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