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


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Everything about Pollack's hire makes me giddy. I have been waiting on some word from how the initial on-field sessions are going under the new o-line coach, and here's a taste from Hobson:

 

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.”

 

 

About. Time. My main hope is that Pollack and his approach really can revive Fisher. Fisher had talent coming out. I am more hopeful that a coach like Pollack can get to that talent than whatever it was that Alexander was doing. 

 

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3 hours ago, T-Dub said:

Still spends half the piece fluffing Alexander. WTF. So "cerebral", that guy. Like a hemorrhage. Someone write Hobson & ask him what's Alexander's favorite flavor of crayon. 

Yea, that answer has to come from Hobs. I tried to google it for you to no avail.

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So.... Either Paul Alexander was a moron, and the line is going to get magically better because we have a non-idiot coach. 

Or, Hobknob is blowing so much smoke up my ass I can use BBQ sauce as lube.

Coach Clap & Grin is still setting the tone. So, looks like some KC Masterpiece sodomy is on the menu.

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He had a damn fine track record in Dallas with that line. I think it's okay to feel somewhat less than cynical about the chances for improvement. I will say, actually doing drills and firing out for their blocks when it is time to play for real will be a nice change over the catch and guide technique that Alexander preferred. That shit just didn't work with the players they drafted. I think Fisher, for one, can be reclaimed. 

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50 minutes ago, LostInDaJungle said:

So.... Either Paul Alexander was a moron, and the line is going to get magically better because we have a non-idiot coach. 

Or, Hobknob is blowing so much smoke up my ass I can use BBQ sauce as lube.

Coach Clap & Grin is still setting the tone. So, looks like some KC Masterpiece sodomy is on the menu.

We don't call him Baghdad Hob for nothing.

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On 5/8/2018 at 12:10 PM, T-Dub said:

Still spends half the piece fluffing Alexander. WTF. So "cerebral", that guy. Like a hemorrhage. Someone write Hobson & ask him what's Alexander's favorite flavor of crayon. 

Naw, ask him what his taint tastes like.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Man, it's kind of exciting reading all this positive press about the development of our "new and improved" o-line for next season. Hopefully the hype is justified.

 

And man, no offense to oldschooler, but is the cincinnati.com website a crock of shit these days with all it's laggy bullshit ads and whatnot. 

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