Bengals bring back Frank Pollack

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2021, 01:25 AM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: From Pollack’s first season in NY to his second the Jets improved from 31st in rushing to 23rd, and from 29th in sacks allowed to 23rd. That’s significant improvement in both areas. Especially with one of the worst rosters in the league.

Out of the realistic candidates this was an excellent choice.

Agreed, Pollack was a good choice.  I thought that he had the OL heading the right direction in 2018, and was a little upset that the team didn't work harder to retain him when Zac and company took over.  

[samhain]

(01-10-2021, 11:24 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Agreed, Pollack was a good choice.  I thought that he had the OL heading the right direction in 2018, and was a little upset that the team didn't work harder to retain him when Zac and company took over.  

It's puzzling to say the least.  Pollack obviously has no problem coming back to work for Taylor, so my guess is that ZT ran him off to bring in the demonstrably awful Turner.  Yikes.

[fredtoast]

At least with Pollack it is possible to find some positive accomplishments on his resume.

2012 O-line coach for the Raiders when they had a not-very-mobile QB (Palmer) yet had the 4th lowest sack% in the league (only 27 sacks in 629 attempts)

Sack% ranked 14th, 17th, and 14th in the three years he was the O-line coach in Dallas ('15-'17), but he had elite talent there.

[*Synric*]

(01-10-2021, 11:26 AM)samhain Wrote: It's puzzling to say the least.  Pollack obviously has no problem coming back to work for Taylor, so my guess is that ZT ran him off to bring in the demonstrably awful Turner.  Yikes.

Zac Taylor wasn't even putting together a staff when Pollack left. Taylor was still on the Rams staff in the playoffs.

The most obvious but ignored reason Frank Pollack left Cincinnati is that the Jets offered more money.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2021, 11:34 AM)fredtoast Wrote: At least with Pollack it is possible to find some positive accomplishments on his resume.

2012 O-line coach for the Raiders when they had a not-very-mobile QB (Palmer) yet had the 4th lowest sack% in the league (only 27 sacks in 629 attempts)

Sack% ranked 14th, 17th, and 14th in the three years he was the O-line coach in Dallas ('15-'17), but he had elite talent there.

Sack percentage can be a bit deceptive, when determining the quality of the OL pass blocking.  For example when Palmer was with the Raiders, Palmer wasn't very mobile or much of a threat to run.  His MO is to quickly get set, get through his read progressions, and get the ball out as quickly as possible.  Whereas if you have a mobile, athletic QB, they like to hold the ball a little longer, wait for something to develop or a running lane to open.  Even with elite talent on the OL, NFL defenders are going to get through after 4-5 secpmds/

[Essex Johnson]

(01-10-2021, 11:34 AM)Synric Wrote: Zac Taylor wasn't even putting together a staff when Pollack left. Taylor was still on the Rams staff in the playoffs.

The most obvious but ignored reason Frank Pollack left Cincinnati is that the Jets offered more money.

Good old revision history, I thought he left before Taylor hire some on here just want to blame everything on ZT.. no surprise. ,  now I was open to Pollack being interviewed but once it settled in to the quick hire with, lack.of other interviews and the eye sore of 90 sacks with jets I just felt we should have went different direction and went in a DIY direction. He will be an upgrade though and it actually shows well no bridges were burn. Hope for the best

[Rubekahn29]

I think the fact that he has come back, should put to bed the myth that ZT canned him that seems to floating around here.

[fredtoast]

(01-10-2021, 11:41 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Sack percentage can be a bit deceptive, when determining the quality of the OL pass blocking.  For example when Palmer was with the Raiders, Palmer wasn't very mobile or much of a threat to run.  His MO is to quickly get set, get through his read progressions, and get the ball out as quickly as possible.  Whereas if you have a mobile, athletic QB, they like to hold the ball a little longer, wait for something to develop or a running lane to open.  Even with elite talent on the OL, NFL defenders are going to get through after 4-5 secpmds/

I 100% agree that sack numbers can be very deceptive.  ProFootballReference lists "pressure%" for defenses but not for offenses.  But even those number can be deceptive if all a team does is dink-and-dunk in the passing game.

However, looking at the 2012 Raiders it appears that Palmer was trying to push the ball down the field a lot.  The players that ranked #1, #3, and #4 on the team in targets were all WRs with horrible catch% and high average per reception.

Denarius Moore..............114 tgt.....44.7 catch%.....14.5 avg
Darrius Heyward-Bey....... 80 tgt.....51.3 catch%.....14.8 avg
Rod Streater................... 74 tgt.....52.7 catch%......15.0 avg

[NATI BENGALS]

(01-10-2021, 11:46 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Good old revision history, I thought he left before Taylor hire some on here just want to blame everything on ZT.. no surprise. ,  now I was open to Pollack being interviewed but once it settled in to the quick hire with, lack.of other interviews and the eye sore of 90 sacks with jets I just felt we should have went different direction and went in a DIY direction. He will be an upgrade though and it actually shows well no bridges were burn. Hope for the best

Maybe Hopkins comments about it will make you feel better. 

"I'm very aware of the progress we made as an offensive line with Frank," Hopkins said. "It's the way we prepared for the run game week-to-week. It will make the games easy.

"There's no standing around," Hopkins said of practice. "Some of the stuff you're asked to do is pretty hard, but once you get the hang of it, you don't realize you're doing things you need as part of your arsenal until you get in the game. And then you realize how much easier it is making your job."


https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-take-another-run-at-pollack-as-o-line-coach

[SunsetBengal]

(01-10-2021, 12:29 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Maybe Hopkins comments about it will make you feel better. 

"I'm very aware of the progress we made as an offensive line with Frank," Hopkins said. "It's the way we prepared for the run game week-to-week. It will make the games easy.

"There's no standing around," Hopkins said of practice. "Some of the stuff you're asked to do is pretty hard, but once you get the hang of it, you don't realize you're doing things you need as part of your arsenal until you get in the game. And then you realize how much easier it is making your job."


https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-take-another-run-at-pollack-as-o-line-coach

That's some high respect coming from Hopkins.  Let's not forget that it was under Pollack that Hopkins was able to rise from a roster hanger on to the role of starting Center.  If Pollack's teaching can elevate Hopkins from being a guy that many of us thought might not make the team, to being a average starter;  I wonder what he can do to improve the game of already average guys like Williams or Spain?

[Essex Johnson]

(01-10-2021, 12:29 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Maybe Hopkins comments about it will make you feel better. 

"I'm very aware of the progress we made as an offensive line with Frank," Hopkins said. "It's the way we prepared for the run game week-to-week. It will make the games easy.

"There's no standing around," Hopkins said of practice. "Some of the stuff you're asked to do is pretty hard, but once you get the hang of it, you don't realize you're doing things you need as part of your arsenal until you get in the game. And then you realize how much easier it is making your job."


https://www.bengals.com/news/bengals-take-another-run-at-pollack-as-o-line-coach

thanks and yes i like to see players  comments like that, just like Burrow comments on ZT..they do matter.. i don;t think it was a bad choice but felt we needed to look a bit more at others with more success of late is all and break from hiring back coaches..

[*Synric*]

I've been saying for about a month the Bengals needed to add someone with Run Game Coordinator experience and while Frank Pollack doesnt exactly have that experience per say (could be experienced but wasn't a title he was given) I'm happy the Front Office recognized the need and are trying to do something about it.

[samhain]

(01-10-2021, 11:46 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Good old revision history, I thought he left before Taylor hire some on here just want to blame everything on ZT.. no surprise. ,  now I was open to Pollack being interviewed but once it settled in to the quick hire with, lack.of other interviews and the eye sore of 90 sacks with jets I just felt we should have went different direction and went in a DIY direction. He will be an upgrade though and it actually shows well no bridges were burn. Hope for the best

I 100 percent blame Jim Turner on Zac Taylor, so there's that.  

[*pally*]

From Billy Price

“It’s exciting,” center Billy Price said. “I’m glad to have him back. I’m really, really, really, really glad to have him back.”

“He’s a tough, gritty coach,” Price said. “He’s one of those type of guys where the expectations are extremely high, you’re getting coached hard and being taught the technique, and your toolbox is being filled to be able to handle the job and do it efficiently.”


more from Hopkins


“Coach Pollack is a high-energy guy, and we’re excited to work with him again,” center Trey Hopkins said. “We know the kind of work he expects and the kind of results we can achieve. He demands a lot and is very clear with his instructions. He is a great coach to play for.”

[Nicomo Cosca]

“Being taught the technique”

Well that will be a nice change...

[lone bengal]

I like Pollack better than Turner but I feel like Turner and Alexander were blamed for the O-line issues while Tobin got a free pass. In the big picture I don't think changing a few positions coaches will move the needle that much. The run game was good under Pollack but I remember Hart being a train wreck in 2018 giving up 10 sacks and having a ton of penalties along with Redmond. I think Pollack is better than Turner but i'm not gonna act like Pollack will be a savior for the offensive line either.

[Sled21]

(01-10-2021, 02:15 AM)Bengalstripes9 Wrote: I like the move. We should have kept him instead of hiring Turner two years ago. Pollack has a head start in getting to know the personnel. In his one year, the players seemed to be improving under his leadership, rather than regressing with Turner. I’d like to see what he can do. Also shows that Zac isn’t afraid to put ego aside, learn from mistakes, and do what’s best for the team.

Good God People....really?

[Sled21]

(01-10-2021, 11:26 AM)samhain Wrote: It's puzzling to say the least.  Pollack obviously has no problem coming back to work for Taylor, so my guess is that ZT ran him off to bring in the demonstrably awful Turner.  Yikes.

How do you come back to work for someone you never worked for? 

[Sled21]

(01-10-2021, 01:56 PM)samhain Wrote: I 100 percent blame Jim Turner on Zac Taylor, so there's that.  

[*bfine32*]

(01-10-2021, 02:15 AM)mikey6866 Wrote: Huh? He was vocal when pollack left that he was pissed that we let pollack go.  So yes he's very happy he is back.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/bengalswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/16/joe-mixon-cryptic-tweet-bengals-letting-frank-pollack-go/amp/