02-09-2024, 03:59 PM
Excerpts below :
https://theathletic.com/5263611/2024/02/09/justin-rascati-bengals-passing-game-coordinator/?source=user_shared_article
Why Justin Rascati became ‘greatest fit of all time’ for new Bengals coaching role
By the end of the interview process, however, Taylor knew exactly where Rascati ranked.
“He was the greatest fit of all time,” Taylor said.
His resume on paper wouldn’t have suggested as much. Rascati played quarterback and came up through the college coaching ranks at Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee-Chattanooga in a variety of roles from offensive coordinator to working with quarterbacks and receivers.
“The way to get into the NFL was to be in the O-line room,” Rascati said. “At that point in my career, I was excited to get an opportunity to get in the NFL, so, willing to do whatever. After my first year doing that I said, ‘I wish I had done it 10 years ago.’ Us quarterback guys don’t always see it through the eyes of the offensive line and what they are going through and their challenges.”
They especially don’t see it through the eyes of Munchak, one of the league’s preeminent offensive line gurus.
“Munch is a Hall of Fame player, former NFL head coach, one of the best people I’ve ever been around,” Rascati said. “For a young coach to go into that situation, be around good people, learn and grow and really get out of my comfort zone was huge for me … it was a great experience to work with those guys and understand what they go through and ways to help them whether it is in the run game or protection world is huge for my career.”
That became apparent the more Taylor, Pitcher and the offensive staff got to know Rascati across a day of Zoom interviews and then hanging out talking ball in Cincinnati on Monday. In addition to being impressed by his “intricate knowledge,” of offensive scheme, his ideas from the outside can offer a refresh on what the Bengals built with mostly the same people over the last five years. The Vikings ran the same offense Taylor left in Los Angeles five years ago under former Sean McVay assistant Kevin O’Connell.
While Taylor shifted into the Joe Burrow Bengals offense, a 180-degree change from the early days, hearing those concepts again and the permutations Rascati saw develop with the Vikings sparked excitement.
“It’s a repeat of all the things I used to do five years ago when I was in L.A. and a great reminder of some things we can do again now,” Taylor said.
This was always the concept Taylor loved and ownership supported about adding a passing game coordinator. It didn’t previously exist and mostly didn’t need to thanks to the continuity and comfort with former offensive coordinator and current Titans head coach Brian Callahan and Pitcher as quarterbacks coach. With Pitcher taking over as coordinator and Brad Kragthorpe earning a promotion from assistant to Pitcher’s old job, there were new dynamics.
Pitcher, in the infant stages of designing his unique approach, sees the additional position that exists on some, but far from all, coaching staffs across the league as an intelligent mind to help him set the table in the passing game every week. But, just as importantly, an open book for finding ways to innovate and, ultimately, win games.
“I would venture to guess the exact responsibilities are probably different in just about every single building,” Pitcher said about the PGC role. “It’s a spot that really allows us to add one more guy with a great skill set and fresh perspective coming from a place where they do a lot of things very similar to us but they do some different stuff, too.”
Taylor expressed a large part of this offseason will be about exploring new perspectives and not becoming stale five years in with continuity on the roster and staff. Don’t be repetitive. Strike a balance between comfort and challenge.
https://theathletic.com/5263611/2024/02/09/justin-rascati-bengals-passing-game-coordinator/?source=user_shared_article
Why Justin Rascati became ‘greatest fit of all time’ for new Bengals coaching role
By the end of the interview process, however, Taylor knew exactly where Rascati ranked.
“He was the greatest fit of all time,” Taylor said.
His resume on paper wouldn’t have suggested as much. Rascati played quarterback and came up through the college coaching ranks at Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee-Chattanooga in a variety of roles from offensive coordinator to working with quarterbacks and receivers.
“The way to get into the NFL was to be in the O-line room,” Rascati said. “At that point in my career, I was excited to get an opportunity to get in the NFL, so, willing to do whatever. After my first year doing that I said, ‘I wish I had done it 10 years ago.’ Us quarterback guys don’t always see it through the eyes of the offensive line and what they are going through and their challenges.”
They especially don’t see it through the eyes of Munchak, one of the league’s preeminent offensive line gurus.
“Munch is a Hall of Fame player, former NFL head coach, one of the best people I’ve ever been around,” Rascati said. “For a young coach to go into that situation, be around good people, learn and grow and really get out of my comfort zone was huge for me … it was a great experience to work with those guys and understand what they go through and ways to help them whether it is in the run game or protection world is huge for my career.”
That became apparent the more Taylor, Pitcher and the offensive staff got to know Rascati across a day of Zoom interviews and then hanging out talking ball in Cincinnati on Monday. In addition to being impressed by his “intricate knowledge,” of offensive scheme, his ideas from the outside can offer a refresh on what the Bengals built with mostly the same people over the last five years. The Vikings ran the same offense Taylor left in Los Angeles five years ago under former Sean McVay assistant Kevin O’Connell.
While Taylor shifted into the Joe Burrow Bengals offense, a 180-degree change from the early days, hearing those concepts again and the permutations Rascati saw develop with the Vikings sparked excitement.
“It’s a repeat of all the things I used to do five years ago when I was in L.A. and a great reminder of some things we can do again now,” Taylor said.
This was always the concept Taylor loved and ownership supported about adding a passing game coordinator. It didn’t previously exist and mostly didn’t need to thanks to the continuity and comfort with former offensive coordinator and current Titans head coach Brian Callahan and Pitcher as quarterbacks coach. With Pitcher taking over as coordinator and Brad Kragthorpe earning a promotion from assistant to Pitcher’s old job, there were new dynamics.
Pitcher, in the infant stages of designing his unique approach, sees the additional position that exists on some, but far from all, coaching staffs across the league as an intelligent mind to help him set the table in the passing game every week. But, just as importantly, an open book for finding ways to innovate and, ultimately, win games.
“I would venture to guess the exact responsibilities are probably different in just about every single building,” Pitcher said about the PGC role. “It’s a spot that really allows us to add one more guy with a great skill set and fresh perspective coming from a place where they do a lot of things very similar to us but they do some different stuff, too.”
Taylor expressed a large part of this offseason will be about exploring new perspectives and not becoming stale five years in with continuity on the roster and staff. Don’t be repetitive. Strike a balance between comfort and challenge.
Romo “ so impressed with Zac ...1 of the best in the NFL… they are just fundamentally sound. Taylor the best winning % in the Playoffs of current coaches. Joe Burrow” Zac is the best head coach in the NFL & that gives me a lot of confidence." Taylor led the Bengals to their first playoff win since 1990, ending the longest active drought in the four major North American sports, en and appeared in Super Bowl LVI, the first since 1988.
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