Steelers’ Greats Franco Harris, Jon Kolb Voice Displeasures With Steelers 2020 Running Game

[BlackAndGold]

Some quotes from Kolb

“If you watch the film of last year, I sometimes had to turn the game off, Kolb said of the Steelers 2020 running game.

“And just from a biomechanics, and that’s when I got to teach at Youngstown State, you don’t take a step back when the defensive end – when Joe Greene and L.C. Greenwood are standing in front of you, you don’t take a step back and then expect to blow them off the ball,” Kolb said. “And that’s what they were teaching last year. And over and over again, all you got to do is watch the film. Just watch the film. And it was driving me nuts.”

“You’ve got to step up into it,” Kolb said. “And hopefully, they’ll just get that. They’ve got guys that are athletic, that are capable, but you cannot step back four inches and give the defensive line that four-inch advantage because you’re not going to get anybody moved off the ball.”

[Shoes]

This is what I don't understand about these guys. How can you play football your entire life and not have the discipline to have the fundamentals of the game down like second nature. I mean it is so in other sports and professions, TJ Watt gets it. Look at Brady, say what you want the guy works hard at his position. Last week he said he was going to work on his speed for next season, he eats right and looks at everything he can do to improve at 43. You shouldn't have to have a coach spoon feed the fundamentals of the game when playing x-years as a pro.

[86WARD]

It’s nice to see those quotes from Kolb. It’s what a lot of us were saying here. It’s nice to know that we know what we are talking about...every once in a while...

[86WARD]

This is what I don't understand about these guys. How can you play football your entire life and not have the discipline to have the fundamentals of the game down like second nature. I mean it is so in other sports and professions, TJ Watt gets it. Look at Brady, say what you want the guy works hard at his position. Last week he said he was going to work on his speed for next season, he eats right and looks at everything he can do to improve at 43. You shouldn't have to have a coach spoon feed the fundamentals of the game when playing x-years as a pro.

I’m with you. You learn the fundamentals from 4th grade until 12th grade...it’s drilled in your head for 9 years. Then another 3-4 years in college and then again in the NFL and then all of a sudden they forget how to do it?? Even if you are coached up and doing poorly....at some point, don’t you naturally fall back to what you know and what got you to the NFL? Or maybe they do and that’s just not good enough?

There was an interview with Edelman in the pregame show and Edelman said he eats very healthy but was afraid to eat around Brady because Brady would criticize what he was eating as it wasn’t healthy enough. Tomato was one of the things Edelman ate and Brady ragged on him about how inflammatory a Tomato can be...When Brady isn’t practicing or throwing, that Guerrero guy is rubbing his arm all practice. He’s always being worked on in some form or fashion. Brady takes it to the furthest extreme possible...but clearly it worked/works.

[fansince'76]

There was an interview with Edelman in the pregame show and Edelman said he eats very healthy but was afraid to eat around Brady because Brady would criticize what he was eating as it wasn’t healthy enough. Tomato was one of the things Edelman ate and Brady ragged on him about how inflammatory a Tomato can be...When Brady isn’t practicing or throwing, that Guerrero guy is rubbing his arm all practice. He’s always being worked on in some form or fashion. Brady takes it to the furthest extreme possible...but clearly it worked/works.

Well, that, and the HGH milkshakes...unless you actually believe a guy can have a better throwing arm at 43 than he had when he was 25...

[teegre]

Well, that, and the HGH milkshakes...unless you actually believe a guy can have a better throwing arm at 43 than he had when he was 25...

[pczach]

Well, that, and the HGH milkshakes...unless you actually believe a guy can have a better throwing arm at 43 than he had when he was 25...

You just don't understand. He's getting physically stronger and his arm is getting better because he eats better.

It can't be that he's using HGH, stem cells, embryonic injections, and taking the most expensive and exotic masking agents in history.

It makes total sense to all his worshipers that he throws the ball harder now than he did 20 years ago while everyone else's athletic gifts erode with age. Yep...it's his diet, work out regimen, fitness guru and witchdoctor friend, and getting enough sleep every night......

[Shoes]

I can say for a fact when my wife & I made a diet changed about 5 years ago it dramatically change our health for the better. In fact many professional athletes have switched to a vegan or plant base diet with amazing results.



I thought what Kolb said here was interesting also.


Kolb made sure to also point out during his interview how he and the other members of the Steelers offensive line were taught to block for Harris and fellow running back Rocky Bleier back in 70s.
“We were coached that we needed to make sure that Franco and Rocky gained at least three yards before anybody touched them,” Kolb said. “We wanted to get them through the line at least three yards before somebody touched them, is what our thinking was."

[Mojouw]

I have said this before, and I will say it again...I think they were coached to pass protect over everything else. So EVERY play looked like a pass play (the step backwards and the high set-up stances). The question is why? Was it because Sarrett just stunk? Mangled Munchak's message? Or was it coming from Fichtner? Or was it a decision that Ben does not get hit...ever. If it is the last one...not much to be done about it unless they convince Ben that he likes to get hit again...

[Shoes]

I have said this before, and I will say it again...I think they were coached to pass protect over everything else. So EVERY play looked like a pass play (the step backwards and the high set-up stances). The question is why? Was it because Sarrett just stunk? Mangled Munchak's message? Or was it coming from Fichtner? Or was it a decision that Ben does not get hit...ever. If it is the last one...not much to be done about it unless they convince Ben that he likes to get hit again...

Well if that is so I hope Canada makes a sharp right turn because I can't see how you can win with that type of coaching. Then again if Ben plays in 2021 I don't know really how much the o will change.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

This is what I don't understand about these guys. How can you play football your entire life and not have the discipline to have the fundamentals of the game down like second nature. I mean it is so in other sports and professions, TJ Watt gets it. Look at Brady, say what you want the guy works hard at his position. Last week he said he was going to work on his speed for next season, he eats right and looks at everything he can do to improve at 43. You shouldn't have to have a coach spoon feed the fundamentals of the game when playing x-years as a pro.

Not sure what Kolb has been doing since the 70's, but O line fundamentals have changed with zone blocking. I also dont know exactly what situations he is mentioning, as I agree that in short yardage and goal line situations, there should be a 6 inch step forward to drive block...but in zone blocking situations the O lineman is going to use a "Zone Step", or "Bucket Step" to gain the angle on the defender.

Here is explanation of the steps.


This could really be a GET OFF MY LAWN comment from Kolb.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Here is another video from former NFL lineman and current O line guru LaCharles Bentley that explains how bucket step is used to gain angles on defenders in run game.

Its not the most entertaining video. More for O line junkies and coaches, but this really shows how an OT is going to attack the 5-technique defender in a zone run, depending on how wide the 5-tech is lined up. If its a designed outside toss, the O line coach might want a bucket step and pull to get the outside shoulder.

[EzraTank]

This is what I don't understand about these guys. How can you play football your entire life and not have the discipline to have the fundamentals of the game down like second nature. I mean it is so in other sports and professions, TJ Watt gets it. Look at Brady, say what you want the guy works hard at his position. Last week he said he was going to work on his speed for next season, he eats right and looks at everything he can do to improve at 43. You shouldn't have to have a coach spoon feed the fundamentals of the game when playing x-years as a pro.

Because the game is third to these guys behind money and fame. I mean look at how f'n stupid they are when they now make a routine play on defense like an INT they have to run to the endzone camera for a "team picture" no matter what quarter they're in.

[EzraTank]

You just don't understand. He's getting physically stronger and his arm is getting better because he eats better.

It can't be that he's using HGH, stem cells, embryonic injections, and taking the most expensive and exotic masking agents in history.

It makes total sense to all his worshipers that he throws the ball harder now than he did 20 years ago while everyone else's athletic gifts erode with age. Yep...it's his diet, work out regimen, fitness guru and witchdoctor friend, and getting enough sleep every night......

This. He's the Barry Bonds of football. I mean look at guys like Ben and Brees who clearly are losing their strength and touch throwing deep. It's natural. But Brady like Bonds is not. Bonds hit 73 home runs after turning 37 years old. That's not normal or natural.



Yeah that's normal, when you age to grow five hat sizes and get bigger and stronger when most males are losing testosterone and strength.