Steelers hire Sean Kugler as O-line coach
According to Jason La Canfora, the Steelers have agreed to terms with Sean Kugler, formerly of the Buffalo Bills. Perhaps he won't be the last Bills coach hired in Pittsburgh this month?
over 2 years ago
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I trust/hope this will be the improvement we need
Then again, I’d take Momma Rollet at this point
Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history
bad idea
She could make a good barbershop group out of them, but the hand work would suffer – she never was a fan of her kids hitting each other, anyway…
Have you heard those guys sing?
The Christmas video was appalling. I think I would have a much better chance of improving their playing than improving their singing. And I wouldn’t want them hitting each other – just the opposition. That’s different!
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 13, 2010 11:00 PM EST up reply actions
And just look at what great preparation
that gave you for life. Far more valuable than a voice degree : )
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 13, 2010 11:07 PM EST up reply actions
I'm ready if called.
I might not know what I’m doing, but I would be excellent at the beat-downs when expectations were not met. I would just tell them that if I saw any grass stains on Ben’s jersey then they will regret it.
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 13, 2010 10:58 PM EST up reply actions
ok
so who’s got the dirt on this sean kugler anyway? I didn’t see a whole lot on him in a quick search, and I haven’t seen much of buffalo play this year or last. The few games I saw this year, the line didn’t look that great, but then, they did lose their left tackle…
last year, they lost everybody
just did some quick reading… they started with a new player at every position, and only one of those actually finished the season. Insane. That said i don’t know much about him as a coach.
by syrsteelerfan on Jan 13, 2010 11:10 PM EST up reply actions
Where's Pixburgh Arn
when we need him?
"You learn more in failure than you do in success." - Mike Tomlin
by Rebecca Rollett on Jan 14, 2010 12:15 AM EST up reply actions
Kugler hasn’t only been forced to juggle his lineup, he’s also been forced to alter protection schemes based on who is lining up where to cater to the different individual skill sets of the players.
"Whatever your strengths that’s the way he’ll coach you," said rookie Jamon Meredith. "He’ll coach you to whatever you do best. If you’re more athletic he’ll coach you to get on guys quick. If you’re more of a big power guy, he’ll coach you another way. We’re all different people with different styles, but it all has to work together."
Found that uplifting material here at the Bills site
"You have to make it happen." Joe Greene
by LongTimeSteelersFan on Jan 14, 2010 12:26 AM EST up reply actions
Scheme
Anyone have any light to shed on possible changes to the o-line scheme? I’m no expert, but I know that many of the complaints about the previous coach was his reliance on a zone scheme that supposedly did not utilize skillsets of the players currently on the roster. What kind of schemes has this guy run in the past?
good question
I haven’t found an answer yet but did dig up an article (which i can’t find now) that talked about how he coaches each player to their own skills.
So athletic guys, he works on quick setting someone, power guys he teaches them techniques to their advantage. Also read he makes his guys stay late after practice to practice technique over and over.
by syrsteelerfan on Jan 13, 2010 11:21 PM EST up reply actions
if this is the case
sounds good. it’s impossible to judge the buffalo line with the devastating injuries they’ve suffered this season.
One plus – even with the line problems Buffalo had, they still got a 1000 yard season out of (undrafted) Fred Jackson, and another 450 yards from Marshawn lunch. Good news for Mendy? AND REDMAN????
by Diggetydank on Jan 14, 2010 12:01 AM EST up reply actions
yea..just messin
+1 for the “not equal to” symbology. Though I think it’s “/=”. You a software developer?
Bad Andy, Good Pizza.
by count'em_six on Jan 14, 2010 11:27 AM EST up reply actions
Crap I don't like Buffalo left overs one bit
"People hate the Patriots because they cheat. People hate the Steelers because the Steelers are everything that they want their team to be."
Xbox Live Gamertag- Alf Ardanyu
by SoCalSteelerFan on Jan 13, 2010 11:53 PM EST reply actions
That was my first thought too. But then I remembered that we did pretty well with some Detroit leftovers...
…Kevin Colbert, FA signings Clint Kriewaldt, Charlie Batch. So hopefully we’ll repeat that success here.
Golf is a contact sport. Football is a collision sport.
by cliff harris is still a punk! on Jan 14, 2010 7:59 AM EST up reply actions
funny you should mention that
Kugler was in Detroit as ‘an assistant’ from 01-05, according to the Trib.
hartings form detroit..
he turned out pretty good!
by nycsteelerfan on Jan 14, 2010 8:56 AM EST up reply actions
I don’t think this guy had any chance whatsoever with the Buffalo line this year. Check out what Tim Graham from ESPN had to say:
“The Bills’ offensive-line woes weren’t Kugler’s fault. They traded his best player, Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, and didn’t replace him. They cut his most experienced lineman, tackle Langston Walker, a week before the season began. His opening-night lineup had a combined 56 NFL starts among them.
Injuries hit Buffalo hard. By Week 6, Kugler’s lineup shared 47 NFL starts. At the end of the year, six offensive linemen were on injured reserve. Five of them started at least one game. Only center Geoff Hangartner started all 16 games at his position. "
To quote the famous philosopher one Mr. Charles Brown, “Good Grief!”
by BluegrassSteeler on Jan 14, 2010 12:22 AM EST reply actions
well if nothing else
his last name is very fun to say
Jason Peters
I think he was instrumental in helping turn Jason Peters (a drafted TE) into a Pro Bowl tackle.
by SteelerMessican on Jan 14, 2010 6:38 AM EST reply actions
Actually, no he wasn’t. That was all on Kugler’s predecessor, Jim McNally. And Peters isn’t as good as everyone makes him out to be anyway.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 14, 2010 9:28 AM EST up reply actions
Ah, I stand corrected. Was trying to figure out when he came in.
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
He was an assistant under McNally in ’07, then the full-blown OL coach in ’08 and ’09. Came to Buffalo from Boise State.
Don’t buy the “he didn’t have talent argument” to its fullest extent, because Kugler was a big part of the decision-making process that led to the releases of Derrick Dockery and Langston Walker and the trade of Peters. He was one of the architects of that overhaul. He had the right idea – the line wasn’t good at all in ’08, and very over-priced – but the execution of the overhaul was very poor.
In terms of pure coaching ability, he’s great. Gets the most out of his guys and prepares them well. Works them hard. If he has talent in Pittsburgh, y’all will be fine.
Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott
by Brian Galliford on Jan 14, 2010 9:48 AM EST up reply actions
Hey Brian big thanks from all of us for coming by and answering questions
Great insight
by syrsteelerfan on Jan 14, 2010 9:52 AM EST up reply actions
Are there actually any Bills fans in the world?
Someone who could tell us something about this guy?
Optimism. Positivity. Win.
syrsteelerfan posted over at the Bill SBNation site asking for opinons on Kugler...
http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2010/1/13/1250443/tell-me-about-sean-kugler
I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!
by Frank Mineo (DYMS) on Jan 14, 2010 8:40 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
Damn
They have one of those 24 hour posting requirements, ARG!
Optimism. Positivity. Win.
by John Stephens on Jan 14, 2010 11:16 AM EST up reply actions
Those should be turned off in the “off-season”.
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
Well
I just circumvented it in the future by joining every NFL team blog
Optimism. Positivity. Win.
by John Stephens on Jan 14, 2010 12:56 PM EST up reply actions
+1
I did that the week before the Denver game.
"OOH! A piece of candy. OOH! A piece of candy."
-James Woods
Liked This Response
I was at virtually every training camp practice and I’ll tell you he’s a great teacher. He’s not afraid to pop a few pads and he’s very vocal about what he wants.
from MattRichWarren
When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen
Maybe he can turn Spaeth into a $10mil/year tackle. Okay, just joking.
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
Funny you say that
because I was just thinking it as I read and remembered that Peters started out at TE.
Actually, blocking as an OT is entirely different than blocking as a TE, and obviously puts the focus entirely on the blocking. If Spaeth were to put on 35-45lbs. and forget about pass patterns and catching and could continue to improve his blocking he would have the long, thick arms and legs needed for an OT. I know it’s common to see BTSCers cutting him down, but he has improved dramatically in his blocking since he arrived(which wasn’t hard since he was awful at first).
It’s, of course, nearly impossible to expect a thing like that to happen but it would be supercool if it did…
This seems like an informed fanpost:
http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/01/14/steelers-new-o-line-coach-comes-with-so-so-resume/
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
Kugler's background with TE could be advantageous...
As long as we’re going to run multiple TE sets…
from nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com
Kugler coached a Buffalo offensive line that last season set a team record for allowing just 26 sacks – just over half the total the Steelers allowed in 2009.
With all that turnover on their line, that got to be a positive sign.
I'm seeing conficting reports on that
I thought I also saw that buffalo gave up 46 sacks this year…
by Chicago Steeler on Jan 14, 2010 10:33 AM EST up reply actions
ya, I believe that the 26 sacks is from the 2008 season.
I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!
by Frank Mineo (DYMS) on Jan 14, 2010 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
That and the Bills don't have Ben behind center...
Optimism. Positivity. Win.
by John Stephens on Jan 14, 2010 11:39 AM EST up reply actions
I am okay with 46 given what the bills went through this year. It isn’t known how he would have done with all of his guys healthy though. This could be a good signing, but I don’t think anyone can put it in the “great signing” or even “good signing” category prematurely.
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
46 sacks is still less than 50
Which is how many the Steelers allowed in 2009. Although by that argument, we could hire anyone but the Packers’ OL coach. :-(
All 50 were sacks of Ben though
I noticed that on the Steelers PFR site. The one game with Dixon, there were no sacks. Pretty good, considering it was against the Ravens. So, Ben could definitely do a better job not taking sacks.
For ideas on statistical analyses, email me at wolfpacksteelersfan@gmail.com.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on Jan 14, 2010 3:42 PM EST up reply actions
If our situation turned into the Bills from the 2009 season
then Ben would’ve been sacked 70 times. The Bills lost some of their best O-lineman before the season and then some backups in the first few weeks of the season. Only giving up 46 sacks for a line that has been decimated by injuries? That’s not bad considering we’ve given up 50 with practically our whole line in tact (barring some injuries).
Sacks, shmacks
We all know that BB is responsible for a good number of them. What I want to see is guys making holes for our running backs. Heck, if we can get women who make holes…
looking around the league
it is really, really difficult to declare a team having a great oline every week that is good in pass protection and run blocking
it is difficult to think of any teams’ olines that have not come under some withering criticism at least for 1 or 2 games this season. And on top of that, it is hard from watching televised games to determine the point of weakness with so many different parts interacting with one another
it seems the teams get best line play from a unit that is (1) healthy, (2) has stayed together for a while, and (3) is up against weaker opponents
Right now I’d be happy with good pass protection OR run blocking. We don’t really need both to put games away, though it sure would be nice.
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
Given the present iteration of the Steelers offense
I would love to see exceptional pass blocking.
I’m looking forward to finding more info about Mssr. Kugler. I seem to recall the Bills going with quite a bit of a no-huddle spread offense this year. Hmmmm, think this excites Benjamin?
The only managing Ben does is he manages to WIN games
by chewiesteeler on Jan 14, 2010 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
ESPN is reporting it also
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4826412
Things can always be worse....
Damndamndamn
In my head he was already signed by Pittsburgh!
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