MikesVikes Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Tice to 'suggest' some plays Kevin Seifert, Star Tribune August 12, 2005 VIKE0812 MANKATO -- This is what it says on the top of the Vikings' offensive staff list: Steve Loney, offensive coordinator/offensive line. This is what it could say: Steve Loney, offensive line coach/offensive organizer. Seven months after the unintended breakup of their offensive coaching staff, the Vikings have arrived at a unique collaborative structure -- one that will require a subordination of egos to succeed. It will feature direct play-calling input from three men, a cover-me system for coaches with multiple duties and a coordinator in Loney whose primary task is to meld coach Mike Tice's philosophy and the ideas of the coaching staff into a weekly game plan. The Vikings will unveil the arrangement in tonight's preseason opener against Kansas City, the debut of a system that figures to be among the most critical components of the team's performance in 2005. Steve Loney wears two visors.Jerry HoltStar Tribune"Sometimes egos in this business get out of control," said Loney, a personable and unflappable career coach of 31 years. "Me, I don't care about that. I just want us to be successful. A lot of people think you get this job and you want people to think, 'Oh, Steve Loney is a genius.' Well, Steve Loney is not a genius. He's just a guy that works hard, a guy who hopes that he does the right thing at the right time. If your ego gets in the way, it can hinder progress." Loney's list of duties includes coaching the offensive line without a full-time assistant, developing the weekly game plan and performing the difficult task of calling plays from the sideline. At the same time, Tice openly acknowledges that he will interject regularly. And for now, quarterbacks coach Rich Olson will call plays during the time-sensitive and passing-oriented two-minute drill. Meanwhile, Loney will rely on tight ends coach John Tice and other assistants to help coach the offensive line during games. Former Vikings lineman Corbin Lacina has spent the summer interning as an assistant offensive line coach, but his status beyond the preseason is uncertain. While perhaps not ideal, the structure was the best Tice could hope for after coordinator Scott Linehan and receivers coach Charlie Baggett jumped to Miami in January. Unable to offer coaching contracts beyond 2005, the Vikings could do little to stop either man from signing lucrative deals with the Dolphins. When former owner Red McCombs made clear their replacements would receive one-year contracts, Tice promoted Loney and hired Wes Chandler to coach receivers. Budget constraints made it impractical to hire a veteran offensive line coach, and Tice had grown fond of Loney's approach. So Loney retained his previous duties, becoming what is believed to be the only offensive coordinator in the NFL who calls plays and coaches the offensive line. As a result, Loney's considerable organizational skills will be put to the test on game day -- especially as he attempts to keep his wits about him while standing on the Vikings' typically chaotic sideline. Most offensive coordinators prefer to call plays in the relative serenity of the press box, but Loney's offensive line duties make that destination all but impossible. Instead, Loney will carry a small, laminated play card and have his headset wired to Olson and Tice. On a typical play, Olson will call out the down, distance and hashmark. Tice might follow immediately with a general suggestion. Loney then will call the specific play to backup quarterback Brad Johnson, who will relay it to quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Last season, Linehan called plays from the press box on his own. Tice prefers not to give a coordinator so much autonomy but insists he will not overrule Loney this season and that his "suggestions" this season will be general rather than specific. "I'll try not to change plays," Tice said. "That messes with the clock. I'd like to make sure that I interject before anything comes out of the coordinator's mouth. It keeps us in rhythm and not having to fight the 40-second clock or the 25-second clock." Loney harbors no concerns or insecurities about Tice's involvement. When asked how he will handle Tice's input during games, Loney jokingly put his hands over his ears. "Mike is an emotional guy," Loney said. "I've been here for four years, and I understand that. ... But it's his team, and it's my job to execute the duties he's given me. He should be involved. Sometimes as a coordinator, you don't see the forest through the trees. Sometimes he might say, 'Hey, let's run a screen here.' That's what his interjections have always been here. It's his observations, his nudging you along. That's no different than any other head coach I've ever worked for." In the two-minute drill, Olson will radio the plays directly to Johnson for the sake of brevity. Otherwise, Olson said, "Steve's in control of it. The least amount of distraction is what he needs from the rest of us on those headsets." Olson, Loney and Tice went through a dry run of the system Tuesday night during an intrasquad scrimmage. The process went smoothly except for one play in which Loney called the wrong protection scheme off his play card. "It's important to proofread your card," he said, smiling. "We're going to find something [tonight] that we need to tweak and do better," Loney added, "but we've got four games to get it right. I certainly hope it doesn't happen, but if we have to burn a timeout because I've called a play and the wrong personnel group is in there, it's a lot better that it happens in the preseason than in Game 1 of the regular season." 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Savage Beatings Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 (edited) Get used to this sound: Delay of game, Minnesota! Edited August 12, 2005 by Savage Beatings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted August 12, 2005 Author Share Posted August 12, 2005 (edited) 1. Red wasn't about to hire a new OC for more than one year. Didn't want to exceed the length of Tice's deal. 2. Tice, in a bind, decided to have his OL coach become the new coordinator, but he didn't want a new OL coach. So Loney is doing both! 3. Play calling will revert to QB coach Olson during the two minute drill. 4. The staff did a run through of the new system of calling and couldn't get it 100% right in the confines of a quiet setting. How does that play out in a hectic sideline? 5. Loney will carry a small, laminated play card and have his headset wired to Olson and Tice. On a typical play, Olson will call out the down, distance and hashmark. Tice might follow immediately with a general suggestion. Loney then will call the specific play to backup quarterback Brad Johnson, who will relay it to quarterback Daunte Culpepper. This sounds like it wouldn't be enough time to make a draft pick, let alone call a play. Edited August 12, 2005 by MikesVikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zooty Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 (edited) Ahhhh, now if only Richie Kotite was back in the league..... Edited August 12, 2005 by Zooty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcmast Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 Instead, Loney will carry a small, laminated play card and have his headset wired to Olson and Tice. On a typical play, Olson will call out the down, distance and hashmark. Tice might follow immediately with a general suggestion. Loney then will call the specific play to backup quarterback Brad Johnson, who will relay it to quarterback Daunte Culpepper. 924560[/snapback] Olson: 2nd down, 7 yards, 25 yardline Tice: Uhhh, Uhhh, Uhhh, where'd I put my pencil Loney: Johnson: Culpepper: Official: Delay of game, Minnesota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikesVikes Posted August 12, 2005 Author Share Posted August 12, 2005 Olson: 2nd down, 7 yards, 25 yardlineTice: Uhhh, Uhhh, Uhhh, where'd I put my pencil Loney: Johnson: Culpepper: Official: Delay of game, Minnesota 924630[/snapback] TOUCHDOWN! Vikes 28 Pack 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 (edited) MN 27 vs. KC 16 Passing: 20/27 245yds 2TD 1INT Rushing: 35 carries 176yds 5yds/carry 1TD Must have worked out OK tonight. Edited August 13, 2005 by CaP'N GRuNGe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seminoles Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 MN 27 vs. KC 16 Passing: 20/27 245yds 2TD 1INT Rushing: 35 carries 176yds 5yds/carry 1TD Must have worked out OK tonight. 925341[/snapback] missing something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 (edited) It doesn't matter how poor a defense is, if your play calling timing is off, it's off. Edited August 13, 2005 by CaP'N GRuNGe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seminoles Posted August 13, 2005 Share Posted August 13, 2005 Olson: 2nd down, 7 yards, 25 yardlineTice: Uhhh, Uhhh, Uhhh, where'd I put my pencil Loney: Johnson: Culpepper: Official: Delay of game, Minnesota 924630[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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