ARTICLE, Highlights, & LINK:
Pitt's Offensive Line Gaining Coaches' Trust:
Former Pitt offensive line coach Jim Hueber was loud, demanding and almost never satisfied with his players, and no one appreciates that more than his successor, John Peterson. Through the first three weeks of spring drills, Peterson has found his players just as Hueber left them. "The things that jump out are what you have heard about them," Peterson said. "They are passionate guys who come to work every day."
Whether that equates to a productive offense is a question that won't be answered for several months. Meanwhile, the contrast in coaching styles is impossible to ignore. "Coach Hueber got after you a little bit," left tackle Adam Bisnowaty said. "Coach Pete is not like that. (He) rolls slow with you and makes sure you get the techniques down and understand everything we are doing."
The landscape has changed on the Pitt offensive line - for the players and their coach. Peterson's patience can be traced to the experienced players under him. When Hueber arrived three years ago, he didn't have that luxury. He needed to push.
Bisnowaty said the coach's personality shouldn't matter. "Whatever way it is, we have to find a way to make it work," he said.
So far this spring, coach Pat Narduzzi said the line has had good and bad moments. "The defense put in a new blitz, and all of a sudden it doesn't look so good," he said. "Coach Peterson coaches them up, and all of a sudden he looks like a good coach again."
Recent history indicates the line can succeed. For example:
• Running back James Conner ran for 1,765 yards last season. It's not a stretch to assume his blockers were more than adequate.
• Tyler Boyd became a 1,000-yard (plus) receiver for the second consecutive season.
• Quarterback Chad Voytik was sacked only 20 times in 13 games compared to the 63 sacks recorded by opponents in 2011, the year before Hueber arrived.
Even when he was dropped for a loss, Voytik didn't complain. "I tried to make plays on some of those (sacks)," he said. "It's not like they were just letting guys through." Maybe the best news is Peterson might have found five linemen he can trust. Before last season, a Pitt line coach hadn't been able to say that in a long time. That indicates depth-chart progress, considering two holes left by NFL-bound linemen T.J. Clemmings and Matt Rotheram. "It's not like two years ago when we didn't have any experience," Bisnowaty said.
Peterson has been pleased. "You can see in their body language and demeanor, they are getting better every day," he said. "We have five. I'd like to find seven or eight. We're still working on that part."
The starters include Bisnowaty, left guard Dorian Johnson, center Alex Officer, right guard Alex Bookser and right tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith. With the exception of Bookser, a redshirt freshman from Mt. Lebanon, all received significant playing time last season. Johnson started all 13 games, Bisnowaty 10 and Officer, who can play all three positions, 10. Plus, the expected return of senior center Artie Rowell from a knee injury will increase the unit's versatility. "Artie is going to add a lot of value once he gets healthy," Peterson said. "He has a lot of playing experience and knowledge."
Pitt's previous coaching staff didn't compile a winning record over three seasons, but it may have set the foundation for future success by recruiting eight offensive linemen in 2013 and '14. Seven remain, and four are working with the first unit.
The most experienced is Bisnowaty, a junior from Fox Chapel. He bounced between tackle and guard last season but seems to be anchored at left tackle, where he will be asked to protect the quarterback's blind side.
Many coaches consider that position among the most important on the field, but Bisnowaty said the accompanying pressure doesn't bother him. "You don't really think about it," he said. "You just think about making plays. "There should be no reason why we shouldn't come back and dominate more."
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at @JDiPaola_Trib.
Pitt's offensive line struggled in recent seasons to protect the quarterback, but the number of sacks it allowed improved dramatically last year:
Season Sacks
2011 63
2012 38
2013 43
2014 21
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/8098046-74/coach-peterson-bisnowaty#ixzz3WRsdtuLR
This post was edited on 4/5 11:34 AM by CaptainSidneyReilly
Pitt's Offensive Line Gaining Coaches' Trust:
Former Pitt offensive line coach Jim Hueber was loud, demanding and almost never satisfied with his players, and no one appreciates that more than his successor, John Peterson. Through the first three weeks of spring drills, Peterson has found his players just as Hueber left them. "The things that jump out are what you have heard about them," Peterson said. "They are passionate guys who come to work every day."
Whether that equates to a productive offense is a question that won't be answered for several months. Meanwhile, the contrast in coaching styles is impossible to ignore. "Coach Hueber got after you a little bit," left tackle Adam Bisnowaty said. "Coach Pete is not like that. (He) rolls slow with you and makes sure you get the techniques down and understand everything we are doing."
The landscape has changed on the Pitt offensive line - for the players and their coach. Peterson's patience can be traced to the experienced players under him. When Hueber arrived three years ago, he didn't have that luxury. He needed to push.
Bisnowaty said the coach's personality shouldn't matter. "Whatever way it is, we have to find a way to make it work," he said.
So far this spring, coach Pat Narduzzi said the line has had good and bad moments. "The defense put in a new blitz, and all of a sudden it doesn't look so good," he said. "Coach Peterson coaches them up, and all of a sudden he looks like a good coach again."
Recent history indicates the line can succeed. For example:
• Running back James Conner ran for 1,765 yards last season. It's not a stretch to assume his blockers were more than adequate.
• Tyler Boyd became a 1,000-yard (plus) receiver for the second consecutive season.
• Quarterback Chad Voytik was sacked only 20 times in 13 games compared to the 63 sacks recorded by opponents in 2011, the year before Hueber arrived.
Even when he was dropped for a loss, Voytik didn't complain. "I tried to make plays on some of those (sacks)," he said. "It's not like they were just letting guys through." Maybe the best news is Peterson might have found five linemen he can trust. Before last season, a Pitt line coach hadn't been able to say that in a long time. That indicates depth-chart progress, considering two holes left by NFL-bound linemen T.J. Clemmings and Matt Rotheram. "It's not like two years ago when we didn't have any experience," Bisnowaty said.
Peterson has been pleased. "You can see in their body language and demeanor, they are getting better every day," he said. "We have five. I'd like to find seven or eight. We're still working on that part."
The starters include Bisnowaty, left guard Dorian Johnson, center Alex Officer, right guard Alex Bookser and right tackle Jaryd Jones-Smith. With the exception of Bookser, a redshirt freshman from Mt. Lebanon, all received significant playing time last season. Johnson started all 13 games, Bisnowaty 10 and Officer, who can play all three positions, 10. Plus, the expected return of senior center Artie Rowell from a knee injury will increase the unit's versatility. "Artie is going to add a lot of value once he gets healthy," Peterson said. "He has a lot of playing experience and knowledge."
Pitt's previous coaching staff didn't compile a winning record over three seasons, but it may have set the foundation for future success by recruiting eight offensive linemen in 2013 and '14. Seven remain, and four are working with the first unit.
The most experienced is Bisnowaty, a junior from Fox Chapel. He bounced between tackle and guard last season but seems to be anchored at left tackle, where he will be asked to protect the quarterback's blind side.
Many coaches consider that position among the most important on the field, but Bisnowaty said the accompanying pressure doesn't bother him. "You don't really think about it," he said. "You just think about making plays. "There should be no reason why we shouldn't come back and dominate more."
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at @JDiPaola_Trib.
Pitt's offensive line struggled in recent seasons to protect the quarterback, but the number of sacks it allowed improved dramatically last year:
Season Sacks
2011 63
2012 38
2013 43
2014 21
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/8098046-74/coach-peterson-bisnowaty#ixzz3WRsdtuLR
This post was edited on 4/5 11:34 AM by CaptainSidneyReilly
