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Q&A with Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski
By Court E. Mann
Oct. 20, 2006
In his first season as Packers offensive coordinator, Jeff Jagodzinski has seen three rookies start on his interior offensive line, has lost two of his three most experienced WRs, and has been forced to go to battle without his workhorse running back. And yet, the former Falcons OL coach maintains a positive outlook and repeatedly points to the golden opportunities his young offense has in front of it.
Jagodzinski took some time to talk to PFW this week about the progress in the Packers’ rushing attack, the immediate impact of WR Greg Jennings, and QB Brett Favre’s adjustment to a role as conservative game manager, among other things.
PFW: The last couple weeks, before the bye, you guys were able to run the ball pretty well, even without Ahman Green in the lineup. Does that tell you the offensive line is starting to get the new zone-blocking scheme?
Jagodzinski: Yeah, I think they’re getting the scheme, but they’re also playing together a little more. Remember now, we’re playing three rookies in there. I don’t know anybody else in the league that is doing that right now, not inside. So they’re getting better. The thing is, if you can just see progress from week to week, good things will start happening for us. So we don’t want to take a step backward this weekend against Miami. Just keep moving forward and keep getting better and better and better, and eventually, that 130-140 (rushing yards) will be the norm rather than the exception.
PFW: How difficult is that transition to the zone-blocking scheme, not only for the rookie guards but even for the veteran tackles?
Jagodzinski: I think it just takes some time to do the techniques properly and do them right consistently. That’s the key. Our drill work, we do the same things every single day. That won’t change from now until the last week of the season, so we work on the same things over and over and over, and I think that’s how you get good at it.
PFW: After the Rams game, you talked about leaving a lot of yards or big plays out on the field. Is that a product of who’s running the ball or blocking or a bit of both?
Jagodzinski: Well, I don’t want to take anything away from what Noah Herron did. I thought he did a really good job. But we had a chance to break a tackle here or to see a seam a little different there. I think we could have had some real big ones.
PFW: What’s the game plan going forward in terms of keeping Ahman Green on the field?
Jagodzinski: Well, first we have to keep him healthy. He’s had a nagging hamstring that was bothering him, but he’s looked good in practice the last week and a half.
PFW: Is it possible for him to get back to 25 touches per game?
Jagodzinski: I think so. With being able to catch and run it from the line of scrimmage, I think that’s real possible.
PFW: So there’s no concern about that number being too much for him?
Jagodzinski: No, I don’t think so.
PFW: Early on, when the running game wasn’t as productive, you had to scale things back in regards to the passing game. Are you encouraged that this development will help you open things up a bit?
Jagodzinski: Well you hope so. I was talking to someone else here today about exactly what you’re asking about, and the thing is, you have to put your players in a position where they can succeed. We could go ahead and scatter everybody and put five out and do that, but first of all, you put the guys that are so young in one-on-one positions, which is not a good idea. And then you also put Favre in a position where he’s getting hit, and you don’t want to do that either. So I think we’re doing what’s best for our football team at this stage of our development right now.
PFW: I assume, at the very least, that play-action will be more effective?
Jagodzinski: Well, I think so. If you can start running the ball more effectively, then those play-action passes really start coming to life for you, and we’re getting better every week. I’m about as impatient a guy as there is, but you’ve got to realize where you’re at, and you’ve just got to keep getting better.
PFW: Is the line making similar progress in pass-protection?
Jagodzinski: Oh yeah. Absolutely. Every rep they take is an investment in their future. You know what I mean? That’s really how I’m viewing it with those guys. I’ll tell you, I was watching another team, and I was watching one of their rookie offensive linemen. A high, high, high pick. Real early pick, and he’s just struggling. And that guy’s taken on the first day. There are just not a lot of guys that are ready to just roll in there as an offensive lineman right off the bat.
PFW: With the loss of both Koren Robinson and Robert Ferguson, do you anticipate sticking with more two-WR sets?
Jagodzinski: I think we’ll do whatever the game dictates. How the game is played, how it pans out, what they’re doing defensively. You can’t just be one-sided, always having two WRs in there. We’ve got other packages we can utilize. I’m interested in the guys that just came up. That’s an opportunity for you, and all you can ask for is that. Well, you got it, now what are you going to do with it? That’s going to be up to them, and I’m sure there will be some growing pains there too.
PFW: Mike McCarthy said something this week about “teaching concepts and not personnel.” Can you explain what he meant by that?
Jagodzinski: In this system that we’re running, you can run the same plays over and over and over again, because you learn the concept of the play. Where you fit in on the play. And then, once you understand the concept of the play, you can format it any way you want. A simple way to put it is this: your assignments don’t change, but your alignments change constantly. You’re always doing the same things over and over and over again, but we may put you in a position where you start opposite of where you’re going to end up. It’s just how you fit into the overall concept of the play, and you can use different personnel groupings. Once you learn that particular concept, you can do it from three or four different personnel groupings. So that’s being able to be multiple that way.
PFW: Rookie WR Greg Jennings has been real impressive. How has he been able to be so consistent so quickly?
Jagodzinski: Very, very impressive. You know what? He plays beyond his age. You could tell early with that guy. Even early in camp, I didn’t even know the guy’s name, we knew his number (85), and he just kept making plays. He just kept getting better and better and better, and the game wasn’t too big for him. Some rookies get really overwhelmed by the opportunity. He didn’t. He just stepped in there like it was no big deal.
PFW: For people who haven’t seen him play, what’s his skill set? What does he bring to the table?
Jagodzinski: He makes plays. When he first came out, people would say he’s not fast enough, he’s not that, he’s not this. Playmakers? They’ll show. He’s a Western Michigan guy, and they said he wasn’t from a big school. Well, that doesn’t matter. If a guy’s a playmaker, he’s a playmaker. You just try to get the ball in that kid’s hands because he’ll make the play for you.
PFW: Is there anyone out there that you would compare him to?
Jagodzinski: That’s a tough question. I’ll let you guys compare him.
PFW: I actually see a lot of Donald Driver in him in terms of his skill set.
Jagodzinski: Well, he’s got really good hands, runs really good routes. He’s fast when he needs to be fast. You know, one of those deals. He may not be real fast on the clock, but when he’s got the ball in his hands, he’s as fast as he needs to be.
PFW: Another youngster, Ruvell Martin, now becomes the No. 3 wide receiver. What does he bring to the table?
Jagodzinski: He’s got a little bit bigger body type. He’s got some height on him where you could use him down in the red zone and those type of things. He’s more of a possession-type guy, crossing routes and that type of thing.
PFW: He’s obviously got a great opportunity in front of him, huh?
Jagodzinski: Unbelievable. And I think he knows it.
PFW: Is he ready?
Jagodzinski: He’s going to have to be. He’s got to be ready. But like I said, you get an opportunity, and you never know what’s going to come. Now he’s got his.
PFW: With the shorter drops and the mass protection, it seems like you’ve been asking Brett to be very patient this year with checking down underneath.
Jagodzinski: Yep. Let the system work for him. If it’s not there, check it down. Checkdowns are OK.
PFW: That would seem to contradict his nature. How’s he handling that?
Jagodzinski: Great, because all we’re asking him to do now is manage the game. And for the most part, he’s done a really nice job of doing that for us.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/N...inski102006.htm
Q&A with Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski
By Court E. Mann
Oct. 20, 2006
In his first season as Packers offensive coordinator, Jeff Jagodzinski has seen three rookies start on his interior offensive line, has lost two of his three most experienced WRs, and has been forced to go to battle without his workhorse running back. And yet, the former Falcons OL coach maintains a positive outlook and repeatedly points to the golden opportunities his young offense has in front of it.
Jagodzinski took some time to talk to PFW this week about the progress in the Packers’ rushing attack, the immediate impact of WR Greg Jennings, and QB Brett Favre’s adjustment to a role as conservative game manager, among other things.
PFW: The last couple weeks, before the bye, you guys were able to run the ball pretty well, even without Ahman Green in the lineup. Does that tell you the offensive line is starting to get the new zone-blocking scheme?
Jagodzinski: Yeah, I think they’re getting the scheme, but they’re also playing together a little more. Remember now, we’re playing three rookies in there. I don’t know anybody else in the league that is doing that right now, not inside. So they’re getting better. The thing is, if you can just see progress from week to week, good things will start happening for us. So we don’t want to take a step backward this weekend against Miami. Just keep moving forward and keep getting better and better and better, and eventually, that 130-140 (rushing yards) will be the norm rather than the exception.
PFW: How difficult is that transition to the zone-blocking scheme, not only for the rookie guards but even for the veteran tackles?
Jagodzinski: I think it just takes some time to do the techniques properly and do them right consistently. That’s the key. Our drill work, we do the same things every single day. That won’t change from now until the last week of the season, so we work on the same things over and over and over, and I think that’s how you get good at it.
PFW: After the Rams game, you talked about leaving a lot of yards or big plays out on the field. Is that a product of who’s running the ball or blocking or a bit of both?
Jagodzinski: Well, I don’t want to take anything away from what Noah Herron did. I thought he did a really good job. But we had a chance to break a tackle here or to see a seam a little different there. I think we could have had some real big ones.
PFW: What’s the game plan going forward in terms of keeping Ahman Green on the field?
Jagodzinski: Well, first we have to keep him healthy. He’s had a nagging hamstring that was bothering him, but he’s looked good in practice the last week and a half.
PFW: Is it possible for him to get back to 25 touches per game?
Jagodzinski: I think so. With being able to catch and run it from the line of scrimmage, I think that’s real possible.
PFW: So there’s no concern about that number being too much for him?
Jagodzinski: No, I don’t think so.
PFW: Early on, when the running game wasn’t as productive, you had to scale things back in regards to the passing game. Are you encouraged that this development will help you open things up a bit?
Jagodzinski: Well you hope so. I was talking to someone else here today about exactly what you’re asking about, and the thing is, you have to put your players in a position where they can succeed. We could go ahead and scatter everybody and put five out and do that, but first of all, you put the guys that are so young in one-on-one positions, which is not a good idea. And then you also put Favre in a position where he’s getting hit, and you don’t want to do that either. So I think we’re doing what’s best for our football team at this stage of our development right now.
PFW: I assume, at the very least, that play-action will be more effective?
Jagodzinski: Well, I think so. If you can start running the ball more effectively, then those play-action passes really start coming to life for you, and we’re getting better every week. I’m about as impatient a guy as there is, but you’ve got to realize where you’re at, and you’ve just got to keep getting better.
PFW: Is the line making similar progress in pass-protection?
Jagodzinski: Oh yeah. Absolutely. Every rep they take is an investment in their future. You know what I mean? That’s really how I’m viewing it with those guys. I’ll tell you, I was watching another team, and I was watching one of their rookie offensive linemen. A high, high, high pick. Real early pick, and he’s just struggling. And that guy’s taken on the first day. There are just not a lot of guys that are ready to just roll in there as an offensive lineman right off the bat.
PFW: With the loss of both Koren Robinson and Robert Ferguson, do you anticipate sticking with more two-WR sets?
Jagodzinski: I think we’ll do whatever the game dictates. How the game is played, how it pans out, what they’re doing defensively. You can’t just be one-sided, always having two WRs in there. We’ve got other packages we can utilize. I’m interested in the guys that just came up. That’s an opportunity for you, and all you can ask for is that. Well, you got it, now what are you going to do with it? That’s going to be up to them, and I’m sure there will be some growing pains there too.
PFW: Mike McCarthy said something this week about “teaching concepts and not personnel.” Can you explain what he meant by that?
Jagodzinski: In this system that we’re running, you can run the same plays over and over and over again, because you learn the concept of the play. Where you fit in on the play. And then, once you understand the concept of the play, you can format it any way you want. A simple way to put it is this: your assignments don’t change, but your alignments change constantly. You’re always doing the same things over and over and over again, but we may put you in a position where you start opposite of where you’re going to end up. It’s just how you fit into the overall concept of the play, and you can use different personnel groupings. Once you learn that particular concept, you can do it from three or four different personnel groupings. So that’s being able to be multiple that way.
PFW: Rookie WR Greg Jennings has been real impressive. How has he been able to be so consistent so quickly?
Jagodzinski: Very, very impressive. You know what? He plays beyond his age. You could tell early with that guy. Even early in camp, I didn’t even know the guy’s name, we knew his number (85), and he just kept making plays. He just kept getting better and better and better, and the game wasn’t too big for him. Some rookies get really overwhelmed by the opportunity. He didn’t. He just stepped in there like it was no big deal.
PFW: For people who haven’t seen him play, what’s his skill set? What does he bring to the table?
Jagodzinski: He makes plays. When he first came out, people would say he’s not fast enough, he’s not that, he’s not this. Playmakers? They’ll show. He’s a Western Michigan guy, and they said he wasn’t from a big school. Well, that doesn’t matter. If a guy’s a playmaker, he’s a playmaker. You just try to get the ball in that kid’s hands because he’ll make the play for you.
PFW: Is there anyone out there that you would compare him to?
Jagodzinski: That’s a tough question. I’ll let you guys compare him.
PFW: I actually see a lot of Donald Driver in him in terms of his skill set.
Jagodzinski: Well, he’s got really good hands, runs really good routes. He’s fast when he needs to be fast. You know, one of those deals. He may not be real fast on the clock, but when he’s got the ball in his hands, he’s as fast as he needs to be.
PFW: Another youngster, Ruvell Martin, now becomes the No. 3 wide receiver. What does he bring to the table?
Jagodzinski: He’s got a little bit bigger body type. He’s got some height on him where you could use him down in the red zone and those type of things. He’s more of a possession-type guy, crossing routes and that type of thing.
PFW: He’s obviously got a great opportunity in front of him, huh?
Jagodzinski: Unbelievable. And I think he knows it.
PFW: Is he ready?
Jagodzinski: He’s going to have to be. He’s got to be ready. But like I said, you get an opportunity, and you never know what’s going to come. Now he’s got his.
PFW: With the shorter drops and the mass protection, it seems like you’ve been asking Brett to be very patient this year with checking down underneath.
Jagodzinski: Yep. Let the system work for him. If it’s not there, check it down. Checkdowns are OK.
PFW: That would seem to contradict his nature. How’s he handling that?
Jagodzinski: Great, because all we’re asking him to do now is manage the game. And for the most part, he’s done a really nice job of doing that for us.
http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/N...inski102006.htm
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Wunderfowl and insiteful to!
