Offensive Line Coach Andy Dickerson (12.13.24)
How much is getting Jack (Conklin) healthy and back out there consistently playing kind of helped solidify the line in general?
“Yeah, anytime you get a starter back, a proven guy, a veteran — Just this morning we were talking, watching some one-on-ones and he’s starting to coach up the guards and the tackles. I got my coaching points and then he gets in there and just offers up little nuggets for those guys. Anytime you get a guy coming back and coming off of injuries and you get stronger, and better, more comfortable, whatever that progression is coming back. So, it definitely helps because he’s consistent, he’s a leader, he’s tough. He’s all the things you want. He’s played at a high level for a lot of years. It’s always great to get those guys back.”
Jack’s had injury interruptions, but he’s had a great career otherwise. What makes him good?
“I think attention to detail. It’s maybe not always the prettiest. When you’re watching him, he moves, but he gets the job done. He understands angles, he has a finish, he can close the space, he utilizes length, his hand targets and protection are really good. He knows and understands where the quarterback is supposed to be and he can find that area. There are a couple reps, not sure which game it was, but you see him just straining and pushing a guy past as Jameis (Winston) is stepping up. And it was one of those efforts, like, this guy’s coming back, he’s battled. And this effort at the top of the pocket, just that one more push, that one more shove is what’s going to allow us to get the ball off.’ So again, it’s obviously a complete game, it takes all 11, but you see those little things, and then he leads by example. So, somebody to do it at that level and continue to do it and continue to work and then also be selfless and help those younger guys out with different coaching points that again, when you have a guy who’s done it for so long and he’s talking, it’s like, ‘Hey, you guys might want to write that down.’ I wrote down something he said today. I was like, ‘Oh, I haven’t thought about it like that.’”
One of the things a few guys have said this week is you want to give the play caller a reason to run the football. So how do you guys kind of get that run game going and give Ken (Dorsey) a reason to want to run the football?
“Yeah, execution, detail, understand the assignment. So, going through understanding what concept we’re running, what the landmarks are. And again, it takes all 11 to do everything for protection or for the run game. So, we use the wide receivers like Mike Woods, Cedric Tillman, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah (Moore), all those guys have gotten in the mix and that helps the run game when you have those skill players on the edge be selfless and get in there and block. And then the same thing, as an offensive line, we have to get the running back to the line of scrimmage, to the hole without having to stop his feet. So, we have to be where we’re supposed to be, cover up those blocks, get him to the line of scrimmage so he can set us up with his blocks, with his pressing of it to get the linebackers to be where they’re supposed to be. So, it takes all 11. We got to get in and out of the huddle if there’s a check, if there’s rotation, just so we can give everybody time to make the right thing happen. You have to get it, and again, sometimes it’s a little grimy. Sometimes those twos in the first quarter turn into the fours and fives and even more later so you just have to give them a reason to call it. So again, it comes down to execution detail and if one person’s off or if there’s a false start by somebody, if there’s an operation, if there’s something that happens, then, hey, a second and two or something, you might want to call run. Well now, or like a second and six, we’re going to call it now. It’s second and 11, now we got to go back and call pass. Again, what’s the best thing for us? So, if we call runs, I love runs, but I also love pass protection. I think we’ve done a pretty good job. We’ve gotten better as the year has gone on as well in the run game. So it’s just a matter of continuing to execute and do our jobs individually and collectively communicate so we can give the confidence to call those runs, which I feel like has gotten better. Not to where we want to, not up to our standard at all, but we’re improving.”
What do you think the biggest reasons that you haven’t been up to your standard the line standard or whatever, the offensive standard, running the ball?
“Yeah, I think again, it takes all 11. So, if it’s a penalty, mistimed penalty, if something happens where you had a run called, now you can. Whether it’s one person, so one person out of 11 can take a play that’s good and then cause it not to be good. And it’s across the board. Everybody’s got their hand in it, coaching included. Like, if there’s a bad scheme or a bad call or suggestion, well, that’s on me, right? So, I clearly take that with the guys, like, ‘Hey, this wasn’t a great plan,’and you hope to learn from that and continue to move on. So it’s just a matter of as you grow and continue to grow into this offense of making better decisions, helping the guys understand everything a little bit more. So, if there’s one clear thing you can clearly remove that, but when everybody puts their hand in it and has something to do with it then it just doesn’t happen. And then if you get into a game where it’s advantageous or it makes sense to pass the ball, well, that’s what we got to do.”
How disappointing is that you guys just haven’t been able to kind of see Jed (Jedrick Wills Jr.) on the field consistently? And of course, now he’s on IR.
“Again, whenever you have a talented player, a good player, it’s rough. But injuries are part of the game and the one thing that you can appreciate or understand is that he came back, he worked, he got back to a place, and then you get rolled up or how, I forget what the next mechanism was, but it’s frustrating. And it’s frustrating for the kid because they put in all the effort to get back. You have Dawand (Jones) who came back, you have Jack who came back, and then Jed came back and then something happened. So that’s just part of the game. It’s a physical sport, just unfortunate you don’t get to have that full experience. But you see the flashes of it and you want more and then just sometimes it just happens. It’s unfortunate.”
We talked to Joel (Bitonio) yesterday, he said he was going to try to do some stuff today. Are you optimistic that the back is going to let them be able to play?
“If anybody can do it, in my mind, it’d be Joel. I trust him. He’s done it for a long time at a high level. Our training staff, Joe Sheehan and Gordon (Williams), all those guys do a great job. They have a plan in place and whatever they tell me, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re doing. I say, ‘Hey, let me know what we’re doing, and just make sure as best you can to get your body ready,’ then they communicate to me. So, in Joel we trust, in Joel I trust. So, we’ll see how it plays out. But it’s one of those situations where when that doesn’t happen Michael Dunn’s got done a great job of stepping in and playing, and then you have other guys who have to step up and move and bounce around. So, them getting that experience and those reps, I think through the course of it just helps elevate everybody.”
If Joel can’t go, is it Michael (Dunn)?
“We’ll have to find out. Nice try.”
I had to ask.
“I know, but no thanks.”
We’ve seen Mike Vrabel helping out with your position group. What ways has helped out in terms of both in the meeting room and on the field?
“Yeah, Vrabes (Mike Vrabel) has been awesome. It’s been really a pleasure and an honor. I first met him in 2004 when he was still playing at the (New England) Patriots. So, I’ve known him for a while. To see how — the biggest thing I tell the guys is because he comes in and he’ll talk about some things from a defensive perspective, he’ll give his insight, and it’s like, hey, this guy’s done it. He’s tried to defeat the blocks that you guys are trying to execute. He’s coached. He started in college, he worked his way up as a player, he worked his way up as a coach to be a head coach, really good and he’s just got a commanding presence. He’s been the same person since I’ve known him. Nothing has changed, but he’s always looking for ways to get a guy better, just coach a guy up, talk to him on the side and it’s whoever, whatever. He’s always like, ‘Hey, hit me up. Text me if you need something.’ He does a great job in watching him and I sit back and listen because there’s a guy who’s been a head coach, he’s been a coordinator in his league, he’s done it. So, it’s invaluable to get that experience from somebody who’s actually done it and so when he says something, it’s like, ‘Hey, guys, check the resume if you’re not sure. Like, this guy has done it at a high level playing and coaching.’ It’s been phenomenal to be around, and his little suggestions are, ‘Hey, what about this? Have you guys looked at this?’ So just, again, from another defensive perspective tips and tells on maybe what a linebacker is doing may say something about a coverage, like whatever those things are that maybe guys aren’t thinking about, but it just comes with more credence. And then you listen to him and he’s saying the same things I’m saying, it’s like, ‘Yeah, okay. I think I might know what I’m talking about.’ So, it’s just been cool to have another smart, talented person in the room who’s tough. And it’s like this guy is the embodiment of what we’re trying to get to. He’s done it at a high level.”
With a guy like Chris Jones, do you have to get all five guys ready to block him because he can move around so much?
“At one time, yeah that’d be great. Yeah, he moves around. That’s the thing, he’s big, he’s fast, he’s powerful, he’s agile, you think he’s at the three-technique, now he’s a shade. Now he’s head up, now he’s on the right tackle, left tackle, he can do it all. And he’s got moves and a skill set that is probably really unparalleled. He’s a very talented player and they got (George) Karlaftis, they got a bunch of guys over there. It’s not just him you have to worry about, it’s the whole defensive line and scheme. Coach (Steve) Spagnulo has been doing at a high level for a long time, very game plan oriented. So, it’s always a challenge but every week in the league it’s like, ‘Hey, you’re going up against Michah Parsons, Hey, you’re going against this guy.’ It’s like each week there’s somebody that you have to go against and that’s the beauty of the NFL. It’s the challenge that you have to show up every single week, prepare no matter what, because you can execute and get it done on game day. So, it’s just a matter of understanding where he is, how he plays things differently than a different three-technique might play. So, each week is its own challenge to figure out what’s the best thing to do to give our team the best chance to win on Sunday.”
We don’t talk about Wyatt (Teller) a lot, which is probably a good thing. I mean, what have you kind of learned being around him now for the better part of a year?
“Very engaging, smart, asks good questions, tough. He was gone for a little bit, and again, another guy who worked back from injuries. So, it’s just, again, just being in the room with the dynamic. So, a solid, steady player brings good energy, always has a smile on his face, fired up, always ready to go. So, it’s around all the guys, it’s great. Anytime you get to come into a building, an NFL building for me specifically, and work with these guys, try to teach them, get them a little bit better, learn something from them and just attack each week as its own entity because it’s a blessing.”
When Zak (Zinter) had to play, it felt like he struggled a little bit. So now that he’s back on the bench, how can he get better so the next time you need him, he’s ready to go?
“Every single week, guys get managed differently. So, there’s times that Zak is taking reps within the scheme because he’s been active on game day. And then we have one-on-ones, we have opportunity periods. So, these guys are getting a ton of reps in the look team or whether it be for the game plan that we’re putting in that week and the one-on-ones and the opportunity stuff in the exchange. So, we’re constantly working to develop them and you guys haven’t seen all of the one-on-ones, but we watched a bunch today where when he does it right, it’s like, ‘Hey, that’s what it’s supposed to be’. And it’s like, ‘Oh, your pad level is up, you gave up your chest, that’s not what it’s supposed to look like.’ But you can see though, things that are specifically detailed. He’s a guy who’s going to max out, take the coaching points, listen to the Jacks and the Joels and the Ethan Pocics and the Wyatts (Teller) are going to give him a little nugget here and there. And you see him execute it and be more successful and it’s like, ‘Hey, there it is. That’s what you can do, that’s what we need and demand out of you every single time. And when you don’t do it, you’re in the backfield.’ So, he’s had an opportunity, he has progressed, he has gotten better. So, it’s something that maybe you guys don’t see. But again, it was good for him to get that experience early on and so now the next time he’ll be more prepared for it next time.”
You’ve been with great teams; you’ve been with winning teams in December. What’s the message here in the room to keep these guys going?
“I think it goes back to my previous statement. Anytime you get to come into a building and work at this profession, at the highest level of anything, it’s your responsibility, in my mind, to give your best. And if you’re playing for your brother, your family, whatever it is, but everybody’s resume is on tape. My resume is on tape. The player’s resume is on tape. But when you come into this building, it’s Monday, in my mind, I’ve told myself, ‘Hey, what do you do on Monday? You do Monday stuff.’ So, if you have a game to prepare for and you’re blessed and lucky enough to have an opportunity, you have to go show out. You have to go do your best because that’s what’s required. To me, it’s, ‘Why are you here if you’re not going to…’You can only control so much. We talk about, ‘Hey, how do we win this week?’ That’s what Coach (Kevin) Stefanski talks about. So, you come in like, ‘Hey, we’re playing the (Kansas City) Chiefs.’ That’s a really good team. They’ve won how many one score games in a row? Like they got Pat (Patrick) Mahomes, they got Chris Jones, they have all these great players, Andy Reid, great coaching staff. But we get a chance to go compete against them. And you’re not in this, I don’t think, if you’re not… You want to compete; you want to be at the highest level. So, I don’t think you need to change anything. If you have to think about that, I think you’re probably in the wrong framework. But you come in because I want to win. I want to feel good after the game. I want to give my all and help those guys be successful. I want, if I can coach somebody up and get Javion Cohen a little better, if I can help Geron (Christian) get a little bit better, give Jack a little something, like that’s my why. That’s what I’m trying to do. We’re teachers, we’re trying to get these guys better prepared so they can go show what they’re about and what we’re all about collectively as a team.”
We saw that Hard Knocks clip with Roy (Istvan), is he like that all the time?
“Roy is Roy. And it’s a beautiful thing. That’s another great thing about this profession, you get people from all over the place, different walks of life, different regions and you get put together for one common goal. And everybody’s got their own personalities, and that’s one thing I believe, you should let people be themselves as long as they’re working towards the commonality of the group, in which he is. So, he’s got his energy, he’s got his fire. Pass protection is awesome and picking up blitzes is a fun thing to do, so you have to be passionate about it. You’re trying to stop their best fastball and pick up or if it’s just a four-man rush and you’re blocking a game. So, Roy’s been great at that. Everybody has their own things that they present, he does goal line as well. So, whenever you find your niche, what you’re presenting and what your deal is, I always tell people, ‘When you get up there and you have your time to shine or present, be yourself and get the message across. You are teaching to the collective.’ So, it’s awesome to see. But yeah, that’s him.”