New York offensive line coach helped Ryan’s transition from coordinator to head coach. Matt Bowen
Let’s not forget about Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan when we talk about New York’s run to the AFC championship game. While we are throwing numerous bouquets at head coach Rex Ryan — which are more than well deserved — it is Callahan who needs to be added to the discussion.
Jets sources close to the National Football Post have told us that Callahan is one of the people responsible for making Ryan’s transition from coordinator to head coach relatively smooth. The front office in New York can’t say enough when it comes to Callahan. He brings experience and focus to the sidelines and has helped out Ryan in areas where he isn’t experienced as a first-year head coach.
And, the front office thinks so highly of him that they think Callahan deserves another shot at a head-coaching job in the league, after his time in Oakland as the head man.
I like hearing this. Why? Because too often we tend to focus on the head coach and the coordinators.
We stop after that, but from my experience, position coaches play a big role in the success of the team on Sundays. These are the guys who run countless meetings, make countless corrections and are the soul of the football team.
And, if you want to talk about Callahan and the Jets, we don’t have to question what he has done with that offensive line. Think of the production we have seen from Shonn Greene in the playoffs and the style of football they play. Just as I talk about Ryan’s defense in New York, and just as we talk about Mark Sanchez under offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, why not give some love to Callahan?
He will become a big name again in league circles because of the playoff run, and if the Jets can push all the way to Miami, don’t be surprised to see him become a really hot name. It might not happen this offseason, but the way the Jets are built from the bottom up right now, Callahan’s transition back to a power role on the sidelines will happen.
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I agree with you on this. You nailed it about the running game and the attitude. I preach it all the time about the importance of good line play. That really is where games are won and lost. I don't care if you are Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, without a line these guys would have never been heard of. The classic example of this was when the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl!
He'd look good as an OC for the Pats in 2010.
Huge Cally fan here. He's solid on fundamentals and has helped the Jets offensive line do the heavy lifting that has them movin' on up. Great of Matt to point out what he's done, and how Cally could share his own experiences with Rex as it relates to becoming a head coach.
Think Matty has some serious Iowa love going on with this story as well. Cally is no stranger to the Big Ten/angle block zone tradition.
Yes, but he no longer coaches "the dumbest team in America, football wise" anymore.
Hey Matt, along these lines, what do you think of the hire of Mike Tice as OL/TE coach for the Bears? I've heard a lot of good things about him.
Bill Callahan is a class act. Hopefully he'll be around the Jets for a long time. If he does leave for a higher position, the team will get a gift.
hey matt did you do any research before you wrote this garbage? Bill Callahan couldnt win in the Big 12 north, his defense in 07 was ranked 112th and you think he has what it takes to be a "really hot name"?!
hey tdub,
have you done any research into the other factors that played into his loses?? Raiders: lose of big players in superbowl game, shitty franchise, Nebraska: great potential but screwed up department with the lose of the athletic director... all of these factors and more contribute to the mind frame of the players and coaches
through it all, callahan has been an upstanding character and class act. now, people are finally starting to see the amazing man and coach that he is! GO CALLAHAN!
Hey Tdub
Did you do any research or just look up stats? Callahan inherited a Nebraska team with triple option players and a bare kitty in recruiting.
Get real. You are just a Jet Hater. Get in line and watch us play for the AFC title.
hey tdub,
have you done any research into the other factors that played into his loses?? Raiders: lose of big players in superbowl game, shitty franchise, Nebraska: great potential but screwed up department with the lose of the athletic director... all of these factors and more contribute to the mind frame of the players and coaches
through it all, callahan has been an upstanding character and class act. now, people are finally starting to see the amazing man and coach that he is! GO CALLAHAN!
hey tdub,
have you done any research into the other factors that played into his loses?? Raiders: lose of big players in superbowl game, shitty franchise, Nebraska: great potential but screwed up department with the lose of the athletic director... all of these factors and more contribute to the mind frame of the players and coaches
through it all, callahan has been an upstanding character and class act. now, people are finally starting to see the amazing man and coach that he is! GO CALLAHAN!
hey tdub,
have you done any research into the other factors that played into his loses?? Raiders: lose of big players in superbowl game, shitty franchise, Nebraska: great potential but screwed up department with the lose of the athletic director... all of these factors and more contribute to the mind frame of the players and coaches
through it all, callahan has been an upstanding character and class act. now, people are finally starting to see the amazing man and coach that he is! GO CALLAHAN!
hey tdub,
Go back to your Huskers instead of lurking into Jets websites for a chance to rip Callahan. Osboring back stabbed him big time and led a player revolt against him! Total low class scumbag who parades around like Mr Clean. He ran a steroid factory for years and beat up nothing teams! I love the fans of Nebraska about as much as your senator! I truly believe if we took your brain and put it in a blue-jay, it would fly backwards!
Tdub
Actually Nebraska won the Big XII North in the third year of Callahan's tenure and had the player of the year in the conference in QB Zach Taylor, Hard to say how that would have turned out if they had given him enough time to recruit what he needed--never even got to coach his initial senior class--and by the way--that defensive player of the YEAR in college football _Suh was recruited by him and would have helped that 112th ranking immensely but he was hurt for most of the time he coached the team.
I am a Nebraska Fan and Jets fan, I have postive views of Callahan because he did great things with the Nebraska offense...my problem with him was him keeping around a defensive coordinator who destroyed the blackshirt defense.
Bubba
Not sure what you mean about keeping a defensive coordinator who "destroyed " the blackshirt defense--in 2006 they were champions of the Big 12 North and played Auburn pretty close in post season play. In 2007 they struggled early in the season, the AD got fired in week 6 and Callahan got fired at the end of that season--when, exactly did he "keep" anyone around? He was never given the option to make changes on his staff (as rightly he should have been) and you can't fire your coordinator midway thru a season unless you have a replacement handy on staff---which they didn't. In Cosgrove's defense he was a coordinator for 15 years at Wisconsin and had a great track record there and also a tremendous reputation as a recruiter which is essential at Nebraska.
You will see a striking difference in Bo Pelini's defense when he doesn't have Callahan's recruits anymore (see:Suh)
PS Bubba
If you want to have a problem with anyone it should be Frank Solich because his recruiting was so far inferior that the defense in 2007 (which was his class and had nothing to do with Callahan) was pitiful and the senior class had no leadership and very little talent. Had NE fans had a little perspective and truly looked at what Callahan was accomplishing there and let him at least get to his own senior class things would have been very different. Suh was hurt for 2 years of Callahans tenure which hurt them but obviously they could attract and recognize talent. I hope that Gabbert wins a Heisman--for Mizzou-- as he and the rest of the class that the Callahan regime had assembled prior to him being let go was truly an amazing bunch. And to go a step further you should be upset with Tom Osborne for naming Frank Solich his successor in the first place when it wasn't his perogative to do so--ask Bill Byrne about that --and then again at Osborn for deciding since he couldn't be governor (he lost the race in a BIG way running against an incumbent republican as a republican) he was going to reclaim his past glory and take Steve Pederson's job as AD--wait I mean BUY Steve Pederson's job and then fire Callahan as revenge for Solich, Remember both Steve and Callahan had just signed 5 year deals that fall--and it cost 2.2M to buy out Pederson and over 3M to buy out Callahan. Omaha has more money than people think (Warren Buffet anyone?)
goods
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Jan 18, 2010
02:47 PM
Totally agree with that.
A lot of Jets fans like myself are hoping he stays under the radar in the league so that we can still have him for the long haul and eventually take over for Schotty as the OC.