Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

[fordfixer]

ESPN Radio reporter: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

By: Mike Bires
Beaver County Times
[url="http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sports_details/article/1424/2010/january/07/espn-radio-reporter-steelers-had-change-of-heart-on-arians.html"]http://www.timesonline.com/sports/sport ... rians.html[/url]
Thursday January 7, 2010 12:00 AM

PITTSBURGH — Ken Laird, a reporter for 1250 ESPN Radio, resorted to damage control Wednesday after learning that his report of Bruce Arians’ demise was wrong.

On Tuesday, Laird reported that the Steelers would fire Arians, the offensive coordinator. That report prompted television stations in Pittsburgh to lead their evening newscasts with Arians’ fate.

As it turns out, Arians won’t be fired.

“Well, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians is still around,” Laird said Wednesday night as he opened his daily “Stillers 365” radio show. “As you may know, yesterday I reported what I heard from various sources within the organization that B.A. was going to be let go in the near future.

“(But) head coach Mike Tomlin has decided to retain Arians … this after a long one-on-one meeting today … Why the change of heart? Because I truly believe that is what happened here.”

News of the Steelers retaining Arians first appeared Wednesday afternoon on the National Football Post Web site.

Arians, 57, has been criticized at times by fans and the media the past two years for turning the Steelers’ once run-oriented offense to a pass-first attack. Despite the criticism Arians has received, Tomlin said, “I accept responsibility for everything.”

[fordfixer]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

On the Steelers: Tomlin sticks with Arians
Thursday, January 07, 2010
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10007/1026388-66.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10007/1026388-66.stm[/url]

The Steelers might not be done making changes in their coaching staff, but the biggest development yesterday was the one they didn't make.

After a long and what was termed "productive" meeting with coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Bruce Arians was told he will return as offensive coordinator in 2010, putting to rest his status after reports surfaced he would be fired.

Arians, who has one year remaining on his contract, was retained after a season in which the Steelers had a 4,000-yard quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger), two 1,000-yard receivers (Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Rashard Mendenhall) for the first time in franchise history.

However, for the first time since he became head coach in 2007, Tomlin fired one of his assistant coaches -- offensive line coach Larry Zierlein, whose unit might have performed better this season than it did during last year's Super Bowl season.

The Steelers had a better per-game rushing average (112.1 yards) than they did in 2008 (105.6, the lowest of any playoff team in franchise history), but they also allowed Roethlisberger to be sacked a personal-high 50 times. In three years under Zierlein, Roethlisberger was sacked 143 times, more than any other NFL quarterback.

But, even before Zierlein joined the Steelers, Roethlisberger was sacked 46 times in the 2006 season when the offensive line coach was Russ Grimm and the line featured two Pro Bowl performers -- guard Alan Faneca and center Jeff Hartings. A number of Roethlisberger's sacks occur because he holds the ball longer than most quarterbacks, trying to make a play.

Tomlin had individual meetings yesterday with some of his coaches, in addition to some of his players, and he might not be done making changes in his staff.

The decision to retain Arians, 57, should really come as no surprise because Tomlin has never publicly questioned the philosophy of the game plan or the performance and execution of the offense. Even when the Steelers attempted 42 pass plays in a Dec. 10 game in Cleveland when the wind-chill was minus-10 and wind gusts reached 45 mph, Tomlin did not blame Arians or criticize the strategy, even when he was asked and had the opportunity to do so.

When Tomlin was questioned why Roethlisberger was attempting a third-down pass with less than two minutes remaining against Baltimore Dec. 27 and the Ravens without any timeouts -- the pass was intercepted but wiped out by a Ravens penalty -- he quickly noted, "We wanted to move the chains. We wanted to control the ball."
Gerry Dulac can be reached at [email="gdulac@post-gazette.com"]gdulac@post-gazette.com[/email].

Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10007/1026388-66.stm#ixzz0bu5DxwG4"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10007/10 ... z0bu5DxwG4[/url]

[bostonsteeler]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

Sadly, I was right.

MT lacks the Cojones to bounce BA.
We look forward to another brilliant year of BA coaching. By the end of next season Ben will be too beatup to be effective, so look to be drafting a QB in 2013.

Oh well, we did get the two SBs.

[Pittsburgh]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

“I accept responsibility for everything.”

And if things go south next season, it's all on Tomlin. He has put his neck on the line by making the decision to retain Bruce Arians. Here's to hoping the gamble pays off.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

“I accept responsibility for everything.”

I thought that quote was from Ken Laird, since, you know, he jumped the gun because he wanted to be the first with the story and all. But no, we get excuses. Nice owning up, Ken.

[SteelBucks]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

Sadly, I was right.

MT lacks the Cojones to bounce BA.
We look forward to another brilliant year of BA coaching. By the end of next season Ben will be too beatup to be effective, so look to be drafting a QB in 2013.

Oh well, we did get the two SBs.

Bring Cowher back!

[Ghost]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

Arians, who has one year remaining on his contract, was retained after a season in which the Steelers had a 4,000-yard quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger), two 1,000-yard receivers (Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Rashard Mendenhall) for the first time in franchise history

.

I'm sick of this stat getting tossed around. The Steelers didn't make the playoffs so this means sh!t.

[stlrz d]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

“I accept responsibility for everything.”

And if things go south next season, it's all on Tomlin. He has put his neck on the line by making the decision to retain Bruce Arians. Here's to hoping the gamble pays off.

You are correct. MT put his neck on the line in a big way with this move.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

Arians, who has one year remaining on his contract, was retained after a season in which the Steelers had a 4,000-yard quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger), two 1,000-yard receivers (Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward) and a 1,000-yard rusher (Rashard Mendenhall) for the first time in franchise history

.

I'm sick of this stat getting tossed around. The Steelers didn't make the playoffs so this means sh!t.

You are correct, but that doesn't mean it was his fault. I think it is pretty clear that the injuries on defense and poor special teams coverage were the two main reasons the Steelers didn't make the playoffs.

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

MT lacks the Cojones to bounce BA.

Actually, isn't it the other way around? Didn't it take more balls to keep him, since most of the fanbase pretty much decided that he should be gone?

[RussBII]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

MT lacks the Cojones to bounce BA.

Actually, isn't it the other way around? Didn't it take more balls to keep him, since most of the fanbase pretty much decided that he should be gone?

I agree with this.

I keep flip flopping on Bruce though. The offense didn't lose us any games this year. Maybe one, tops. The other two units screwed us.

Those stats get tossed around because they are fairly incredible. Also, his problem is pretty much situational play calling. Perhaps MT gets a veto on third and short or something. I feel like he can learn this. Basically, never let BA watch any Andy Reid called game. Everything else worked pretty ok... It was a record setting year for the Steelers' offense. Tough to get rid of the OC after that...

At the same time, if i see an empty back set on 3rd and 1 again, i'll hunt him down myself.... and i'm REALLY lazy...

[proudpittsburgher]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

At the same time, if i see an empty back set on 3rd and 1 again, i'll hunt him down myself.... and i'm REALLY lazy...

[bostonsteeler]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

MT lacks the Cojones to bounce BA.

Actually, isn't it the other way around? Didn't it take more balls to keep him, since most of the fanbase pretty much decided that he should be gone?

No, it doesn't take cojones to tee off the fans. It needs cojones to take a decision and let someone who your star QB loves go.

[feltdizz]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

Sadly, I was right.

MT lacks the Cojones to bounce BA.
We look forward to another brilliant year of BA coaching. By the end of next season Ben will be too beatup to be effective, so look to be drafting a QB in 2013.

Oh well, we did get the two SBs.

Didn't you read where Ben had 45 sacks with Grimm and 2 pro bowl linemen? He finds creative ways to get beat up on and off the field. The guy took a crushing hit in a meaningless game against the Browns 2 years ago. People say it all the time... It's how he plays the game.

He loves contact and actually waits for it at times.

[phillyesq]

Re: Steelers had 'change of heart' on Arians

“I accept responsibility for everything.”

And if things go south next season, it's all on Tomlin. He has put his neck on the line by making the decision to retain Bruce Arians. Here's to hoping the gamble pays off.

He says that he accepts responsibility for everything, but does he really?

Reading the transcript from his last press conference, he blamed the Cleveland loss on the players, not on the attrocious game plan that he and Arians put together.