David Harris Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I think of him as a former HC... I'm not familiar with his OC chops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetlife33 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 This is interesting, was he in football this past year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREENBEAN Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hmmmmmm. I don't love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Todd Haley did not like working with him, which means Gailey is probably awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen X Jet Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Awful. Hasnt been any good since the late '90's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Todd Haley did not like working with him, which means Gailey is probably awesome. This pretty much says it all. Hhahahaha... UnitedWhofans plopped some details into the other thread about Gailey, seems like a fine option. I was hoping for an Arians assistant, but I actually like that Bowles came to the table with something a little less "buzzy". Could interpret it as him having a vision for what he wants to put in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RutgersJetFan Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 This pretty much says it all. Hhahahaha... UnitedWhofans plopped some details into the other thread about Gailey, seems like a fine option. I was hoping for an Arians assistant, but I actually like that Bowles came to the table with something a little less "buzzy". Could interpret it as him having a vision for what he wants to put in place. Rookie HC going with about as experienced a guy as you can find. Says a lot about Bowles IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rillo Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 There's a name I haven't heard in years. Didn't know he was still around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bman Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Chan Gailey. Maybe he becomes a Dan Henning type like in 97/98. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe W. Namath Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Gailey is like norv turner. Good oc but terrible hc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 It's a great hire. He puts his players in the best position to succeed. See CJ Spiller in 2012 compared to last two years with the Bullet We Dodged ramming him straight into the line. Would actually love to get Spiller here and pair him with Ivory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Brown Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Here is an article concerning Gailey..... http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2012/6/21/3105714/buffalo-bills-offense-chan-gailey-spread In the latest of a series of posts in which I address questions submitted by readers, a young man named Ben asked the following question (or, more accurately, simply made an observation) earlier this week: "Mr. G, I think a post describing the offense that Chan Gailey runs would be very interesting." I would tend to agree, of course; hence this post. But describing any NFL offense is not a particularly easy feat, let alone the Buffalo Bills offense that Gailey has installed over the last two-plus years. But hey, it's June, and we're positively made of time right now. It can't hurt to try to cram the essence of an entire pro football offense into one blog post, right? After the jump, I've tried to break down my observations and opinions of Gailey's offense into three main components: space, disguise and niches. (Warning: this is a very long post, and the prototype for why things like Instapaper exist.) SPACE Whenever Gailey's offense is discussed in more general terms, the word "spread" is often referenced. Yes, Gailey's passing offense uses a lot of spread concepts with multiple receivers, but that's only part of the bigger truth: his entire offense begins with the need for space. Gailey himself has mentioned that the design of his offense is meant to stretch the field horizontally, i.e. from sideline to sideline. The team also made an effort to improve their personnel to help them stretch the field vertically, as well, in the form of speedy wide receivers T.J. Graham and David Clowney. This concept is not remotely unique to Gailey, because, well, any football player in any offense at any level is going to need space to operate. The more space, the better - and Gailey's offense, along with many other much higher-octane offenses in the NFL and in college, utilize spread concepts to maximize the amount of space that skill players have to operate in. The base theory of Gailey's Bills offense is simple: get players into space, get them the ball, and let them do what they do best. As such, his running offense is zone-based and prominently features shotgun formations, traps and weak-side runs, while his passing offense is highly reliant on shorter throws, screen passes, and the ability for receivers to pick up yardage after the catch. Power runs? Play-action? Seven-step drops, deep throws and brute physicality? You're far less likely to find them here than in more traditional offensive systems. DISGUISE The word is a bit of a misnomer, but only because it applies to a specific portion of Gailey's offense - everything that happens in the minute or so between snaps. It's helped me tremendously to think of Gailey's offense as a sort of inverted pyramid, which journalism students use to prioritize the importance of facts in writing a news story (in a nutshell: important facts first, filler later). The concept is applicable to anything, really; in this case, I think of the top level (the level with the most breadth) as personnel packages, the middle level as formations and motions, and the bottom level (the "smallest" group, for lack of a better term) as actual play calls. Maybe this will be simpler for some: Gailey's offense is complex only in the sense that it uses a variety of different personnel groupings, formations and motions to execute the same play calls. Without having direct access to the playbook, I'm willing to bet that more so than any other playbook you're likely to find, there's a higher ratio of "how many different ways can we run this one play" than in other systems. In short: lots of formations and motions, lots of personnel groupings, not as many actual plays. It all starts with personnel groupings, and it's there where the most demanding aspect of Gailey's offense lies: players need to know the responsibilities of multiple roles on a given play call, and be able to execute those assignments on game day. That's especially true at receiver, where - as an example - the rookie Graham is currently learning four different positions. The versatility borne of this demand of Gailey's allows the team flexibility in running several different formations with the same personnel group. This helps them better disguise their intentions, as Gailey's offense is largely a "bread and butter" offense - they run what they're good at, try a few new things once in a while, and eliminate what they're not good at. His offense is simple in its execution, but is also constantly evolving. As a quick aside before we get into the third category: this is a good spot to talk about the offensive line, as well. Their role in the passing offense is fairly straight-forward (don't let Ryan Fitzpatrick get sacked), so we'll ignore that; in the run game, you'll often see guards and centers pulling - along with trapping tight ends and receivers - to generate creases in the running game. It's a zone-blocking scheme, and the Bills feature two running backs that are either not very big (C.J. Spiller), or are able to "get skinny" in the hole (Fred Jackson). The sheer size of the line - especially the tackles - helps disguise some play execution, to an extent, in the running game. (As an example: if Spiller is running to the right, sometimes it's just flat-out difficult for defenders to see him until he's run by Erik Pears.) This may explain the team's preference for mass rather than athleticism in the players it's acquired. For the record, however, three of the Bills' projected starting linemen (Cordy Glenn, Andy Levitre and Eric Wood) are all very mobile players, and Gailey has taken good advantage of said mobility with Levitre and Wood in the run game. NICHES We'll get into why I believe Gailey's offense has evolved to the point where niches are crucial in a bit. For now, the bigger point is this: in terms of personnel, Gailey is highly reliant on niches, which can be broken down into roles first and specialists second. When Buffalo's offense has been at its best under Gailey, it's been operating out of a three-receiver, one-tight end and one-back set. This coming season, that five-man personnel package could feature, for example: Stevie Johnson, Donald Jones, David Nelson, Scott Chandler and Fred Jackson. Gailey has leaned heavily on two types of receiving roles: "outside" guys (i.e. split ends and flankers) and "inside" guys (i.e. slot receivers and tight ends). This personnel grouping has worked out well largely because the two "inside" guys - Nelson and Chandler - are highly interchangeable, and thus help disguise some play calls. (They're also decent blockers, which helps Gailey design blocking schemes to aid the line.) The team appears to be heading toward a similar situation with outside receivers, where Johnson, Jones and Derek Hagan can all be moved around (i.e. play both outside, but also sneak inside on occasion). Assuming that Jones and Hagan can contribute consistently, this will allow the team to put Johnson in more positions to make plays out of the slot, where he is explosive. A big question mark that I've harped on all off-season can be applied to "roles," as well: so far, we haven't seen a Gailey offense that features two prominent running back roles. Will he be able to mold two roles to accommodate two starting-level backs in Jackson or Spiller, or will the two backs have to, essentially, split one role? Roles leave cracks, however, and Gailey fills them in with specialists. On occasion, the team will need a blocking specialist, so he'll call on either fullback Corey McIntyre or tight end Lee Smith. The team signed free agent Brad Smith with the idea of building an entirely new Wildcat package around him - and when they were actually able to use it in 2011, it provided a useful additional wrinkle to the offense. As we speak, the team is trying out street free agent Dorin Dickerson in an H-Back role that the team has apparently been looking to experiment with. The idea of niches would seem to contradict the idea of disguise: if a player is asked to know multiple roles in the playbook, how can a player like Nelson, for example, be shoe-horned into one specific role? The answer is fairly simple: as much as he can, Gailey gets the ball to his skill players in positions where he knows they'll excel. Everything else is window dressing, disguised to increase the efficiency of the offense by a) having everyone on the same page, and disguising intent. Why has Gailey's offense evolved with such a high reliance on niches? I believe it comes down to the organization's philosophy that a competitive offense can be fielded without sacrificing large resources (whereas, on defense, they clearly believe that to keep up with the modern offense, you need to spend high-quality resources on exceptional athletes). Take a look at the skill players that are expected to be prominently featured this year, and how they were acquired: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: inherited from previous regime (former Round 7 pick) RB Fred Jackson: inherited (former undrafted free agent) RB C.J. Spiller: Round 1 pick WR Stevie Johnson: inherited (former Round 7 pick) WR David Nelson: undrafted free agent WR Donald Jones: undrafted free agent WR Derek Hagan: street free agent TE Scott Chandler: street free agent That's not to say that the Bills are averse to putting resources into the offense, of course. Fitzpatrick, Johnson and Jackson have all gotten lucrative contract extensions from the team, and Spiller was a Top 10 pick. Right now, however, the team's top-level personnel dictates that Gailey work his offense in this fashion. If he were still fortunate enough to coach Calvin Johnson - a guy that can't be stopped no matter how ill-disguised a play is - I'm certain the offense would look different. Whew. If you made it down here, you're a trooper. While I go contemplate my future with carpal tunnel, leave your comments below, and I'll return at some point to answer anyone's questions. One last reminder: keep in mind that this is just my interpretation of Gailey's offense. I'd be interested in hearing anyone else's, as well! ______________________________________________________________________________ So the idea that Gailey is some kind of bum is certainly not true. Is he Chip Kelly no but he is certainly better than Sparano and others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prime21 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Rookie HC going with about as experienced a guy as you can find. Says a lot about Bowles IMO. I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Harris Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 I wonder if Gailey is a Wolf-Caserrly hire, or Mcgagnan or Bowles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Rookie HC going with about as experienced a guy as you can find. Says a lot about Bowles IMO. Yeah, I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 So... MacCagnan in Houston, signs Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gailey from Buffalo, coached Ryan Fitzpatrick. See where I'm going here? Houston is obviously going to roll with Mallett and Savage next year. Everything I'm reading about Gailey is that he develops his offense around what he has personnel-wise, rather than just forcing a system on the players he has. Same description I've heard of Bowles. Two coaches that can tailor what they do to the talent they've got? Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt39 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 So... MacCagnan in Houston, signs Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gailey from Buffalo, coached Ryan Fitzpatrick. See where I'm going here? Houston is obviously going to roll with Mallett and Savage next year. Everything I'm reading about Gailey is that he develops his offense around what he has personnel-wise, rather than just forcing a system on the players he has. Same description I've heard of Bowles. Two coaches that can tailor what they do to the talent they've got? Wow. Believe CJ Spiller is a FA too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Harris Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Schefter says that Gailey was Bowle's choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSJ Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 The spread + Geno = something that finally makes sense from this damn organization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetlife33 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 So... MacCagnan in Houston, signs Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gailey from Buffalo, coached Ryan Fitzpatrick. See where I'm going here? Houston is obviously going to roll with Mallett and Savage next year. Everything I'm reading about Gailey is that he develops his offense around what he has personnel-wise, rather than just forcing a system on the players he has. Same description I've heard of Bowles. Two coaches that can tailor what they do to the talent they've got? Wow. Feels good to hear, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 The spread + Geno = something that finally makes sense from this damn organization. Good point, lol. Feels good to hear, doesn't it? Hell yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jettington Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Chan Gailey is trending WORLDWIDE on twitter...how and why is this happening? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Troll Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Believe CJ Spiller is a FA too He will be a Jet. CJ Spiller and Christopher Ivory, together in perfect harmony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: inherited from previous regime (former Round 7 pick) RB Fred Jackson: inherited (former undrafted free agent) RB C.J. Spiller: Round 1 pick WR Stevie Johnson: inherited (former Round 7 pick) WR David Nelson: undrafted free agent WR Donald Jones: undrafted free agent WR Derek Hagan: street free agent TE Scott Chandler: street free agent Holy crap. I had no idea that entire offense was made up of scrap heap and 7th rounders, and Spiller. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 It's a great hire. He puts his players in the best position to succeed. See CJ Spiller in 2012 compared to last two years with the Bullet We Dodged ramming him straight into the line. Would actually love to get Spiller here and pair him with Ivory. I lol'd. Gailey's a very quality hire, and also down to pair Spiller with Ivory. I like what's happening. With a young roster and money to play with, these guys can hit the ground running. I am going to enjoy Geno's breakout season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Well, this thread has made me feel better about hiring Chan Gailey. When I first saw that he was going to be our OC, I was like "what?" "I'd rather have CTM." I guess for a rookie HC it actually is a good move at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patman Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 He might not bring new wrinkles but he is a competent experienced guy. Also a guy with HC exp that can take some of the organizational responsibilities while Bowles get his feet wet. Schwartz would be a nice hire for DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnitedWhofans Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Gailey is like norv turner. Good oc but terrible hc. Yep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen X Jet Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 So Fitzy is coming in to play QB next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southtown24th Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 So Fitzy is coming in to play QB next year? Let's effing hope not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
win4ever Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I don't know about this hire. I heard pretty much the same thing when MM was hired "Great OC, bad HC", "Always has good offenses" , etc. I hope it works out, and I'm not sure what Gailey runs, but I would love for us to go spread instead of the system of seeing Geno trip over peddling backward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Harris Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 I'm worried after listening to Westhoff - a guy I think cuts it dead straight. He's less than thrilled, says he worked with him and isn't as enamored as he's been with other OC's he's worked with. He really wasn't pleased with Gailey. He seems like an old re-tread to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Let's effing hope not. As far as stop-gap QB's go, you could do a lot worse. And I love the idea of grabbing Spiller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetsfan80 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I'm worried after listening to Westhoff - a guy I think cuts it dead straight. He's less than thrilled, says he worked with him and isn't as enamored as he's been with other OC's he's worked with. He really wasn't pleased with Gailey. He seems like an old re-tread to me. Even if Westhoff is right, an old veteran is preferable to some young QB coach. That being said we'll all be complaining about him when Fitzpatrick/Geno/rookie struggles to put points on the board. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetlife33 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I was a guy who wanted Fitz last offseason to compete with Geno, not vick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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