Batch discusses Haley on TribLive

I caught up with Batch on Monday during my radio show on TribLive (you can listen to the entire show/interview here “The Mark Kaboly Show” and he had plenty to say and especially about Todd Haley and Ben Roethlisberger when it comes to running the no huddle offense.

Part of my film session article in today’s Trib was dedicated to the amount of time and the success Roethlisberger had with the no huddle offense in the 55-31 loss to the Patriots* on Sunday.

Roethlisberger used the no huddle over the final nine series to great success.


Roethlisberger ran 33 plays out of the no huddle and went 16 of 27 for 217 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. Roethlisberger also called four running plays that resulted in 43 yards. All 31 of the Steelers points were scored during drives that the no huddle was used

So the final stat line was: 260 yards and two touchdowns on 33 plays when Roethlisberger called the plays and 219 yards and two touchdowns on 40 plays when Haley called the plays.

With so much success, it makes you wonder why Roethlisberger doesn’t call the plays more.

Batch had a theory

“If Ben is calling the plays and the plays are working, what is this position of the offensive coordinator?” Batch said. “He isn’t going to get any credit for it because he didn’t call those plays. There is always going to be a clash at the top of who is going to call the plays and when things are working you would love to be the offensive coordinator saying that I called every single play and we went for over 500 yards so my offense is working. I don’t think the rift between Todd and Ben is totally gone.”

Batch said that the playbook is virtually wide open when Roethlisberger goes to the no huddle.

“He would probably have at least 75 percent of the plays … and you can take the whole package and do what you want to do with it,” Batch said. “Ben is capable of flipping formations so that gives you more plays to call. That is something he is comfortable with and I know for a fact that he is comfortable with it. Todd sometimes holds him back because Todd doesn’t necessarily want to change the pace of the game at that point.”

http://blog.triblive.com/steel-mill/...one-thinks-so


I think Haley should go. I don't follow coaches in the NFL, so I don't know what the answer is, however, I said earlier this year that there is zero chemistry between BB and Haley. In addition, the guy has a whole lot of off field issues as well. This is one head I believe should roll....and right out of Pitt through the Ft. Pitt Tunnels

We can't put all the blame on Haley for not running more no-huddle. Arians also refused to let Ben run it more. Here's a story from two years ago. It should sound familiar:

Quote :

Arians: No hurry for no-huddle

By Scott Brown

Bruce Arians is used to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lobbying for the no-huddle offense.

The Steelers offensive coordinator said he hasn't abandoned the fast-paced attack as much as he hasn't quite reached a comfort level with it. Injuries are partly to blame, Arians said Thursday, particularly on the offensive line.

The Steelers have used six different starting line combinations this season.

"There have been a lot of interchanging pieces," Arians said. "We're not as coherent as I'd like to be with all 11 guys to run a lot of it, but we're capable of running it. And it may become a major force like it has in the past."

Roethlisberger said Wednesday he would like to go no-huddle more frequently than the Steelers have through the first six games.

The Steelers have employed their no-huddle twice this season, with Roethlisberger completing 6 of 13 passes for 86 yards.

Arians chuckled when asked if he has resisted the no-huddle because it takes play-calling duties away from him.

"No, I have all the trust in the world in (Roethlisberger) calling the plays," said Arians, who added the Steelers prepare to use a no-huddle in the third or fourth series of a game if they need it. "It's the other 10 guys in the huddle functioning properly at that speed. (Roethlisberger) can play that a whole lot faster than the other 10 guys. When I see everybody playing as fast as he does in the no-huddle, then I think we'll be more than ready."

Read more: http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_763016.html#ixzz2kEGiF6Us
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Sure, it's easy to look and see that the no-huddle has been successful when we've used it under both Arians and Haley. But when is it used? When scores are needed quickly. And when is that? Before the half or when the Steelers are down big late in a game. During those situations, defenses aren't rushing as many defenders and are playing back and giving up the underneath routes. Watch any game, and most offenses are able to move the ball in those situations.

If the Steelers used the no-huddle as a regular offense against base defenses, it wouldn't be nearly as successful as it is in the situations in which we use it. Plus, as Arians said, you have to factor in the ever-changing offensive line. There's a reason why Arians didn't use it more and why Haley doesn't use it more, and I don't think it has anything to do with their egos. If it was all about the OC's ego and Rooney felt the no-huddle was the way to go, he would have ordered Arians, and now Haley, to use it more just like he ordered Arians to run the ball more effectively.

I can't believe I just defended Arians.  

I did, however, find this quote from Batch interesting ..

Quote :

"I don’t think the rift between Todd and Ben is totally gone."

B-b-b-b-but I didn't think there WAS a rift between Todd and Ben. I thought the media was just making it up.

Here's a similar scenario when Arians was with the Colts last season:

Quote :

Why Arians slowed down his no-huddle

By Paul Kuharsky | ESPN.com

As the Indianapolis Colts have installed their offense with Andrew Luck at quarterback, any issues regarding how much and how soon have not revolved around the rookie quarterback.

"He can handle the entire playbook and no huddle, everything,” offensive coordinator Bruce Arians told Dan Pompei of the National Football Post. “We’ve been taking baby steps with the no huddle part of it because of the rest of the guys. I have to watch myself. I fall into this trap with a smart quarterback, go head over heels, putting stuff in.

"The rest of the coaches say, ‘Hey coach, my guys can’t learn that. You have to slow down man.’ We can’t judge it off him because his learning curve is so fast. I have to judge it off the tight ends and receivers and running backs so we don’t get the quarterback killed.”

Just because Luck can take things on at an accelerated pace, doesn’t mean the guys around him can. And those are the guys who set the pace.

During Norm Chow’s brief stint as the Titans offensive coordinator, I had a conversation with him about this sort of thing.

He said one challenge in the meeting room, perhaps the biggest challenge, is installing stuff only as fast as the slowest guy can really get it, while not boring the fastest guy.

It sounds like that’s what Arians has reminded himself to do with the Colts’ no-huddle.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/40161/why-arians-slowed-down-his-no-huddle

As much as Ben gets clobbered now, he'd probably get killed if they consistently ran more no-huddle against base defenses.

There was a rift between Ben and Todd last year, and that was more Ben being whiny about Arians being fired (which I believed he should've been relieved of his duties).

Ben never embraced Todd's offense, and to be honest, I don't believe that he has totally embraced it this season. Which doesn't bode well for Haley. The Steelers FO has too much money invested in Ben to let him go right now, and IMO, they feel that the Steelers are just a few key players from being at the top (yet again).

Todd doesn't get credit for the no-huddle, but the sad part is, it's his offensive schemes Ben is calling (and apparently with a few of Arians - God can we ever truly get away from him - wrinkles thrown in).

All signs point to the fact that if the offensive trends continue (damn the injuries), Todd Haley won't be a Steelers coach much longer.