RZ Recap Part 3
by Longvillian65 | 1 year ago | 0 Comments
“The RZ Recap”
BY: Kirk Herbsteit
As we continue across the country talking to some of the RedZone coaches, we find ourselves making a stop back in the music city. Coach Moji took us out for the night and we got a chance to talk about the past season.
Kirk- Coach, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me. I know that the season is over for your group, but there is never a day off for RZ coaches. So we are wondering: Did the season go as planned? We know not every team can go 17-0, but did the team perform as well as you expected?
Coach Moj- I wish we went further, honestly. But I am proud of this group. In hindsight everyone will say “oh. We knew the Titans would be in the playoffs” but there were a lot of doubters at the start of the season. Rookie QB, older roster everywhere else. I always want to win it all but this team played well all season long. This year was nothing to celebrate, but at the same time it wasn't a total failure.
Kirk- What was one of the bright spots for your team this year?
Coach Moj- I think the balance we had on offense was great. Our Rush/Pass splits were so close to even & we were effective rushing & throwing. Henry was so good & then guys like Hollywood & Patterson really gave us a lot of versatility when dialing up plays
Kirk- Was there any aspect that let you down that you expected better?
Coach Moj-I think going out how we did was disappointing. To get dominated in the trenches, by a better team, sure, but to get pushed around how we did was a let down. The Oline was solid all year & the d line had a great mix of rushers & run stoppers. We just did not execute vs the Chargers & that will stick with me. I thought we could have been better.
Kirk- What holes does this team have that need immediate attention this off season?
Coach Moj- Well we will have a lot of new faces here next year. Just coming into this season there were a lot of vets & I only added more to make a run. With $85M in cap space but not a lot of picks, there will have to be smart cap management moving forward. I expect us to get younger in spots then plug holes with some vets on 1 year deals. Addressing some of those spots with long term options down the line
Kirk- Do you plan on making any coaching changes going forward this season?
Coach Jim- No
Kirk- This is a fun question to ask. Are you adaptable? Will you adapt your style and scheme for the players you have and injuries we will sustain or will the players fit the system you are introducing regardless?
Coach Moj- We have a very specific scheme we run here in Baltimore and try to get players who fit that.As most humans are creatures of habit it is hard to change what you believe in. The ol 3 yards and a cloud of dust with defense wins championships mentality doesn’t cut it anymore. Change takes time and I am making the effort to adapt the offense to be able to handle what the defense throws at us instead of the run first, second, and third.
Kirk- Do you, your staff, or players pay any attention to the media? Do you believe that the media plays a role within decision making or game play?
Coach Moj-Yes, we will be moving to a 3-4 playbook defensively. Historically my teams run a 3-4 but I adjusted to fit my team. I think the 3-4 allows us to disguise things more. Having more guys standing off the LOS, it's harder to pick up whose rushing & whose dropping back. I think in the long run this will help us & can now get the right pieces in the door to make the 34 work
Kirk- We have seen where coaches like Brian Daboll and Dan Campbell were hard on their athletes during practices and do not mind making it hard on everyone. How did you approach your practices and would you have done anything differently at the start of the season?
Coach Moj- I think this is a great question. Practice is so dependent on your roster. I am a firm believer in having your guys as healthy and fresh for the playoffs as possible. But if you're a young team that really has to focus on development, you should be pushing those kids harder than a team of established vets. I mean this past season we pushed Will pretty hard in practice, but as a rookie he could use the work. Some of my veteran lineman? Not so much. I'd rather them be fresh & ready to go on Sundays.
Kirk- What expectations do you have for next season?
Coach Moj- We are in a bit of a transition. Lots of turnover & not a lot of picks. So like I mentioned earlier there will be lots of stop gaps in the lineup as we continue to add to the core. I always want to win & the SB is my goal every season. Playoffs are a requirement around here. Missing them is always unacceptable. How far we go in the playoffs is what determines the success of my season. With so many questions as we wait for the offseason to get here, I'd say this team should get back to the divisional round. We have a tough division, in a brutal conference, but we will make sure we have the best possible 53 out there to continue to compete. I am very excited to dive into this offseason & be able to really reconstruct a lot of the roster.
Coach Moj is not one to hold back on his answers. One thing we know for sure is that the key to success is locked in Coach’s safe and he will be getting it out for the off season. We look at Coach making a big splash this off season and revamp the aging roster. Our second to last stop takes us to Skoal Country to talk to Coach LD. Thanks for reading and let us know if there is a coach you would like to see on RZ Recap.