Stephen Johnston

This coach is taking a lot of heat for this drill - unfairly. I had two offensive line coaches early in my career who ran drills I didn’t fully understand at the time. But there was no social media for them to be critiqued. If it were available, you guys would’ve LIT THEM UP😅. Ironically, they became two of the BEST coaches I ever had because they taught the most important element of offensive line play: Mentality. If people want to have an honest conversation about why offensive line play feels softer today, I’d point to three things: 1. Mentality Too much weight-room theater and “tough guy” performance, but not enough real edge. 2. Over-emphasis on scheme Offenses are playing faster than ever, but linemen are being asked to process more information than ever. When the brain is overloaded, players hesitate. 3. Information without context There are now a lot of “OL trainers” and podcast experts with strong opinions but very little real résumé behind them. Young players have unlimited information — but very little guidance on how to interpret it. Sometimes development isn’t supposed to look perfect on camera. Sometimes the best development happens away from the field and looks more like building a real relationship with the person, and not just the player. Maybe it’s time the entire OL “industry” quiets down a bit and let coaches coach. Because. Offensive line play was really good long before everyone had a microphone. I have many more thoughts on this topic… so maybe I’ll just do a podcast about them 😂🎙️ #AMDG