McCarthy Tomlin
McCarthy Tomlin
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a new era. Mike McCarthy is leading this team, not Mike Tomlin. Still, after 19 years, the Steelers have already changed plenty, so it would be foolish not to examine and note the differences. If New Coke can be compared to the classic, we can do the same for head coaches.
It’s not to claim which is better or worse; each style is different. But for those who haven’t made it out to camp, I wanted to track exactly how McCarthy’s camp differs from the previous regime’s.
Below is an outline of each coach’s camp practice schedule. To keep it apples to apples, I selected padded practices at Saint Vincent College, not the night practice at the high school. We’ll follow it up with a bit of extra analysis.
Mike McCarthy Mike Tomlin
Stretch Line (No Coaches On Field, Led By S&C) Stretch Line (Tomlin On Field, Led by S&C)
Install/Warmup (No Defense) Install/Warmup (No Defense)
Team Period (‘2 Spot’ Walkthrough, Dual 11-on-11) Individual/Pods Period (Combined)
Special Teams Period (Work Multiple Units) Team Period (‘7 Shots’ – Live)
Individual Period Competition Period (1v1)
Pods Period Team Period (Live When In Pads)
OL vs DL + 7-on-7 Special Teams Period
Team Period (Not Live) Team Period (Not Live)
Team Period (Not Live) Team Period (Not Live)
Team Period (Often 2 Minute Drill – Not Live) Special Teams Period
OL vs DL + 7-on-7
Team Period (Not Live)
Both coaches have a similar beginning to practice, although McCarthy’s coaches don’t take the field until the stretch line is over. After warmups, Mike McCarthy begins with a walkthrough team period split into two groups. One goes on the near field by the bleachers, the other on the middle field. Tomlin would begin with individual work.
Tomlin was quicker to get into a true team period with “Seven Shots,” seven plays from the 2-yard line to begin each team portion of practice. He also had true 1-on-1 competition periods. That happens to a much lesser degree under McCarthy. There’s a little bit of it, but it’s far from a staple or a true period on its own.
As has been well documented, Tomlin’s padded practices would be live in Seven Shots (though the nature of the period made tackling less common) and the “team run” period that would follow after the competition period. McCarthy’s sessions aren’t designed to go to the ground, though there have been a few quality hits during practice.
McCarthy has just one dedicated special teams period. He splits it off into multiple units. For example, the team might begin working on field goals followed by repping kick coverage/return. Tomlin would have two periods often dedicated to one unit at a time.
In the above layout, Tomlin would have one more team period than McCarthy: five versus four. In fairness, some of McCarthy’s longer practices had additional team periods, and there are days the team has run roughly 60 total plays of 11-on-11, excluding the walkthrough period.
McCarthy creates “Franco moments,” sudden-change team periods where they’re focused on a situation. Alerted by the Monday Night theme music, it might be two-minute, third/fourth down, or the offense being backed up on its own 1-yard line.
McCarthy has run more two-minute drills than Tomlin, especially early in camp. But both coaches have purposes for their team situations of choice.
Some other odds and ends.
– McCarthy has dedicated hydration breaks the team calls “TV timeouts” to simulate in-game stoppages. They’re upwards of two minutes and break up periods, especially between team sessions.
– Tomlin’s voice was a presence on the field. McCarthy is much quieter. You really don’t hear McCarthy during practice. The loudest voice on the field is Chief of Staff Steve Scarnecchia, who carries a megaphone to alert players of the next drill and where to go. Director of Performance Integration and Sports Science Grant Thorne, who leads the team through the stretch line, has the second-loudest voice.
None of the positional coaches are very loud. Tight ends coach Robert Kugler might have the loudest voice, but it helps the tight ends work close to the bleachers. Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman is occasionally audible when he’s excited about a rep. It’s not a plus or minus, just a difference.
– Mike Tomlin had four benches with coverings for shade. Players would lounge on them before practice and between periods, especially starters on offense/defense during special teams periods. McCarthy removed those.
By the way, the four benches that sat between the best and middle field have been removed for Mike McCarthy's camp. No place to sit or find some shade between periods or before practice. #Steelers https://t.co/SbSNI5E6M6
– McCarthy’s practices are higher tempo with players rarely standing around. That’s generally a positive, though I don’t think players are watching film on the sidelines as they would under Tomlin. However, McCarthy has more cameras to film practice, including a handheld pole camera a staffer follows the quarterbacks around taping.
– Mike McCarthy speaks before practice. Mike Tomlin spoke after. McCarthy’s pressers are longer, often over 10 minutes. Tomlin’s would be under five. McCarthy doesn’t offer a consistent injury report in camp. Tomlin would offer a quick run-through before opening up for questions.
– Mike Tomlin would walk around among all the position groups. Mike McCarthy has primarily stayed with the offense and near the quarterbacks. That isn’t always the case; I’ve watched him take in a special teams drill while the quarterbacks worked with positional coach Tom Arth on the side. But he’s not often with the defense since he serves as the Steelers’ playcaller.
McCarthy has stuck around the young quarterbacks, Will Howard and Drew Allar, plenty. A benefit of already having a long relationship with Aaron Rodgers, who knows his scheme, philosophy, and voice when he calls plays.
– Finally, the Steelers built a new indoor facility this year. It’s a smart and frankly, overdue, move that beats the team doing gymnasium walkthroughs when bad weather rolls in. It’s unfortunate for fans who, like yesterday, make the trek to Latrobe only to find out the campus is closed and barely ever see any of the players, let alone watch them practice.
Pittsburgh may start using this facility at any sign of rain. It barely rained on campus yesterday, but the team still hurried off to the facility with school buses transporting most players from the main facility to the indoor field. Players aren’t in pads; fans can’t watch. A missed opportunity for all.