Aaron Kromer’s 1st interview since returning to Bills as OL coach

[YoloinOhio]

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/offensive-line-coach-aaron-kromer-returns-to-a-bills-team-thats-nothing-like-the-one/article_2707de22-e8cc-11ec-9560-1f401920b449.html

Quote

At this stage in the offseason, teams are limited in the amount of physical contact that is permitted at practice. Obviously, that limits some of what the offensive linemen can do, but Kromer said his group is still making significant progress.

“We're wearing helmets and shorts. Luckily, we teach a lot of hands blocking,” he said.

“Controlling your guys with your hands, so that works out well with no pads on, you don't have to smash into each other to get that done – no matter what scheme it is. We're really trying to build the fundamentals and the ideals of the offense right now and then carry it into the padded training camp.”

During his two seasons in Buffalo, the Bills led the NFL in rushing both years, averaging 152.0 yards in 2015 and 164.4 yards in 2016.

“I think it's a physical brand,” Kromer, 55, said of his preferred scheme. “I would tell you if you compartmentalize schemes, you can minimize what you work on. So if we're running a zone scheme, we're working on these things. This is the criteria that has to be right to make this play work. Then, you have gap schemes, and there are different ways to get the gaps, but if you compartmentalize that technique, what you're trying to get done, what the goal of the offense is, you can run multiple schemes.

“That's where I think we're at, and that's where I believe you have the most success, is when you can run gap schemes and zone schemes – whatever schemes you feel are necessary for your talent. You can't hit a round peg into a square hole and hope that you're going to run this zone play if that doesn't fit, or hope you're going to run this gap play if that doesn't fit. So, what's best for your people? What's best for your running backs, your quarterback? That's what you need to do best.”

 

[Long Suffering Fan]

36 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

You can't hit a round peg into a square hole and hope that you're going to run this zone play if that doesn't fit, or hope you're going to run this gap play if that doesn't fit.

 

Good to hear.  I'm not sure it is super deep, but this is still more than what I would normally even expect from one of these interviews which are normally coach speak.  Tailoring the scheme for your players is a good thing to hear from him.

[BillsShredder83]

Whooooo?

 

Ohhhhhh, "Beach chairs" lol love this guy and my fav nickname right meow

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

58 minutes ago, Long Suffering Fan said:

 

Good to hear.  I'm not sure it is super deep, but this is still more than what I would normally even expect from one of these interviews which are normally coach speak.  Tailoring the scheme for your players is a good thing to hear from him.

This sounds like the complete opposite of whatever the hell Rex Ryan was trying to do with our roster

[Long Suffering Fan]

Just now, Allen2Diggs said:

This sounds like the complete opposite of whatever the hell Rex Ryan was trying to do with our roster

 

Yep.  I was downright depressed the day the Bills hired him.

 

Even older, that was what Greggo did.  We had the number 1 defense and the number 3 defense in successive years (by the yards metric which is far from perfect, but still).  He came in the following year and completely scrapped our scheme for his and none of our players were suited for it.  When asked about it, he pointed to the fact his defense was number 1 the previous year so it was a better scheme than our number 3 defense.  I knew in that moment that he would fail.

[JoeF]

"I love this interview."  "Great job Coach!."

 

[billybrew1]

3 hours ago, YoloinOhio said:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/offensive-line-coach-aaron-kromer-returns-to-a-bills-team-thats-nothing-like-the-one/article_2707de22-e8cc-11ec-9560-1f401920b449.html

 

Can Kromer fix Ford?

 

I think we’re lacking depth otherwise….

[eball]

I’ve been beating this drum since it was announced. Beach chairs is the most important coaching hire we’ve made in a while.  All of you “worriers” about the OL are about to see that Bobby Johnson was a joke. 
 

[Rico]

33 minutes ago, billybrew1 said:

Can Kromer fix Ford?

 

I think we’re lacking depth otherwise….

Hope so.

 

Did he fix Kujo?

[somnus00]

6 minutes ago, Rico said:

Hope so.

 

Did he fix Kujo?

Didn't Kujo have the knees of a 70 year old, retired powerlifter?

[Rico]

6 minutes ago, somnus00 said:

Didn't Kujo have the knees of a 70 year old, retired powerlifter?

Maybe, I only know he was another Whaley gem.

 

Now, Cody Ford may be much maligned, but he showed me more his rookie year than Kujo ever did, so I am hopeful.

[That's No Moon]

1 hour ago, somnus00 said:

Didn't Kujo have the knees of a 70 year old, retired powerlifter?

Until he was prancing like a gazelle whilst nude in the median of the 219.

[Mikie's Bills]

2 hours ago, Rico said:

Hope so.

 

Did he fix Kujo?

Kujo was actually pretty solid in spot duty when he played I thought, just was never healthy. Just looked up his PFF stats and found the following:

Quote

 

Last season, Kouandjio’s overall grade of 76.7 ranked 34th among 78 qualifying NFL tackles.

Kouandjio was also 29th out of 74 tackles with a pass-blocking efficiency of 95.2.

Over 207 pass-blocking snaps, Kouandjio didn’t allow a single QB hit, and surrendered only one sack. However, he did allow 12 QB hurries.

Kouandjio’s playing time did increase from 2015, as he went from playing only 234 snaps due to injuries to 406 in 2016.

 

https://www.pff.com/news/pro-bills-release-offensive-tackle-cyrus-kouandjio

 

Ford on the other hand is just plain bad. The Washington game last year was the worst performance by any Bill lineman I can remember.

[BADOLBILZ]

4 hours ago, Rico said:

Maybe, I only know he was another Whaley gem.

 

Now, Cody Ford may be much maligned, but he showed me more his rookie year than Kujo ever did, so I am hopeful.

 

Nah,  Ford has been awful.   He was bad as a rookie and then cost the team the playoff game with that totally unnecessary dumb personal foul penalty.

 

Cyrus actually had a really nice 2016 season.......and he started at LT for 5 games in place of Glenn and excelled.  He didn't allow a QB hit that (though he was credited with allowing a sack).    He could only play LT because the nerve damage in his one knee was so bad that he couldn't fire out of his stance on the right side.   

 

He was a bad draft pick but Ford has been a total bum and trading up for him was brutal........and immortalized by the inaugural "Imbedded" series.    

[RyanC883]

5 hours ago, somnus00 said:

Didn't Kujo have the knees of a 70 year old, retired powerlifter?

yep.  Terrible draft pick. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 hours ago, Mikie's Bills said:

Kujo was actually pretty solid in spot duty when he played I thought, just was never healthy. Just looked up his PFF stats and found the following:

https://www.pff.com/news/pro-bills-release-offensive-tackle-cyrus-kouandjio

 

Ford on the other hand is just plain bad. The Washington game last year was the worst performance by any Bill lineman I can remember.

Ford looks like he doesn’t workout.

[GunnerBill]

3 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Nah,  Ford has been awful.   He was bad as a rookie and then cost the team the playoff game with that totally unnecessary dumb personal foul penalty.

 

Cyrus actually had a really nice 2016 season.......and he started at LT for 5 games in place of Glenn and excelled.  He didn't allow a QB hit that (though he was credited with allowing a sack).    He could only play LT because the nerve damage in his one knee was so bad that he couldn't fire out of his stance on the right side.   

 

He was a bad draft pick but Ford has been a total bum and trading up for him was brutal........and immortalized by the inaugural "Imbedded" series.    

 

Yea the probelm with Koujo other than an unstable off field situation was they drafted him to play right tackle and only afterwards realised he was physically incapable of that because of his knee. So they ended up having spent a 2nd round pick on a backup left tackle....

[Doc Brown]

8 hours ago, billybrew1 said:

Can Kromer fix Ford?

 

I think we’re lacking depth otherwise….

I'm glad they got Kromer on Ford's last year on his rookie contract as I've been less than impressed with our o-line coaches since McDermott has gotten here.

[Mr. WEO]

16 hours ago, Long Suffering Fan said:

 

Good to hear.  I'm not sure it is super deep, but this is still more than what I would normally even expect from one of these interviews which are normally coach speak.  Tailoring the scheme for your players is a good thing to hear from him.

 

 

"Fit them up"....

[Rockinon]

14 hours ago, eball said:

I’ve been beating this drum since it was announced. Beach chairs is the most important coaching hire we’ve made in a while.  All of you “worriers” about the OL are about to see that Bobby Johnson was a joke. 
 

I agree 100%. Kromer I think will not only coach the OL, but also be a valuable asset designing the offensive game plan from week to week. The guy knows how to draw up a running play.