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The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of their biggest offseason overhaul in decades. The team decided on a defensive coordinator (promoting Teryl Austin February 9), and it’s in the process of interviewing candidates for their soon-to-be-vacant general manager post. The team also has coaching voids to fill at offensive line and outside linebackers.
And – oh, yeah – they need a quarterback.
But one change that came unexpectedly this week was at an assistant position. In a surprise move, the Steelers announced the hire of Frisman Jackson as receivers coach on February 8.
According to a source of ESPN’s Steelers beat writer Brooke Pryor, Ike Hilliard’s contract to stay on as receivers coach wasn’t renewed. And it doesn’t sound as though the shift went over well in the locker room. Hilliard was “well-liked among the WRs and his departure was a surprise and upsetting to some in the locker room,” Pryor tweeted.
Hilliard, 45, had been with the Steelers for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
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As a player, Jackson spent four seasons with the Cleveland Browns (2002-2005). According to Pro Football Reference, Jackson never started a game in 34 appearances. He contributed 490 yards and one touchdown.
Jackson, 42, has three years of coaching experience in the NFL level, with the Tennessee Titans in 2017 and the Carolina Panthers in 2020-21.
Aside from his season with the Titans, Jackson had coached in a similar capacity collegiately from 2008 to 2019. Pryor reported that Jackson is a former colleague of Steelers offensive coordinator Matt Canada. The two worked together at North Carolina State from 2013 to 2014.
Their familiarity might translate to a more efficient and productive wide receiver corps next season.
Down Season for Wide Receivers
After a 2020 season in which the Steelers’ receiving corps led the league in receptions and was seventh in touchdowns, it dropped to 18th in the league in touchdowns while also leading the league in lost fumbles.
No. 1 receiver Diontae Johnson was fifth in the league in receptions, but he also dropped five passes.
Chase Claypool also dropped five passes in his sophomore season. Claypool nearly matched his rookie season in receptions (59 to 62) and receiving yardage (860 to 873), but his two receiving touchdowns were considerably lower than the nine he caught in 2020.
A Different-Looking Steelers
It goes without saying that without Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers offense will look entirely different — even with Matt Canada’s staying put.
When Canada was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator in January 2021, expectations were high. It was his first coordinator gig in the NFL, but what outsiders knew of Canada’s collegiate work was to expect the unexpected.
Pitt Panther fans may remember Canada as the coordinator who installed a record-setting offense in 2016. With a school-record average of 42 points per game, the Panthers had the No. 10 scoring offense in the nation. That offense averaged 448 yards per game and scored 35+ points in all but two games. Canada’s effort earned him a nomination for the Broyles Award (top assistant football coach).
One college football writer called Canada’s offensive concepts intriguing, creative and even revolutionary. Offenses he’s previously installed manipulated defenses with presnap motions and shifts and multiple formations for a single play. He created mismatches to force the defense to make adjustments on the fly. His systems have been anchored by fly sweeps, reverses to tackles, shovel passes to tight ends, misdirections and inverted triple options.
Head coach Mike Tomlin recognized a regression in the offense in 2021 but also looked ahead to 2022.
“I acknowledge that we took a step back,” Tomlin said during his end-of-season press conference on January 18. “I’m optimistic about Matt and what he’s capable of doing.”
Perhaps Canada’s schemes were limited by an immobile Ben Roethlisberger and an inexperienced offensive line. Maybe Canada will get what he needs for an exciting offense in 2022 and Steelers fans will applaud Tomlin’s decision to stick with him.
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