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DeLain -> RE: General Vikes Talk (1/7/2020 9:58:31 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Bill Jandro
Stefanski needs to be more unpredictable. His play calling in the 2nd half was run Cook on first and 2nd down then face a 3rd and long.
NO's made an adjustment at halftime and shut our running game down. mainly by bringing one of the deep S's down in the box which should have opened up more passing lanes and Stefanski didn't make them pay.
Zimmer was asked about Stefanski's growth as a play caller at crunch time..."um well, there is a lot of communication going on with everybody..um..through that whole group. Kevin's done a good job..but there is a lot of communication going on with Rick and um Gary as well"
That comment didn't make the presser notes.
Makes sense now that I think about it, but I didn't know that Rick Dennison (run game OC/OL coach) had that much influence on the play calling.
Rick Dennison brings a wealth of offensive experience to the Vikings in 2019 as the club’s Offensive Line coach. Entering his 25th season of coaching in the NFL, Dennison has been part of 12 playoff appearances, 5 division titles, and 3 Super Bowl victories- XXXII, XXXIII and 50.
Dennison has been a part of winning programs, posting a .500 or better record in 19 of his 24 NFL seasons and has been part of 11 seasons of 10+ wins under his belt in the NFL. His 17 seasons in Denver resulted in 3 Super Bowl titles, 8 playoff appearances, 4 AFC West titles and 8 seasons of 10+ wins while only suffering 2 losing seasons.
Dennison has coached 18 different Pro Bowl players across 7 different positions, including 6 offensive linemen. Of those 6, 5 made their 1st Pro Bowl appearance under him, while 3 made all their trips with him as their coach. In Dennison’s time as a OL coach and offensive coordinator his rushing offenses have averaged 2,038 yards a season (127.4 yards per game) and 4.4 yards per carry while producing 14.3 touchdowns a season.
Prior to joining the Vikings, Dennison served on the staffs of the New York Jets (2018), Buffalo Bills (2017), Baltimore Ravens (2014), Houston Texans (2010-13) and two stints with the Denver Broncos (1995-2009, ‘15-16) in a variety of roles.
In 2018, Dennison’s lone season as the Jets OL coach/run game coordinator, the group allowed 10 fewer sacks (37) than it did in 2017, protecting QB Sam Darnold as he set team rookie records for passing TDs (17) and passing yards per game (220.4)
In 2017 Dennison was offensive coordinator for the Bills, helping a Buffalo offense that ranked 6th in rushing as both running back LeSean McCoy and guard Richie Incognito received Pro Bowl recognition.
In his return to Denver as the offensive coordinator in 2015, Dennison oversaw the Broncos offense as the team navigated a difficult schedule to finish with a 12-4 record, the AFC West Division title and the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Despite mid-season injury to Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning, Dennison helped the Broncos go 5-2 in QB Brock Osweiler’s 1st 7 career starts before Manning returned in Week 17. The offense went on to commit just 3 turnovers during the postseason to help secure a world championship in Super Bowl 50 over Carolina.
Following Manning’s retirement after the 2015 season Dennison coached 1st-year starting QB Trevor Siemian, a 7th-round draft pick (#250) in the 2015 NFL Draft. IN 14 games Siemian went 289-for-486 for 3,401 yards, 18 TDs and 10 INTs.
In Dennison’s lone season with Baltimore (2014) and only season coaching QBs, Joe Flacco established career highs in passing yards (3,986) and TD passes (27) and posted a combined 8 games with a passer rating above 100.0 while being sacked just 19 times—29 fewer than the previous year.
In Houston (2010-13), Texans running backs produced an NFL-best 29 individual 100-yard rushing performances, including 24 by Arian Foster, who was named an AP All-Pro selection 3 times in his 4 years under Dennison. During the 2012 season, 7 of Houston’s 11 starters on offense were Pro Bowlers.
His first stint as an NFL offensive coordinator came with the Broncos (2006-08). Their offense ranked 7th in the NFL (350.5 yards per game) as Dennison oversaw 1 of just 2 units in the league to rank in the top 10 in both passing and rushing. He previously worked as the team’s offensive line coach (2001-05) and special teams coach (1997-2000). From 2001-05 Denver led the NFL in rushing in that 5-season span, averaging 145.6 yards per game on the ground and 2,328 yards per season on average.
During his tenure as special teams coach in Denver the club won consecutive Super Bowls, topping Green Bay for the Super Bowl XXXII title and following it up in John Elway’s final game with a Super Bowl XXXIII victory over Atlanta.
Dennison originally joined the Denver staff in 1995 after spending the previous 3 years coaching at the high school level for Suffield (Conn.) Academy. He worked for 2 years in Denver as an offensive assistant (1995-96) before being promoted to special teams coach the next season.
Undrafted out of Colorado State University, Dennison played 9 seasons at LB for the Broncos, appearing in 128 games (52 starts) and totaling 514 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, 6 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries. He participated in 3 Super Bowls as a player and was the team’s recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in 1989.
At CSU, he earned 3 varsity letters and was named a 2nd-team Academic All-American as a senior. Dennison earned 2 degrees in civil engineering from CSU, first his bachelor’s in 1979 and later his master’s degree in 1982.
A native of Kalispell, Montana, Dennison attended Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins, CO, lettering in football, basketball and baseball.
Dennison and his wife, Shannon, have 3 sons, Joseph, Steven and Trey, and twin daughters, Abrynn and Allie. His son, Joseph, is married to Hayley and the couple has 2 sons, Brodrick John Dennison, Ezeckiel George Dennison and expecting a 3rd.
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