Pete Carroll Explains Decision to Promote Andy Dickerson to Seahawks' Offensive Line Coach
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Among many other factors contributing to a dismal start, the Seahawks found themselves in a 3-8 hole after a Week 12 loss to the Washington Football Team in part due to a running game functioning like a boat without a paddle.
Aside from a 100-yard performance from veteran Alex Collins six weeks earlier in Pittsburgh serving as an exception, injuries in the backfield, inconsistent offensive line play, and the lack of sustained drives limiting opportunities fueled Seattle's struggles on the ground. Leaving a one-dimensional offense in the hands of a well below 100 percent healthy Russell Wilson, it's no wonder the team floundered coming out of its bye with three straight losses and ultimately played itself out of playoff contention before the calendar turned to December.
Looking back on a critical turning point in a season that quickly got away from the Seahawks and put them in unfamiliar territory playing for nothing more than pride down the stretch, coach Pete Carroll wishes he would have been able to do more to get the rushing attack untracked. Whether it was Wilson or backup Geno Smith under center, he felt he didn't do enough to support his quarterbacks and put them into difficult situations as a result.
"We needed to run the ball better and more. And when we did, it just balanced out the game for the offense," Carroll told reporters on Wednesday at the annual scouting combine, citing the Pittsburgh game as an example of how the offense should have looked all along. "To miss those opportunities, that kills me. I got to be better than that. I can't let that happen."
But while it was too little, too late for Seattle to make a last-minute playoff push, Carroll's vision for how he wanted the offense to operate finally started to come together in the final six games. Putting up at least 30 points in each of their four victories during that span, a revitalized Rashaad Penny ran wild behind a surging offensive line, leading the NFL with over 700 rushing yards, ripping off eight runs of 25 or more yards, and scoring six touchdowns.
While Penny rightfully drew praise from Carroll, offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, and the linemen responsible for blocking for him for his remarkable performance, players such as center Ethan Pocic weren't shy about crediting a newcomer for his important role in waking up the Seahawks' run game. By mixing up formations and dressings, including incorporating more mid-zone concepts with great effectiveness, run game coordinator Andy Dickerson brought a fresh perspective to the offense that paid dividends on the field.
"Coach Andy [Dickerson], he gets it," Pocic said one day after a 38-30 win over Arizona in the season finale. "He's smart, he gets it. Very intelligent, especially with the mid-zone stuff which we really started running well."
Over those final six games, Penny exploded for 130 or more rushing yards four times, including eclipsing 170 yards in victories over the Lions and Cardinals in the final two weeks. Even with starting guards Damien Lewis and Gabe Jackson each sitting out a game apiece and an undrafted rookie in Jake Curhan starting at right tackle, the front line didn't miss a beat opening up creases and protecting Wilson, whose play improved dramatically with a complementary run game and threw seven touchdown passes in those contests.
After watching Seattle's offense play to its potential to close out a tough season on a strong note and do so with both the passing game and running game clicking on all cylinders, while it wasn't a decision he took lightly, Carroll knew he had only one choice to make. Adhering to a philosophy he's subscribed to dating back to his time at USC, it was time to fast-track the 40-year old Dickerson into a much-deserved promotion on his staff.
Aiming to streamline the Seahawks' offense, Carroll met with offensive line coach Mike Solari last month and the two agreed to a mutual parting of ways, opening the door to elevate Dickerson into the same role as Solari's successor and take the next step in his coaching journey.
"Forever in my coaching, I've always looked at young guys, develop them and bring them up, and once you get to know who they are and what they're all about, try to push them where they're strong, where they're capable and all, and where it seems obvious. Andy was one of those guys," Carroll remarked. "He came in with Shane, to give Shane support schematically and to help us transition, and he did all of that. I just saw his impact and his connection with our players. It was just too significant to keep him out of, really, the fundamental interaction that he can have with players and the effect that he can have. So it was a natural move in that regard."
On the practice field, Dickerson's energy and passion for the game were evident on a daily basis, whether he was tossing a ball around with a beaming smile on his face in warmups or teaching technique in walkthroughs. He quickly developed a rapport with his players during offseason activities and training camp that only grew stronger as the season progressed and the unit found its groove in December and January.
Always observing his assistants closely like a hawk, Carroll immediately took notice of Dickerson's attention for detail, ability to instruct fundamentals, and innate knowledge of the scheme Waldron was in the midst of implementing. While Solari had done a great job in four years with the team and didn't deserve to be fired, the writing was already on the wall. For the Seahawks to get the most out of Waldron's offense in 2022 and beyond, Dickerson needed to be granted a greater voice in the operation.
"Again, another difficult decision with a guy I love and we work with, Mike Solari. Beautiful coach, beautiful man, and all that, but it was a part of the move to keep moving forward and developing and accenting really the best that Shane brings as a leader on offense. So it was a good move for us. He does have good relationships with his players. He's very demanding, very technic-oriented, scheme-centered, and the continuity was just too good to not put together."
Officially the lead dog for the first time in his coaching career, Dickerson may be challenged by an offensive line and backfield group that look quite different when OTAs kick off in May. Tackles Duane Brown and Brandon Shell as well as Pocic are all slated to hit free agency, while Penny's rookie contract also expired and he will hit the market on March 16 barring a new deal before then.
But even if a few key components don't return, Carroll's decision to hand the keys to Dickerson now is grounded in steadfast belief that the ascending assistant's creativity, high football IQ, and ability to connect with his players will allow the Seahawks' run game as well as Wilson to pick up right where they left off when the season opens in September. With him and Waldron in lockstep sharing the same vision as the architects of the offense, the hope for a quick return to contender status lies in their hands.
