Pistol Power- The Coaching Career of Zarek Stryker

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Stryker In As Tennessee Head Coach
Adams Gives Vote Of Confidence To An Old Friend

Nashville, TN: The coaching rumors began to swirl earlier this week when Titans head coach Jeff Fisher was given his walking papers. As usual, the same names swirled around as they did for every team: Bill Parcells. Rex Ryan. Rob Ryan. Bill Cowher. John Gruden. Brian Billick. Joe Gibbs. Even Jim Schwartz’s name was thrown out there. However, none of these guys were given the nod. Instead, Adams went back into the history of Tennessee and pulled out Zarek Stryker, an ex-assistant director of personnel.

“Zarek was with this organization for years in the nineties, and I couldn’t be prouder to bring him back into the fold once again. When he last worked with us, he was instrumental in our draft, almost solely responsible for the drafting of quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George.”

Stryker was with the Oilers from ’91 through their first year as the Titans, the year they went to the Super Bowl. That team lost on the final play, aptly named “The Tackle,” when wide receiver Kevin Dyson was tackled one-yard shy of the end zone on what would have been the game-tying touchdown. After that game, Stryker announced he would not be rejoining the team for the upcoming season.

Headed back to his hometown, Stryker managed to convince a local community college to start up a football team. He even paid for supplies and equipment, wanting students who couldn’t afford a big school to have the opportunity to play the game he loved.

In seven years as head coach, Stryker managed to lead the team to an impressive 59-13 record, including an 8-6 record in the playoffs and two appearances in the championship game, winning one. His aggressive defense led to his teams always being near the top in penalties, but he encouraged the aggressive play.

In 2004, Nevada head coach Chris Ault was credited with the creation of an offensive system known as the “Pistol”, a hybrid of the single back and shotgun formations in which the quarterback stands 4 yards behind the center, and the running back 3 yards behind him. However, Stryker used it at his school, before Ault used the concept, making him the true creator of the system.

Tomorrow we will hold a Q & A with head coach Zarek Stryker, so send in your questions and they just may be asked.

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Who Is Zarek Stryker?

A Brief Interview With The New Titans Coach

After Zarek was announced as the new head coach of the Tennessee Titans, he managed to find some time in his new busy schedule to sit down for an interview.

Q: Zarek, you worked for this organization once before. What’s it like coming back to work for Bud Adams?
A: Bud is a great guy. We’ve kept in contact over the years when I was back home, and I was glad when he called me up to see if I’d be interested in the head coaching position.

Q: Many people questioned why you left the organization after the Super Bowl loss, and there was never a true answer. Why did you leave?
A: After working for years putting together a team, I wanted the opportunity to coach a team. With Jeff’s body of work, I knew I wasn’t going to get the opportunity there any time soon, and no other organization would take a chance on me without any coaching experience. So I went and got some.

Q: But you’ve only coached at the college level, and not even in the FBS. What would that experience possibly bring to the NFL level?
A: Coaching is coaching. It doesn’t matter at what level. If you can succeed at one level, you can succeed at other levels. A good coach can get his players to perform up to and beyond their potential, and that’s what it takes.

Q: In college, you instilled a offense that took off at Nevada, bringing it to the attention to all coaches. What made you design the Pistol offense?
A: I wanted to bring a power running game to the spread offense. Being able to spread the defense with multiple receivers to open the running lanes was a staple in my mind. The shotgun formation didn’t allow the running back to get a running start, meaning we had to rely more on speed and finesse backs, and I like bigger, bruising backs. Likewise, the single back formation didn’t allow the quarterback to see the whole field like he could in the shotgun. My pistol offense was designed to allow the advantages of both formations, and it took off well.

Q: I’ll say. Now, a lot of your defensive players have been considered dirty over the years, but you’ve always downplayed that. Why would others consider them dirty players while you don’t?
A: I’ve coached my defenses to always play physical, and to play through the whistle. We jam receivers at the line on almost every play, and we had a solid rotation of players to go through and keep everyone fresh, so we could best the offense.

Q: You said you used a physical defense, and we’ve seen many different formations from your defenses. What type of defense do you actually run?
A: That’s a loaded question. It’s not really one type of defense. If anything, I would call it a man-to-man defense simply because it can’t be classified as a 4-3, 3-4, Tampa 2, 46, or anything of the sort. I have packages that instill all different types of defense that will be utilized in situations that need certain players out on the field.

Q: Over your years coaching, you cut quite a few players midseason. Why was that?
A: Simply put, I demand perfection. I only want players that understand their role and know that I will use them if they are needed for that time, or if I only need them for depth.

Q: So you have a low tolerance?
A: Yes. I have a low tolerance. If a player complains to the media, they will be benched. If they miss practice, for whatever reason minus injury, they are cut. I don’t care who you are; I only want team players on my team.

Q: Well, here’s the question you know was coming, and that everyone wants to know: where do you see this team finishing this year?
A: A tough question. Like I said, I demand perfection, so I expect us to win the whole thing. Realistically, though, that’s easier said than done. Indy is always strong with Manning at quarterback and Dungy coaching, and Jacksonville is a really good team. Houston is on the up-and-up, so this is one of the toughest divisions, if not the toughest division, in the NFL.

Q: Thank you for stopping by and answering our questions.
A: Thank you for having me. I look forward to proving to Titan’s fans that Bud put his faith in the right guy. Come out and watch your Titans this year.

Look for our next article detailing all off-season transactions carried out by Stryker and the Titans organization prior to the NFL Draft.

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Who Will Land Where?

Free Agency Set To Kickoff Within The Week

Nashville, TN: The Giants stunned the world when they beat the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl. But that was last year, and all 31 teams who didn’t win have to put it behind them and focus on the upcoming season. There are new head coaches in Baltimore, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, and Tennessee, all of which will have their work cut out for them in the upcoming off-season.

Washington is in dire straits in terms of salary cap, with very little room to maneuver. Baltimore has a great defense, led by Rex Ryan, and only needs the offense to catch up. Miami and Atlanta both had horrible seasons, finishing with the 1^st overall and 3^rd overall picks respectively, and both teams need a lot of work to improve on their dreadful seasons. Tennessee is the surprise team here, finishing 10-6 last year and making the playoffs, but it wasn’t enough to keep Jeff Fisher safe. They are primed to make a run this year, but they have a few players leaving in free agency this year, and it may take its toll in a loaded AFC South.

With free agency right around the corner, we’ve been hearing rumors on who is staying put right where they are, and who will be available to go to the highest bidder. The following franchise tags were sent in to the NFL:
Chicago- OLB Lance Briggs
New England- WR Randy Moss
Pittsburgh- OL Alan Faneca
Baltimore- OLB Terrell Suggs
Oakland- CB Nnamdi Asomugha
Cincinnati- DE Justin Smith
Tennessee- K Rob Bironas

With those players franchised for this year, it opened a good look at the free agency class for this year, headlined by some big star players. Albert Haynesworth, Jordan Gross, Asante Samuel, Marion Barber, Marcus Trufant, Eugene Wilson, Jeff Faine, Stacy Andrews, Jake Scott, and Antwan Odom are some of the bigger names out there, leaving plenty of teams able to upgrade their personnel this year.

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Titans Make Splash In Free Agency
Stryker Swiftly Addresses Needs

Nashville, TN: On the eve of free agency, many believed new head coach Zarek Stryker wouldn’t make headlines, but he shot down those rumors right away. “Every team wants to win now, and we are no different. In fact, we were one of the more active teams during this period.”

With a little over $55 million in cap space, Stryker had the room to afford some big name players, and he really worked hard in free agency, completely rehauling the offensive line in free agency. Here’s a complete list of players signed out of free agency by Stryker and the Titans:
1.) FS Eugene Wilson
a. Signed to a 5-year, $23 million contract with a $3.5 million signing bonus. “Wilson is a great safety, a sure tackler who covers extremely well. However, with the current safeties on our roster, Wilson will be moved over to cornerback and pair up with Finnegan to man the outside receivers.”
2.) Re-signed DE Antwan Odom
a. Signed to a 4-year, $29 million contract with a $4 million signing bonus. “Odom was a staple opposite Vanden Bosch last year, and resigning him was a priority for me this offseason, especially after losing Haynesworth. We paid more than I would have liked, so hopefully he’ll play up to this new contract.”
3.) OG Jake Scott
a. Signed to a 4-year, $22 million contract with a $3.5 million signing bonus. “Scott is one of the premier guards in the league, and we need big, strong guys to control the line in this offense. Without them, we are going nowhere on offense.”
4.) OG Ben Noll
a. Signed to a 4-year, $20 million contract with a $3.5 million signing bonus. “Noll is another big body, and will probably play opposite Scott on our new offensive line.”
5.) OL Justin Smiley
a. Signed to a 4-year, $12.5 million contract with a $2 million signing bonus. “Smiley completes our revamped offensive line. More than likely he’ll stay at guard and Scott will move to left tackle to protect Young’s blind-side.”
6.) CB Dejuan Groce
a. Signed to a 2-year, $4.6 million contract with a $500K signing bonus. “Groce is a capable corner in man coverage, and could see playing time in nickel or dime packages.”
7.) OLB Ian Gold
a. Signed to a 2-year, $4 million contract with a $500K signing bonus. “Gold has been a solid player for Denver, posting up some pretty respectable numbers but nothing too flashy. He’s always in the right place, and will be a great backup and special teams player.”
8.) Re-signed TE Ben Troupe
a. Signed to a 1-year, $3.2 million contract with a $500K signing bonus. “Troupe fell off last year, only recording 5 catches for 47 yards and no touchdowns, but it was a down year. He’s recorded over 100 catches for over 1000 yards and 7 touchdowns his first three seasons, and he can get back to form this year in another contract year.”


The Titans were busy in free agency, but that wasn’t the only news before the draft. Stryker was hard at work making calls, and came to terms on a trade with the Chicago Bears that saw tight end Desmond Clark leave the Bears and join the Titans in exchange for a 2009 4^th round pick. “Clark is a solid tight end, sufficient in both blocking and catching the ball. When I heard he was available, I snatched him up, and he will solidify our tight end spot and give Vince a safety valve to throw too.”

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Make Or Break Time
Draft Day Is Upon Us

Nashville, TN: Every year, the NFL Draft comes and goes, and the choices made in the war room can make or break a franchise. Will someone find the next Tom Brady in the seventh round of a draft? Or will a team blow their pick on the next Ryan Leaf, setting the franchise back for several years? This year sees Miami, St. Louis, and Atlanta picking in the first three picks, and the top four prospects are sure-fire picks this year. Left tackle Jake Long, defensive end Chris Long, quarterback Matt Ryan, and running back Darren McFadden could all go anywhere in the top three, and each will instantly solidify that position for their team for years to come.

But what about our Titans? They finished 10-6 and made it to the playoffs, giving them a late pick in each round. What direction would they go? ESPN’s own Adam Schefter has the Titans selecting South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins with the 24^th overall pick. Rumors say that Zarek is high on Jenkins himself, but sources say that he is looking to move down, possibly out of the first round, and looking to take Miami safety Kenny Phillips.


Stryker already turned heads during free agency when he completely revamped the offensive line, so it’s anybody’s guess what the Titans will do during the draft.

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The War Room Erupts
Strykers Strikes Gold In The NFL Draft

Nashville, TN: The NFL Draft came and went, and the Tennessee Titans solidified themselves into solid contenders this year with their draft. “We went into the draft with a gameplan in mind, but we were very flexible. When Pittsburgh took Mike Jenkins the pick right before us, I’ll admit I was upset. He was our guy. But we looked at the board and did the smart thing for us.”

The Titans elected not to take anyone in the first round, trading out in exchange for more picks and replenishing the pick the lost in the Clark trade. “The fans wanted us to select someone, but there was no one we saw truly worthy of that position. Our only other first round target was Kenny Phillips, but 24 was too high to take him in our opinion. So we dropped out of the first round and allowed ourselves to take the depth in the draft we needed.”

That’s exactly what Stryker and the Titans did in the draft, continuously dropping down and trading up when they needed to, resulting in a total of eight picks in the draft, including two in the 2^nd round and two in the 5^th round. The draft saw the Titans philosophy in action, picking the best available player while addressing needs, specifically on the defensive line. Here’s a breakdown of the Titans draft:

2^nd round, Pick 54: WR Desean Jackson
2^nd round, Pick 55: HB Ray Rice
3^rd round, Pick 86: DT Dre Moore
4^th round, Pick 107: MLB Philip Wheeler
5^th round, Pick 142: DT DeMario Pressley
5^th round, Pick 155: DT Athya Rubin
6^th round, Pick 190: TE Mark Moffit

7^th Round, Pick 212: SS Traye Jessup

ESPN Draft Analyst Adam Schefter had this to say: “Tennessee went into the draft knowing they needed help at receiver and defensive tackle, and they solidified those two positions very well. Jackson is a speedy guy who can stretch the field vertically and scare the defenses. Rice is a workhorse back who sees the field well, and can be a threat out of the backfield. Moore, Pressley, and Rubin will be a solid rotation between Vanden Bosch and Odom, making that front line very fearsome. Wheeler can start now, and has solid covering skills, something that Stryker looks for in his linebackers. Moffit and Jessup are backups at this point, though both have the potential to be solid starters in the NFL. A great draft for the first year head coach.”

Tennessee also shook things up after the draft when they announced the signings of undrafted linebacker Robert James, running back Jamaal Buckingham, wide receiver Dorien Bryant, tight end Mike Peterson, and cornberback Dejuan Tribble.

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Was He The Right Pick?

Miami Makes Heads Turn With The Drafting Of Matt Ryan

Draft day. The Miami Dolphins are on the clock. There are holes everywhere on the roster, and the only question was which hole would they fill first. Consensus had the Dolphins taking one of the longs, either left tackle Jake Long out of Michigan, or defensive end Chris Long from Virginia. Miami shocked everyone when they drafted Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan with the 1^st overall selection.

“Matt is the franchise quarterback we’ve been searching for since Marino retired.” New head coach Tony Sparano stated, defending the selection of Ryan. With John Beck on the roster, Sparano didn’t have confidence in him as the future, and elected to take Ryan.

“Personally, I would have taken Jake.” An anonymous head coach was quoted as saying in regards to the 1^st overall pick. “Franchise quarterbacks, they’re a dime-a-dozen, especially these days. A premier left tackle, someone to protect your quarterbacks blindside, they are rare. Jake has all the skills to be a hall-of-fame tackle, and the Dolphins will regret passing on him.”

Ryan had questions coming out of college, despite being a top-tier pick. Most revolved around his durability. Would he be able to take the punishment he would be dealt at the NFL level? Sparano and the Dolphins organization are betting that he can, placing it all on the shoulders of the young quarterback out of Boston College.

With their second pick, the Dolphins added Felix Jones, another questionable decision with Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, and Lorenzo Booker already on the team. More questionable decisions were made during free agency, where Donte Stallworth and Ken Hamlin were the only big acquisitions made, making the defense (already one of the worst in the league last year) barely any different.

And in a division where you have to contend with Tom Brady twice a year, a weak defense will cost you.

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Cause For Concern?

Young Disastrous, Titans Go 2-2

Nashville, TN: Vince Young is on a short leash. Zarek announced that Vince Young was his starter going into the regular season, but you have to wonder just how long the first year head coach will keep with his word if Young can’t shake off his horrible preseason statistics.

“He’s just trying to force the ball too much. He’s tried to make himself into more of a pocket passer, and it’s just not working out for him. I’d like to see him take off with the ball more. He’s been gifted with amazing speed, and he’s just not using it.”

The Titans went 2-2 in the preseason, winning their last two games against Atlanta and Green Bay. Vince Young, however, has been a non-factor in the games, completing only 44% of his passes for 246 yards and one touchdown, but throwing a whopping 8 interceptions. Veteran quarterback Kerry Collins will be ready to go whenever he is called into the game, which could be shortly into the season.

Collins completed 62% of his passes for 261 yards and 2 touchdowns, while only throwing one interception. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jerrell Dendy, given a camp invite by general manager Bud Adams, completed 40% of his passes for 187 yards and one touchdown, while throwing 4 interceptions.

At running back, Lendale White is fighting it out with rookies Ray Rice and Jamaal Buckingham for the starter slot, and has won it by outperforming both backs on his own. “White has played like his job was on the line. It was, of course, but he didn’t let that deter him. He’s been playing strong, and beat them out. But it’s not over. He knows that either one of them can take carries away from him at any given time.”

The offense, usually putting up big numbers for Stryker in the past, managed a paltry 15.7 points per game, finishing 11^th in the league and giving up the 6^th most sacks with 17.

On defense, Courtland Finnegan continued his great play, recording 16 tackles and 2 deflected passes. Opposing quarterbacks targeted him 19 times, but only managed to complete 7 passes for a total of 50 yards against him. The defense was the saving grace for Stryker, recording 7 takeaways (4 interceptions, 3 fumbles) and only giving up 56 points, good for 6^th fewest in the league.

Running the ball was a problem, as teams gained 906 yards on the ground, the 6^th most given up by teams. Through the air, Tennessee held opposing quarterbacks to 1364 yards, good for the 9^th fewest given up. They sacked the quarterback 14 times, which was tied for 6^th most in the NFL.

The biggest problem for Tennessee was in the red zone. In 15 trips, the Titans only managed five touchdowns and four field goals, scoring on 60% of the possessions. Those numbers do not bode well for Stryker and the Titans.

“It’s hard to see this happen. We have a good defense, that much is easy to see. Our defense was stellar, and played really well. Our offense couldn’t score and take the pressure off of them. That needs to change.” Stryker admitted in a press conference. “If we can get our offense going, and our defense continues to play at this level, than watch out.”

The Titans start the season at home against Jacksonville, with Stryker looking to get his first win against a divisional rival.