Thread: Double duty isn't easy for Vikings' Loney

Posted on Tue, Dec. 27, 2005

[size=18px]Double duty isn't easy for Vikings' Loney[/size]

Offensive coordinator, O-line coach is not stressing about his future

BY SEAN JENSEN
Pioneer Press

Although he held the title of offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for 11 collegiate seasons, Steve Loney acknowledged that double duty is tougher to pull off in the NFL.

"It's definitely a handful," Loney said Monday. "I think there's a reason that it's not done a whole lot."

Loney and Bill Muir of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only coaches in the NFL to manage those dual roles, which many consider too taxing for one individual. Interestingly, both offenses are ranked in the bottom third, with the Bucs rated 23rd and the Vikings 26th.

Unlike the Bucs, though, the Vikings' decision to assign both jobs to Loney was financially driven.

After Scott Linehan left Minnesota and officially joined the Miami Dolphins in January, then-Vikings owner Red McCombs encouraged coach Mike Tice to promote someone from his staff to become offensive coordinator. Meanwhile, the fiscally frugal McCombs did not allow Tice to add an offensive line coach.
In September, after a slow start by his offense, Loney expressed confidence he could pull off the rare double. But his trying 2005 season has made him appreciate his first love.

"I think my true love is coaching the offensive line," Loney said. "We'll have to see where things fall after this next week to know exactly where things lie."

If he is re-signed to the Vikings' staff — contracts for all the coaches expire next month — Loney is almost certain not to be given both jobs again. Asked which he preferred, Loney said, "I don't know. But the offensive line is where my greatest passion is."

Timing, though, was not ideal for Loney. Not only did he have his hands full with his unit, which featured five different starting lineups and nine different players who started at least one game, the offense also had to deal with the losses of center Matt Birk and quarterback Daunte Culpepper, as well as the offseason trade of star receiver Randy Moss.
As for his uncertain future, Loney said he is far too experienced to fret about that.

"I think sometimes younger coaches can kind of hit the panic button," Loney said. "They say, 'Oh my gosh, where am I going to work next year? I've got kids to move, and all that stuff.' Those kinds of pressures can be unsettling.

"This is my 32nd year of coaching, going on 64."

Loney laughed at his own joke. But he added that he will not be losing any sleep in the coming days or weeks.

"For me to sit and get a gut ache over it, nothing productive comes from that," Loney said. "So all I know is to just do the job the best I can, and if it's not good enough, it's not good enough.

"Anything I do beyond that becomes counterproductive."

Sean Jensen can be reached at [email protected]

If he was doing a good job last year and before, keep him as OL coach only...it wouldn't be fair to penalize him for trying to do the impossible double duty.

BUT if he sucked as OL coach only, then can him!

this year he kinda sucked at both jobs. Lets make it easy on him a releve him of both, or as the poster above me said, make him o-line coach.

I think he was doing what he could with the line this year we just didn't have talent.. So move him back to O-line and get Billick or Fassell or Mooch or Herm!!

Now I can respect Loney. He wasn't very good as an OC...and he all but admits it. While it is inevitable that we will bring in a new OC (Hopefully one with TALENT), I wouldn't mind keeping Loney on as Line Coach.

Caine

"Caine" wrote:

Now I can respect Loney. He wasn't very good as an OC...and he all but admits it. While it is inevitable that we will bring in a new OC (Hopefully one with TALENT), I wouldn't mind keeping Loney on as Line Coach.

Caine

My thoughts exactly man.. I respect the dude hardcore.. I love it when people can admit thier flaws

I'm glad he admits that it wasn't the best idea to do both, and I'm glad the article admits that Red was a cheap bastard!

Loney will be the line coach next year; trust me!

"ultravikingfan" wrote:

Loney will be the line coach next year; trust me!

I trust you. I can handle that, but I definitely can't handle him being OC!

"ltrey33" wrote:

I'm glad he admits that it wasn't the best idea to do both, and I'm glad the article admits that Red was a cheap bastard!

LMAO! I looked up "fiscally frugal" in the thesaurus and it came back with "yearly tightass asshat"