Haley and Roethlisberger may never be BFFs, but that's OK. (AP)

Two weeks ago, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger compared finishing his college degree by way of some online courses to the playbook of new offensive coordinator Todd Haley. "That one’s a little harder than the Miami (University) ones I was doing," Big Ben said during an appearance the Rich Eisen Podcast. "I joke and say that my final paper for Miami on Tibet was a lot easier than the Rosetta Stone we’re doing now here." So what’s different? “Everything,” he added. “The similarities would be on a shorter list. Off the top of my head, from what I’ve seen so far, there’s a 90 percent change.”

Chief among the differences: Haley is known for his sideline outbursts and in-your-face demeanor, and his predecessor, Bruce Arians, was often accused of being too close with Roethlisberger. The contrast was enough of a concern for some media folk that Big Ben was asked about a possible adjustment process.

“People blew it way out of proportion,” Roethlisberger said Monday, according to CBS' KDKA. “It’s something new, we’re getting to know each other … There’s no trouble between us at all. When you get a comfort level of like eight years of the same thing and then you change it, it’s just something different, so I’m not saying I don’t like the playbook or anything like that,” Roethlisberger said. “Some of the stuff is really -- some of the concepts are awesome. It’s just getting an understanding of something new.”

Whatever your thoughts on Haley's interpersonal skills, he's done a good job adapting the offensive philosophy to his team's personnel. In Arizona, with Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, the Cards aired it out. The last two and a half seasons in Kansas City, with Matt Cassel and Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs relied more on the running game.

Given that Pittsburgh has some of the best young wide receivers in the league, it stands to reason that the passing game will be a big part of the 2012 Steelers' identity. Roethlisberger hinted at that several weeks ago.

“I get a little confused at times because I know so much has been made about us quote-unquote throwing the ball too much, or we’re going back to Steeler football and running the ball more,” he told Eisen. “But in these meetings I’ve had with Coach Haley, he’s all about the no-huddle and using our wide receiver weapons, and throwing the ball, and stuff like that, so I’m still confused. I’m not sure what’s going to happen yet.”

Roethlisberger did say that Haley had been "practicing the pass because it's more complicated," but the point remains: with running back Rashard Mendenhall recovering from a late-season ACL injury and Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders lining up at wide receiver, matriculating the ball down the field through the air will be a staple of Haley's offense.

As for Wallace, who has yet to sign his franchise tender (he has until June 15 to do so before the Steelers can reduce the $2.7 million he's due to $577,000, if they so choose), he was absent for the start of OTAs Tuesday, which didn't come as a surprise.

One concern with Wallace not participating in the shorts-and-t-shirts portion of the offseason was highlighted by Ben's comments above: it's hard enough to learn a new offense when you're sitting there with the coach explaining it to you. It becomes that much more complicated when you miss the classroom sessions and have to play catch-up later in the summer, perhaps even during training camp after you eventually cave and sign your tender. (Look, we get that Wallace has little-to-no leverage here and this is one of the few times he can exercise his displeasure with his current contract situation, but ultimately, this decision hurts him, not the organization.)

But Haley's offense won't be completely new to Wallace when he does show up at the team facility.

So there's that. But there's also this:


Make of it what you will. Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in February that the team wants to lock Wallace up long-term, but with or without him, Pittsburgh's offense should be plenty explosive next season. (Haley ticking-time-bomb-on-the-sidelines pun intended).

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