I think when you plant beside the row, and accidentally move on top of it, it pushes all the stocks forward in the way of the openers.  If you're on an angle, it tends to push some to one side, and then as you cross the row, they lay down to the other side.  At the most you have only 1 stalk lay down directly in front of the row.  Moral of the story is if you plant beside the row, try to stay off the row.

Also, I think the corn head can make a difference in planting next year.  I harvested as low as possible, at a speed which lets the head pull the stock through the crimping rolls and Push it downward, splintering it as it rams against the ground.  This spring the stocks just break apart and slice like breaking a Kellogg's Mini Wheat.

I had no row cleaner or coulter last year.  This year I bought a planter that came with a coulter and row cleaners, but I took the coulter off after the first round, and raised the row cleaners so they hardly do anything.  I would make sure to have 15" opening discs, RK products seed tube guard to prevent pinching the bottom of the discs together (seed trench), Keeton seed firmers with mojo wires to keep the seed in the bottom, and standard closing wheels.  The planter also has walking gage wheels (standard on new planters, option on 7000 series deere) and heavy duty double down pressure springs run in the second highest position.