1. An apparatus comprising: an instruction mapping table comprising a plurality of instruction counts and a plurality of instruction pointers each pointer corresponding with one of said instruction counts, wherein each instruction pointer identifies a next instruction for execution, wherein each instruction count specifies a number of instructions to execute beginning with said next instruction; and a data operation unit adapted to receive a data group and adapted to execute on said received data group said number of instructions specified by a current instruction count of said instruction mapping table beginning with said next instruction identified by a current instruction pointer of said instruction mapping table before proceeding with another data group, wherein said instructions comprise very long instruction words (VLIW), wherein said current instruction count and said current instruction pointer are determined in accordance with advancing through said instruction mapping table responsive to the data operation unit receiving a data group for execution.