By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
Lions Defensive Co-Ordinator Aaron Glenn met with the press and asked our most wanted questions to pass onto the fans.
| On how it feels to be able to play the style of defense he wants to a little bit better: “I would say this first, as a coach in general, your job is, one, to develop the players, get the players to understand exactly what you want to do schematically, but also to protect the players, also. So you hear this jargon of, ‘OK, so AG gets a chance to do what he wants to do.’ AG’s going to do exactly what he can do with the players that he has and to protect the players. So I would say that first, and then once you start to inject players that have a certain talent, then you continue to evolve and make sure you do things that you know that you like to do. So I will say that, and we have a number of those players. The defensive backs that we brought in really fit my personality on how we want to get ready to play. The defensive linemen that we have, they really fit the personality of how we want to play. So I’m excited to be able to do some things that I think overall as an organization that we want to do because we’re an aggressive offense, we’re an aggressive special teams and we want to be aggressive on defense also.” On if the new defensive backs and defensive linemen give him more freedom to blitz on defense: “You’re right about that, but also this is what training camp is for, to figure out the things that you like to do. How do we attack an offense and how does it look, really? You don’t want to just go into a game and just throw things out there, you want to do whatever you can to help the players to be able to play – put them in the best position to go out there and be successful. But you are right, we do have some guys that can go out there and play press-man coverage, we do have some guys that can attack the quarterback, and the more guys you have like that, the more you try to put them in position to go and do it.”On if he feels that the defense is ahead of schedule: “I would say we’re right on schedule, but we’re still improving. ”On what he has seen from Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike: “Listen, I think you guys know this, I’ve been pulling for Levi for a while because the former player comes out in me in that aspect because of the things that he’s went through. But he never let go of the rope. He continued to want to learn, he continued to try to build his body to a place where he can go out there and compete at a high level. And I’ll tell you what, you started to see it in OTAs and then you’re really starting to see it now in training camp. And listen, we haven’t had a game yet, but I would tell you this, I believe that that player is ready to take that next step in being a really good player in this League. So I look forward to seeing in game one, I look forward to continue to see him grow as a player in this League.” On what type of resiliency it took for Lions DL Levi Onwuzurike to get back to where he was last year and where he is now: “Well, the first thing I would say about that is those are the types of players that we bring in the building, so it wasn’t a surprise that he continued to work like that. The thing that you know is when you’re dealing with a back and when you’re dealing with things like that, man, you just don’t know. I’ve known and had a lot of teammates that I’ve played with that once they had a back issue they were done. But he kept fighting and those are the types of players we bring into this building, so it’s not a surprise.” On what the benefit will be for Lions LB James Houston to play more on the edge: “Listen, the one thing we know he has a talent at is rushing the quarterback and when you have a good player you try to figure out, ‘What else can they do?’ Because you want them on the field as much as possible. And then (Lions DB) Brian Branch is another guy that’s just like that. So we tried him at different positions to see if he can bring value in those aspects but sometimes you’ve got to sit back and go, ‘You know what, just do what you do best.’ And that goes to what I was just saying before, man, training camp, that’s when you try things out. So we’re going to let him go play defensive end, we’re going to let him go get after the quarterback and let him use those moves that he has that I don’t think a lot of people know that he has.” On is Lions S Brandon Joseph has shown him anything that makes him feel better about having a fourth safety: “Well, you always need a fourth safety, anyway, and most of those guys are special teams guys too. The thing that B-Jo brings to this team is he’s a very, very heady player. He understands this game inside and out, he’s almost like an extra coach out there, so when he’s out there with the young players he’s able to direct those guys on what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. And he’s been here for a good enough time to be able to understand that. So he’s done a really good job of making plays as we’ve all seen in practice and in games, but that’s no surprise for that player, he’s a heady player.” On what the challenge is for finding playing time for all the defensive backs that are on the team now: “What I will say is it’s a really good problem to have. That means you’ve really got players and when you’ve got good players it helps you overall as a team to be able to go out there and win those games. So it is up to me to be able to figure out packages to get all those guys out there. Listen, you’re not going to get every guy on the field at one time, but there are packages you can get guys out there and get ready to play. We’ve got to take advantage of (Lions CB) Ennis (Rakestraw Jr.), we’ve got to take advantage of (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA, we’ve got to take advantage of (Lions DB Brian) Branch and (Lions S Ifeatu Melifonwu) Iffy and all those guys that are good players, and we plan on doing that. Iffy’s been playing some nickel, Branch has been playing more safety, (Lions CB) Amik (Robertson) was a guy that we brought in, he’s been playing the nickel and playing outside, so we try to figure out those packages that we can have to try to get those guys on the field as much as possible. ”On why the SAM linebacker position is so unique and what about Lions LB Derrick Barnes’ skillset fits the SAM linebacker position so well: “Listen, I’m glad you brought that man up, because he probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves as far as his development since he’s been here. And I put him in the same – not as far as injuries are concerned, but I put him the same category as (Lions DL) Levi (Onwuzurike), that some guys it takes a while for them to reach their stride, and he’s starting to reach his stride right now. But that position, if you go back and you see how we played defense in New Orleans, we had (Former Saints LB) A.J. Klein, we had (Former Saints LB) Zack Baun that played that position, and those guys have to be able to play on the end of the line of scrimmage because you want them to be able to rush, which he did at Purdue quite a bit, and then be able to stack back and play true 4-3 defense that he’s able to do. But those guys have to be able to understand the triangle when it comes to guard-center-guard and guard pulls and things like that to be able to play, so you’re right, it is a unique set that you have to have, but you also have to be a good rusher and be able to drop in coverage. So he’s able to do those things, that’s why he fits that position so well.” On if there is anyone in the depth on the edge that he thinks has potential at SAM linebacker: “Yeah, with (Lions DL Mathieu) Betts, we trained him to be able to do it and he’s been a pleasant surprise for us. Obviously, we tried to get (Lions LB James) Houston to do that, but man, Houston’s a dynamic rusher so we want to keep him as a dynamic rusher. But (Lions LB Derrick) Barnes is the complete player at that position. You try to identify players like that in college that play behind the ball, that can actually get on the edge and do those things.” On if Lions DL Isaac Ukwu has any ability to move back to SAM Linebacker: “We’re trying to figure that out, and that’s what training camp is about. But I’ll tell you, he’s been a pleasant surprise as far as his ability to rush off the edge. But the thing is a lot different, we have to stack back and then read that triangle, so we’re trying to get all to be able to do some things like that.” On if the SAM linebacker position is a completely different mindset from playing as a defensive lineman: “I don’t want to say a different mindset, but just different skillset as far as seeing it, where your eyes are, and some guys are just used to being on the edge and just rushing because that’s where your eyes are, but when you get behind that D-line, there are a lot of other things you have to look at.” On how important the SAM linebacker position is to what he wants to do on defense: “Very important because we play base quite a bit. And like I said before, it’s hard to find that player, but when you look at those in college, you want to find a guy that can play as a stack-backer but has the ability to be able to rush.” On if he knows enough about what Lions CB Terrion Arnold is and what he can be if his preseason is over: “Been known enough about that player, that’s why we drafted him. College, we know he can go out there and play man coverage. I mean, you go out there and play in any (Former Alabama Head Coach) Nick Saban defense, you’ve got to be able to do that, so it kind of compares to what we do, so yeah, we’ve seen enough. But he’s not where he needs to be yet. He has a lot of improving to do, and man, once he comes back from this injury, he’s got to get out there and get on the grind and continue to work.” On if Lions CB Terrion Arnold will be ready to play in some capacity for Week 1: “Well, I can’t say that, we’ve got to see what happens.” On how attitude helps form the defense and the defensive backs: “Well, defense is all about attitude and those are the types of guys we try to recruit on this team. And you see the different personalities, like you take (Lions CB Terrion Arnold) TA, TA talks a lot, but he has that mentality to go out there and play man coverage. (Lions CB) Ennis (Rakestraw Jr.) doesn’t talk a lot, but you see that dog in him. So the thing is, to the core of those guys, they’re the same, but they’re just different personalities. But attitude has everything to do with defense.” On his early assessment of Lions DL Mekhi Wingo: “I don’t want to say pleasant surprise, but for a man of his size to go out there and battle, be able to take on double teams, have the quickness to win as a three-technique has been very good for us, and he’s going to be a good player in this League. I don’t know if you guys know it, but when you wear that number 18 at LSU, that means a lot, and you see that personality come out of that player. He has leadership skills for a rookie that you hardly ever see. The work ethic that he has, the – for him to change a technique and go out there and execute it exactly the way the defensive line coach wants him to do it, you see that in him. So when I look at Wingo, this is what I see, it doesn’t matter what he does in life, he’s going to succeed because that’s just who he is. He could be a CEO of a company, he could be a big-time football player, he’s going to be successful.” On what growth he has seen from Lions LB Jack Campbell: “Well, listen, I’m putting a lot on Jack this year just because I know he can handle it. And I told him once he came back, ‘The rookie tag is off of you right now, bro. It’s time to go.’ And I’m not saying that because he had a bad season last year at all, I thought he had a really good season, to be honest with you. But just the taking over the huddle and starting to take that jump to be that guy. Listen, we know (Lions LB) Alex (Anzalone) is the leader of this defense, but Jack has those leadership skills to be able to that guy at some point. And I will tell you, his ability to drop in coverage has improved tremendously, and that was one thing we’re going to ask of him. His ability to match guys has improved tremendously, and that’s going to help us be a better defense. So every day he’s chopping wood and getting better and better at those skills.” On if Lions LB Jack Campbell is processing the game better: “Absolutely, and that’s one of the toughest positions to play in when you play stack-backer in this League and you have so many things that are going on the way the offense is set up now, it takes a while for a young guy to be able to understand, to see those things, and once he sees it, he got it, and as an inside backer you have to have those things to be able to play at a high level.” On what he has seen from Lions LB Mitchell Agude: “Big, long, athletic, can rush the passer, continue to put him at end, we actually tried him at SAM-backer also to see if he has that skillset to be able to do that. And that’s a different deal for him if he has to stack back, be able to read the triangle, but we want to take advantage of his ability to come off the edge and use that long arm, that’s one of his best moves. And then he has some counters off of that, so I’m excited to see him play in this preseason a lot to see exactly what he brings to the table.” |