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The Detroit Lions have a defense that’s been much-maligned in recent years for good reason, so many folks expect a quick fix will be difficult to achieve.
That might not be the complete case as new defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn sees it, however. The job will be big in Detroit from a coaching standpoint, but Glenn thinks he has an advantage as it relates to having a few players in the mix who are of the right age at the right spot that he can mold.
A former cornerback and defensive back himself, Glenn knows what it takes to be successful at the position. As a secondary coach in the league, he knows how to teach it. Both of those elements could come together quickly in Detroit, and that’s something that Glenn knows given who he’s already had the pleasure of coaching in his career. He believes the Lions’ young group on the back end mimics a group he coached with the New Orleans Saints.
When asked what he saw within Detroit’s secondary specifically to lead him to this point, Glenn responded:
“I see athletes, and when you have a group of athletes, you coach them. Exactly tell them what you have to do and you get a chance to see a secondary that’s going to make plays for you. It kind of reminds me of my first year in New Orleans when I had a young secondary with Marshon Lattimore, Von Bell, Marcus Williams, all those young guys. You get to grow these guys as pups. And I’m excited about that. Jeff Okudah, first-year player. Amani (Oruwariye), second-year player. Even the two safeties that we have, young players. I get a chance to mold those guys to exactly how I want those guys to play.”
As a whole, Lattimore, Bell and Williams have developed well during their time in the league, and the New Orleans backfield has been solid under the leadership of Glenn. Overall, the team has collected 29 interceptions since the 2017 season, which is a solid total. The Lions haven’t been able to hawk the ball at all in the last few seasons, so getting improved statistical play such as this would be huge.
The Lions are at an advantage having Glenn, who’s worked with young players before. The fact that he sees glimpses in the players he’s had success with in the past is notable for the Lions in terms of their goal to improve.
Aaron Glenn Wants Lions Playing, Not Thinking
Detroit’s defense has struggled the last few seasons, culminating with them finishing 32nd in the NFL in 2020 in total defense. There can be plenty of reasons for that happening, but amongst the biggest according to Glenn was the fact that the team could be suffering from thinking far too much on the field to be successful.
Glenn told the media:
“We have to change that narrative of the players of their thinking so they can go out and play with confidence and get them to play fast. What we’re going to do as a staff is make sure that happens. That’s our number one job. Get the players fast, play confident and let those guys let it loose. We don’t need a lot of thinking out there. We just want the guys thinking ‘what’s my job? Where do my eyes gotta be coach? And what do I gotta do?’ So they can go out there and play fast and play with confidence. So that’s our job to make sure we let that happen.”
Detroit’s previous staff was heavy on the details, but it could have been a paralysis by analysis in terms of what happened to the players. Allowing the young players to be themselves could be just what the doctor ordered to get things trending in the right direction for the Lions as Glenn and others see it.
Dan Campbell Thinks Jeff Okudah Lost Confidence
In recent weeks, the new Lions’ boss has been taking a deep dive on the roster and looking at every single position while watching tape. Something he noticed? Players were playing timid last season, and that’s what he sees as the biggest problem for Jeff Okudah.
Here’s a look at what the coach had to say on the matter while speaking with Kyle Meinke of MLive.com:
To this end, it doesn’t seem as if Campbell believes it’s a talent issue for Okudah, but rather a confidence and a coaching issue. Last season, the Detroit defense struggled as a whole, and there was nowhere to hide for Okudah given the pressure placed on him as a rookie. If the Lions are able to build up the depth a bit on the back end, that might serve to benefit Okudah in a big way.
As Campbell also predicted, he thinks the Lions players are going to take a big step forward next season due in-part to coaching and the staff he has assembled. With defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, Okudah will inherit one of the top cornerbacks to play football a few decades back. He’ll also get solid teaching from Aubrey Pleasant, who worked with the likes of Jalen Ramsey in Los Angeles while playing defensive back himself in college.
It’s safe to say that Campbell could be right and the Lions could be set to score in a big way with some new teachers. Campbell’s words could serve to prove why the Lions had such problems on the field, so it will be interesting to see if Okudah and his teammates can bounce back.
With Glenn leading the way as a teacher, it might be wise to bet on that happening considering the success he’s already had in New Orleans under similar circumstances.
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