| LIONS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR AARON GLENN TRAINING CAMP DAY 19 QUOTE SHEET August 23, 2022 Opening Statement: “Man, this always the toughest part of the year for a coach. The reason I say that is because this is – it’s starting to get cut-down time and you’ve grown to have these relationships with some of these players as men and as players, and tough decisions have to be made. And this is what these weeks are about. So, I’ll tell you, we’re looking forward to it and you like the fact that you have tough decisions because that tells you something about your roster, that your roster’s getting better. So, we’re looking forward to it. We’re looking forward to this game. Starters are going to play and man, what more could you want as a coach to be able to say exactly where you are against a good team like Pittsburgh? So, we’re looking forward to it.” On the starting cornerback competition between Lions CBs Will Harris and Jeff Okudah: “I do like the battle. I would say this, and man, I’m not just saying this just to be saying it, but both of those guys have been showing some really good things on the field, in practice and in games. This is an ongoing battle and it will be an ongoing battle. Man, I wish I could sit here and tell you exactly when we can say, ‘OK, here’s the stamp. Here’s the guy that’s going to be the starter.’ But I will say this, both of those guys will have a role within our defense and we’re going to try to do everything we can to make sure that we put those guys in a situation where they’re going to be successful. So, they’ve been doing a good job.” On the value of having padded practices and starters play in the final preseason game from a defensive standpoint heading into the regular season: “Well, I will tell you this, as a defensive coach you want to always be able to establish yourself as a violent, physical team, and the only way that you can get that is by having padded practices. Now, we’re smart by the way we go about it, by padded practices one day, the next day we’re off, the next day we’ll go back to a padded practice. And you have to do that in this day and age with the players because of how long the season is. But I will say this, man, we need that and we need this game. We need their best because we want to see exactly how we are. We had a chance to do it in practice against the Colts, and I thought our guys handled it really, really well, even in the game. But we need another game to where we’re playing somebody’s best to see exactly where we are going into Philly.” On his vision for both Lions CBs Will Harris and Jeff Okudah having a role in the defense and if there is a danger in not having a concrete starter at this point in camp: “Well, there’s no danger until you get to the season. To where you just say, ‘OK, here’s our starter,’ and then you have that guy play. As the season progresses, those roles as far as dime, those roles as far as penny package, that guys will have a role. So, each guy will have their chance to go out there and play, we just haven’t made the decision on who’s that lockdown guy at that spot right now. So, no I don’t believe in having a guy play for a quarter and I mean during preseason, yeah that happens. But once the season goes, man, we’re going to have a guy that’s going to have to be that starter.” On how he values the upside of younger players versus the contributions of today’s starters: “Well, I would say this, the players that we’re counting that’s been here that we know – like (Lions DL) Charles (Harris), like (Lions DL Aidan Hutchinson) Hutch, guys that are starters, man those guys are going to go out there and do what they do. You always need quality backup, you always need quality role players because man, this is a game of injuries. It’s the biggest equalizer in our game. So, if you don’t have those backups that’s getting those reps in that same position, man, you can find yourself behind the eight-ball. So, we want to make sure that everybody’s getting those quality reps, just like today, man you’re going to get the first team, second team, third team. Those guys are going to get those reps because we need them too. And then, in the game we need those backup guys to get ready to play because we don’t know what’s going to happen as the season progress. So, I think (Lions Head) Coach (Dan Campbell) does a really good job of making sure that there’s a good rotation between our starters and our backups, and things like that.” On how the coaching staff factors in a player’s upside in terms of their Draft position when making roster decisions: “I would say this, I think (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) does a really good job with this, of – he doesn’t care where you were drafted, he doesn’t care where you came from. If you – if he feels like you have a role on this team, and he feels like you fit, then you’ll be on this team. If you don’t fit, if you don’t have a role, you won’t be here and that’s as easy as I can answer that. And I like that because there’s no B.S. behind that. And the players know it, and the players been knowing – they’ve been knowing that’s who he is. So, I hope that answers your question. And that’s how I am as a coach, I feel the same exact way.” On which defensive position group has taken a leap from last season to this season: “You know what, I would say our D-line has taken a huge step as far as understanding exactly how we want to play up front. You hear the new scheme and the new system that we’re doing, but it’s the system that we’ve been doing. We just kind of tweaked it just a little bit as far as how we want guys to attack blocks. And I think those guys have bought into it, they understand it. It’s taken a while like any type of new technique that you’ll teach a guy. But man, I’ll tell you it’s a beautiful thing to watch when you watch us practice against the Colts, a really good offensive line, and then you see these guys operate in the game the way they operated. So, that part of our game has really improved as far as stopping the run.” On how a good defensive line helps the other defensive position groups on the field: “Well, if you can stop the run with a light block, that gives you more coverage flexibility and that’s who we are anyway and that’s why we spend so much time trying to make sure that we’re on point when it comes to stopping the run. And I’ll tell you what, last week showed that we’re getting there, and I talked to our guys about that this morning and show tape of this morning, ‘This is how we want to end up playing. This is why we want to end up playing that way.’ And then, the guys understand that. We just have to continue as far as our coverage responsibilities to make sure we get that down because it’s a passing League. We have to make sure we understand, and how we’re going to make sure that our coverage responsibilities are on-point.” On how he coaches players to fix miscommunication errors on defense: “Well, I laugh at that because that’s always the term that everybody uses. Every time something happens in the backend, ‘Miscommunication.’ Sometimes, it’s, ‘I got beat,’ or sometimes it’s, ‘I didn’t understand, or I thought this was going to happen or whatnot.’ But for the most part, man I think our guys are doing a pretty good job. Now, listen did we have some issues last week, yeah, we did. And usually in the backend when you have those type of issues, it’s more than one thing that you can blame that on. It’s hardly ever one person that you can blame that on and for the most part those are reps. Especially, when you have young guys, right. So, to answer your question, the only way you get over that is reps, reps, reps because the college game and NFL game are so different. Especially, when you come to the passing game. The ball doesn’t always come out as fast in our game then it does in the college game. So, sometimes our guys have to hold their coverage a lot longer. We have way more max protection in our game than the college game. College game, you get five outs as much as possible, alright, so the ball’s going to come out fast. In our game, they might keep two tight ends in, they might block it up, and you have guys streaking down the field. And our guys just have to understand how we have to adjust and cover those routes. So, it’s good that it’s happening during the preseason, so our guys can get a chance to study that and be able to get better as the season progresses.” On the linebackers’ progression the last seven days and Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez’s performance against the Colts: “I knew Rodrigo’s name was coming up. I was waiting, and yes it is Rodrigo. But I’ll tell you what, he’s a pretty amazing player, isn’t he? But I’ll tell you what, those guys are doing a really good – the one thing I’m really excited about, and it goes with the D-line, the question that was asked, is the way those guys are starting to really connect with each other because usually run game is not truly on point unless the D-line and the linebackers are on the same page. And you really see that with our guys. You see our guys getting ready to come downhill, and we’re taking blocks off the D-line, and they’re making plays, or you see our guys attacking gaps, and the D-lines are holding their blocks and they’re running through and they’re going to make plays. And then the only way you can get that is trust, and our guys are really starting to trust each other, and that’s a beautiful thing to watch. It happened in practice, it happened in the game. You see it against our guys, when they have the players-only practice yesterday, with the run game, and you even talk to our offensive linemen, that’s one thing that they’re saying, for the most part. That that’s been a huge change as far as the trust with our D-line and our linebackers, so it’s really a beautiful thing to watch.” On how he thinks Lions LB Malcolm Rodriguez has handled the increased attention: “Well, you guys made him a star. And I’ve said it before, and this is my (former NFL Head Coach) Bill Parcells, don’t put him in the Hall of Fame just yet, but I’ll tell you what, he’s a really humble kid. If the starting job is his, it’s his. If it’s not, it’s not, and he’ll play special teams. He has to earn his keep, and he knows that. And I think he’s doing a really good job with that because he’s a focused individual. He understands exactly what he has to do to have a role as far as this defense is concerned, and I’m proud of the way he’s operating.” On how he stays authentic and coaches normally throughout ‘Hard Knocks’ filming: “I’m going to be honest with you, I really don’t even think about ‘Hard Knocks’ being around. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Maybe I should more, but man, the players know me as ‘AG,’ and that’s who you’re going to get. And I’m not going to be fake for anybody. I don’t care who’s here. I don’t care what coaches are around. I don’t care what player – because when the players talk about me, this is who I am, and that’s not changing. So, I’m not here to make anybody a star. I’m here to coach football, and that’s all that matters to me. I’m here to be the best defensive coordinator the Lions have ever had, and I’ve been saying that for the longest, and whatever it takes to do that, that’s what I’m going to do. And I couldn’t care less about everything else to be honest with you. I just like coaching football.” On practice being held at night and if there is any difference in the energy or pace: “It’s practice. It’s practice. We’re going to strap our boots on no matter what. It could be at three o’clock in the morning, it could be six at night. What did (Lions Head) Coach (Dan Campbell) say? It could be in a minefield, it can be – whatever that deal he said, I feel the same way. It doesn’t matter. Time doesn’t matter. We just want to go practice because we need to get better. I think I was lying a little bit about the three a.m.” LIONS ASSISTANT HEAD COACH/RUNNING BACKS COACH DUCE STALEY TRAINING CAMP DAY 19 QUOTE SHEET August 23, 2022 On how he is depicted on ‘Hard Knocks’ and the experience of coaching while being filmed: “It’s just me. It’s how I coach. Passion about this game, I love this game. So, if those cameras were not there, that’s where I would be. And it’s good that I guess the fans and everybody that, of course Detroit fans and you guys, get a chance to see us in that light, so it’s cool.” On if it is easier for the coaching staff to be filmed with them being as authentic as they are: “Oh definitely, definitely. I guess if I wasn’t, you would see a whole other side of me, and you guys would be questioning that when they leave.” On what ‘Hard Knocks’ exposure could do for his coaching profile and future coaching prospects: “Not – don’t really care about it. Honestly and truthfully, I’m here for them to make sure they get better. I live vicariously through them. I still love this game. I’ve still got that small burning lantern inside of me that I wish I could play, but I’ve got to play through them, and what you see is what you get.” On if ‘Hard Knocks’ can potentially help him get exposed to NFL personnel: “Yeah. Yeah, it can.” On Lions RB D’Andre Swift setting himself a goal to have 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards this season: “Oh, I love it. I love it. When I heard about it, I jumped through the roof. That’s good too, because you sit there and you see a kid like that, the talent that he has, he can definitely be a good one. And to set the goals that high means now he’s challenging himself, which I love.” On if Lions RB D’Andre Swift needs to improve his repertoire to accomplish his goals: “No.”On how he plans on managing Lions RB D’Andre Swift in order for him to stay healthy the full season: “Yeah, and also the rotation helps. And I think (Lions Head Coach) Dan (Campbell) has done a good job as for us, just talking with (Lions RB D’Andre) Swift. I’ve done a good job communicating with him exactly how we’re going to approach the year and managing his reps in training camp and as soon as we get into the season, it’s go-time. So – and I think he’s embraced it. I think he understands what we’re doing, and he’s all in.” On how it has been to see his relationship and private coaching moments with Lions RB D’Andre Swift play out publicly on ‘Hard Knocks’: “Yeah, that’s been since Day 1. Since Day 1, I came through the doors, I told him I’m going to get the best out of him. And I only know one way, and just being able to coach some of the guys that I’ve coached, from (former Eagles RB Darren) Sproles to (former Eagles RB LeSean) McCoy, (former Eagles RB) Ryan Mathews, nothing’s changed. And my job as a coach is, number one, put him in the best position to make plays. That’s number one. Number two is to get him run through a brick wall with me, and not for me. And once we get on that page, you’ll see a different player.” On if he thinks having padded practices with contact helps the team stay healthy throughout the season: “Definitely, it’s still a man-whoop-a-man game. And when you’re out there between the lines, these are legal street fights, man. You’ve got guys that are running 20 to 22 miles per hour. These are car wrecks. In order to get ready for that, you’ve got to be put in that situation, especially for a running back. As a running back, you have to take certain hits. You go back and look at the game last week with those guys being able to get those carries and take those hits. You don’t get those hits in practice because of course it’s not live. So, any opportunity you get a chance to get it, you want to put them in there and get them out.” |
