The Detroit Lions have lost both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
Although the Detroit Lions do not get poached as often as the Lions in Mozambique, they did this year. Teams have already snagged Johnson, Glenn, and Tyrell Williams.
What does this mean for the future of the franchise? What kind of person does Dan Campbell need on the sideline with him?
Offense
Many are up in arms about Ben Johnson’s departure. They forget that he is a product of Dan Campbell. So what did Campbell make out of the former college QB (North Carolina)?
He taught Johnson to be aggressive, both in play calling and design. His specially crafted plays utilized the holes in the defense. As you see here, the fourth-down blitz is inevitable, but the secondary is falling back. A short crossing route with Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown leaves the pair open, and Willams can take the ball beyond the line to gain.
The offense relies heavily on skilled players, but you cannot neglect the importance of a good coordinator at times like this. What should their candidate look like?
- Plays like Dan Campbell
- They must trust in creativity and aggression.
- Gritty
- Always be ready to make a play towards victory, no matter the score or time.
- Aggressive
- This needs to be both in strategy and gameplay.
- They know the strength of their offense.
- This seems generic, but it’s necessary. There must be confidence in the player’s abilities at any given time. But also knowing who will take the deep pass and who will make the block downfield. Although you should be able to put any receiver in any position, they have strengths, which sometimes vary daily.
- Know the defense
- Once again, this seems generic. Campbell made a point to have both coaches collaborating. If an OC knows what the defense is thinking, they can throw them off pretty quickly.
- Creative
- It can’t be the Dan Campbell kneecap-biting Lions if the OC can’t draw up a few trick plays to throw the defense off their groove.
Defense
It was evident that the defense struggled this season.
But that was not all Aaron Glenn‘s fault. He made it apparent that he knew what was going on. Unfortunately, he was dealing with a steady stream of injuries. Their biggest struggle was the pass rush. It was evident that the pressure was working, but numerous hits led to nothing defensively. The Lions are desperately in need of a healthy team and a coordinator, so what are they looking for?
- Pass Rush
- This may be more defensive personnel, but nonetheless, it is an area where the Lions can thrive. With players like Hutchinson, Anzalone, and Smith likely to return, the Lions are in a good position to pressure the QB.
- Safety Training
- The Lions are second in the league for pass interference. They were aggressive but struggled to break up the pass without flags flying.
A Hire From Within
On Saturday, the Lions promoted linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to defensive coordinator.
This is a critical role, given the power the Lions seek to provide in that position. This inside promotion brings someone already acquainted with the team’s uniqueness to the position.
At least one of the new coordinators has come from within. Dan Campbell trusts his current coaches and assistants, and these potential candidates know the Lions team, office, and strategy well.
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