Lions’ DC Austin Looks to Change Defense’s Game Plan

Lions’ Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin spoke with the media after Tuesday’s OTAs. He discussed the new defensive schemes that the 2014 Lions will try to implement, as well as the individual progresses of new additions to the team.

Austin explained how this year’s defensive game plan stacks up against what they’ve tried in the past. “We’re going to try to give the offenses as many looks as we can,” he said. “Bring people from different angles, try to make them adjust to us instead of us always adjusting to them, so that’s kind of what we’ve been working on. It’s not always clean. Today, I thought we were a little sloppy in some things, but that’s kind of the price you pay to try to get it right.”

His game plan for this year is by no means set in stone, as he claimed you always have to adjust according to a situational basis in the NFL. He said, “I’m not going to be married to anything. What we’re going to try to be married to is what’s best for our guys that week and that game. That’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Austin and the other defensive coaches are pleased with what they’ve been seeing out of their first year guys, however, they’ve never seen what they can do in a game-like situation. That’s what they plan to keep working on in OTAs. “I think we have some nice, young talent, but it’s young. It doesn’t have game experience, so right now it’s kind of hard to tell how they’ll react when we get into game-like situations. So, that’s what we are doing here by putting the pressure on them, the tempo, all those things trying to get them into as many game-like situations as we can so we see how they respond. So far, you know, some of the young guys are doing some good things, but they’re still young,” Austin said.

The coach also discussed the new additions to the defense and how they’ve been coming along so far in their first stints with the team.

When questioned about the status of DT Nick Fairley, Austin said, “He looks good. He’s lost a lot of weight. I think the key will be when he leaves here and then when he comes back in camp if he’s still in great shape with his weight down. It’s going to be great for us.”

He’s gotten to know Fairley, who was selected in the first round by Detroit in 2011, a decent amount. However, before worrying about their relationship off the field, he’s worried about prepping his defensive tackle to have a big year. “I think it will take time to get to know him,” said Austin. “Like anything right now, we talk as much as we can. The one thing I don’t do is I don’t bother guys outside of here. I’m not big on mothering them because I think we’re all professionals. They’re grown men, we’re grown men, but he’s been good when he’s been in the building. He’s got a great personality. We’re just hoping that we get a big year out of him. I think he wants to have a big year as well.”

Austin also talked about S Don Carey, who is going into his sixth year in the NFL. He said Carey has the chance to give them “great flexibility,” and finding a guy like him who can play more than one position is hard to come by in this league. “He is smart enough to play a bunch of different positions, but also having the physical ability to do it. So, he’s a pretty valuable piece for us and I know he does a great job on special teams. Guys like that, you have to have your starters, but you’ve got to have a lot of guys like Don Carey on your team if you want to win,” he said.

Second round pick DE Kalonji Kashama has been getting notice from the defensive coaches as well. “We saw that he had a nice little burst off the edge and he can run and possibly do some pass rush,” said Austin. “Anytime you have a guy that can possibly be a type of pass-rusher in this league, you’re going to make sure you further examine him and see if he can really do it.”

Austin also claimed that former Philadelphia Eagle DE Ezekiel Ansah could potentially fill a big role for the defense this season. He has no problem putting Ansah in a number of different positions and situations. Austin said, “He’ll do what we’re asking our rush ends to do. He’s going to rush, he’s going to drop, he’s going to move to different positions. He’s going to do some different things. He’s going to be required to do just what we’re asking all the other guys to do right now, so he’s going to have some catching up to do. But I believe he’s a bright guy. He’s been here the whole time, so he’s getting it. He’s just not getting the actual reps.”

Player input is vital for Austin, as he explained coaches aren’t the ones out there with pads on, the players are. Head Coach Jim Caldwell preaches that the players posses something called “intellectual property,” and that their input coming off the field should be taken into consideration each and every time by their coaches. “As far as player input, I think that’s the important thing because we don’t play the game,” he said. We put the schemes together and we have a structure of how we see our defense. A lot of times, a player will come to you after he’s been in it, studied it and say, ‘Hey, is there a way we can do this because this is a little better for all of us out here?’ We look at it and if it is, we make the decision and do what they say. I mean, Jim (Caldwell) always talks about intellectual property, they have intellectual property too because they’re on the field playing. They’re going to come back with some really good feedback sometimes for you and you have to listen to it because if not, then what happens is a lot of times they’ll turn you off because they don’t want to listen. They’ll be like, ‘He doesn’t listen to me, why should I listen to him?’”