ALLEN PARK, Mich. – In experiencing all of the changes the Lions organization has gone through in recent seasons, the Detroit players haven’t been around much consistency.

With the arrival of head coach Rod Marinelli and his coaching staff, however, the Lions can expect some consistent and strict guidelines to follow.

This past week, the Detroit Lions went through a three-day, four-practice voluntary mini-camp at the team’s practice facility in Allen Park. The veteran players who participated – from second-year players on up – got their first taste of this new coaching staff and what they can come to expect in the upcoming season.

"We are looking for certain things," said defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson. "The things that we’re trying to stress more are the fundamentals of the position and the (defensive) call; trying to keep our pads down, trying to make sure our eyes are trained to see what we’re supposed to see and then trying to make sure we clue in on the technique that’s being asked of us. The final thing that I’m trying to get done is everybody getting to the ball."

While the change of the coaching regime in Detroit may be for the better, that change doesn’t come without a period of adjustment. Henderson is known for being an aggressive coach who wants to win and the players felt that in the team’s first mini-camp.

"The one thing I like about Donnie is that he has a good relationship with all of the positions," said cornerback Dré Bly. "He’s vocal – he’s a little more vocal than what Coach [Dick] Jauron was and he seems to love the game; he likes to have fun. I think we’ll feed off of that energy; we’ll feed off of the high-tempo practices."

Henderson’s aggressive nature with his players on the football field is something he has come to accept about himself. He feels that it is a means to a greater goal.

"I have an aggressive nature, obviously," he said. "But I think what I’m trying to do, more than anything, is create accountability. The one thing I know is if everyone is accountable for each other we can dictate how we want to play. We don’t have to necessarily let the offense dictate.

"I’ve been around some defenses that will dictate the pace. That’s what I want to do well. So I’m glad that they think we’re aggressive. Once we take on the attitude that we want to be we’ll be okay."

The common denominator between all of the coaches on the Lions staff is to instill a fire in all of their players. Paying attention to the little things early on is something that can become second nature down the road when the team is in a fourth-quarter, do-or-die situation.

"It’s proven, like I said before, Lovie [Smith] went [to Chicago] and changed the team around by those guys practicing harder," said Bly. "Tampa Bay won a Super Bowl by the way we’ve been practicing the last couple of days. St. Louis practiced the same way and we won a Super Bowl so it’s proven. If guys buy into what the coaches are trying to teach then we’ll win games."

Henderson is planning on getting his defensive players into top physical and mental shape for the 2006 season. (Photo: Steve Kovich).

While the nature of this new coaching staff may seem like a strong hit upside the head for some of the veterans, they are keeping the ultimate goal in mind – winning a Super Bowl. Despite the period of adjustment to the high-paced, pay-attention-to-detail practices, they know why they are there.

"[Henderson]’s going to get on everybody; that’s one of the first things he told me when he accepted the job: to have a thick skin; to not take it personally, ‘but I’m going to coach you up and help you get better; I’m going to tell you how it is,’" said Bly. "I said that’s cool because that’s how it was for me my first three or four years in St. Louis under Ron Meeks, now the coordinator in Indianapolis.

"So I can deal with being coached. You can tell me when my stuff stinks, that’s okay. That’s what motivates me; I’m a competitor. I love to compete and I love to be the best so tell me when I’m wrong and I’ll try to correct it and try to get better."

That is the plan for Henderson and the rest of the coaches – to get these players into physical and mental shape for 2006. Because, as far as these coaches are concerned, the Detroit Lions will be a solid contender next season.

"Every little thing is important," said Henderson. "If you can correct the little small things, you don’t have to issue the things being escalated to a point where it becomes an issue.

"I want them to tuck in their shirts. I want them to look like a football player. The thing that I tell them is to realize one thing – on the field on Sunday, if you don’t have your shirt tucked in then you get fined. Let’s practice it now. Let’s just practice what we’re going to do. One of my things is to do it right the first time. Just the little things."

When it comes down to it, these players understand why they are here and why they are going through the physical and mental testing right now. These coaches mean business, and they expect this team to be successful. They will take no less.

"He’s vocal and laughs and jokes with you but for the most part he’s serious," said Bly. "That’s the one thing I like about him because he has a personality. I think we can feed off of that energy he brings. He’s very knowledgeable at the position; he’s won a Super Bowl with Baltimore – he’s been successful. I think we can feed off of that energy that he brings to the game."

Henderson may have that personality that will draw his players to him, but he is still focused on the prize and the means to getting there.

"I’m going to push them and they’ll let me know," he said. "As long as they don’t hide behind me I’ll be okay. I’m going to push them now. There is a communication. There is a comfort zone for everybody. I have to get people out of their comfort zones and push them to the next level."
 

ALLEN PARK, Mich. – If attitude is everything, then the Detroit Lions may be on the verge of success.

The team’s three-day voluntary mini-camp concluded late Thursday morning and the wear and tear of hard, full-out workouts on the players were apparent.

So was the buzz in the air.

Among other things, head coach Rod Marinelli seems to have been brought in to light a fire under these Lions players, and thus far it looks as though he has succeeded.

His strategy?

Getting back to the basics with fundamentals and details.

“We have a tremendous amount of fundamentals,” said Marinelli. “We have 40 minutes of fundamental work everyday and we’re at four practices. It’s fundamentals from stepping to angles to tackling to hand placement – all the details it takes to play this game.

“What you try to do is give these men as many tools when the season comes and when they get in the game, they can use fundamentals. Those are the tools of your trade. That’s what you try to do.”

Marinelli is going back to square one with these professional athletes and he doesn’t think that approach is insulting to talent in the slightest. He feels it is a necessity in order to get to the top and then stay there.

“You would think, at this level that you shouldn’t have to coach tackling,” he said. “No, you do. The people that don’t [practice it] don’t tackle well. You watch games and say ‘man that’s sloppy tackling.’ Well you have to work on tackling and angles. It’s your fundamentals.

Marinelli has been pleased with his team’s effort. (Photo: Steve Kovich).

“It’s like if you are playing golf, you work on your golf swing even if you played 20 years right? You still have to go work on it. It’s the same thing in football. You have to work on your angles for tackling, your footwork on run-blocking and the details of a route. That’s the basis of this whole thing.”

After three days of working with his new group of players, Marinelli is pleased with the effort put forth. His group of veterans – two-year players on up – have showed a willingness to work hard so playing on Sunday won’t be so tough.

“The biggest thing that I like is progress,” said Marinelli. “It’s about how we’re doing things, the tempo that we’re trying to create, and the willingness to keep doing it day-in and day-out – not just one practice, but from that practice to the next practice, then there’s progress starting to be made. That’s the part I like, their willingness to do it. That’s good.”

While the Lions held a solid three-day camp, it still won’t be the same as playing outside in the heat at the end of July and throughout August. Therefore, the shortness of the camp and the timing during the offseason didn’t quite give the coaches solid evaluations of the players.

“When you really evaluate, you want to see who can retain information, who can play everyday, the endurance of a person, the mental toughness everyday,” said Marinelli. “It’s not the hitting sometimes, it’s the mental toughness that’s going on, perform everyday, every drill, every snap, give a man information, how he retains it, and then how he can perform it on the field.”

Despite the fact that this mini-camp isn’t the same as training camp and wasn’t really a means for evaluation, Marinelli and his coaching staff were able to use these three days as a way to help the players get better on a basic level.

“Right now, you’re using these camps as tools to teach,” he said. “The key, I think, is to find what you want to teach – the tempo and the fundamentals and then start to master the execution of the offense, defense and special teams. To understand the intricacies of each system and know exactly how you may fit in the run game, how you spill, precision on routes, timing of routes and also show exactly where we are at conditioning-wise.

“How we want to have a certain pace everyday on how fast we run our routes or hustle or pursuit. It shows you the conditioning that this team is going to need and the pace that we want to play at.”

If Marinelli’s mini-camp was any indication of the pace he wants his team to play in 2006, fans can be rest assured they’ll find a hustling team on the playing field come September.

“Our pace is so fast right now – the tempo and the pace,” he said. “So what it does, it helps the men see the type of pace that you have to have. Conditioning to me is now a 10- or 11-month-a-year process. Conditioning, hardening your body, for what we want to do is a long process, and that’s what we are trying to show them.”

Receiving Praise

Wide receiver Charles Rogers’ coaches and fellow players are happy with his effort. (Photo: Steve Kovich).

“[I have seen] Hard work – coming out and doing everything we’re asking him to do,” said Marinelli. “I mean [he’s] working hard and he’s got talent. And the offense, the system, is very demanding. And the coaches over there are very demanding. It’s precision – the willingness and learning it and doing it over and over.”

Marinelli also made it clear that he is more worried about the present time than the past. Despite the fact that Rogers had a somewhat bumpy year last season, Marinelli wants to talk about the here and now and what he is willing to do today.

“I don’t talk about so much last year, I just talk about our expectations now,” Marinelli said. “I think right now, we’re here and we want to go there. So here’s where we are starting and here’s the expectations I have for us, and here’s how I believe we can get there – laying out a road map. Now we just have to follow the map. The maps aren’t always easy to follow; there are some hills and bumps and creeks in there. We just have to level our way through it.”

Quarterback Jon Kitna also talked about Rogers after the team’s final mini-camp practice on Thursday.

“Charles is going to be just fine for us,” he said. “He’s got the things that not everybody has: size, speed, long arms. He’s going to be fine. Like I said, we’re all just trying to work into this thing together. The receiving group as a whole is going to be very dynamic.”