By CHUCK POLLOCK, Senior Sports Columnist
When head coach Sean McDermott was fired the day after the Bills lost an overtime playoff game at Denver last January, it precipitated the dismissal or most of the coaching staff with one notable exception …offensive coordinator Joe Brady was named to the top job while defensive coordinator Bobby Babich and special teams boss, Chris Tabor, were let go.
Taking their spots on offense were Pete Carmichael Jr., Jim Leonhard on defense and Jeff Rodgers on special teams.
Leonhard’s name should be familiar to NFL junkies as he was a talented safety for 10 years in the league, playing for Buffalo, the Jets, Browns, Saints, Broncos and Ravens.
As a coach, he was defensive coordinator at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, until his boss, Paul Chryst, was fired and he took over the head coaching job on an interim basis, going 4-3.
Subsequently he was hired as assistant head coach and passing game coordinator with Denver which lost to New England (10-7) in the AFC Championship Game last winter.
LAST WEEK, he held a press conference with the Buffalo media.
When asked about going to the Bills in what appears to be a parallel moved from Denver, he explained, “It’s the different culture of the building that’s unique. You’re not in Miami or LA … this is the town’s team.
“You walk around the building and nobody’s going anywhere … they don’t want to leave. They care about what’s best for the organization and how they are part of the city of Buffalo … and that’s a huge piece of what being a Bill is.”
He added, “The exciting part of the offseason is that I had a vision of what I wanted (the defense) to be. And we might not get there in one year with who we have and what their skill-set is but it’s exciting to get back on the field. We’ve had a lot of meetings but when you get the guys on the field you get to see how comfortable they are, what they understand and how well they can execute.”
BUT LEONHARD admitted he’s as enthused as the players.
“We have a lot of new additions (19 on defense) and we’re excited about that from a personnel standpoint,” he said. “That’s the exciting part, there are some pieces that you’re trying to figure out the best role for them and where they fit.
“It’s fun to see how they come together. The No.1 thing is getting their confidence back and dialing into what they’re asked to do and how big that role is.”
Leonhard added, “The fun part of being a coordinator is being in a position to make those (key) decisions and getting guys to buy into it.
“I like to read a room … the more I see of these guys, the more I learn about them and the more vocal and energetic I will be. That’s just my personality and nature … I’m noit going to say a lot unless I have to. That’s the kind of chip I have on my shoulder. Thery know when I bring something to a meeting that I mean it.”
He noted, “It’s exciting to get in front of the room and lead the staff and team that way rather then supporting a defensive coordinator or a head coach.
“Any time you’re in front of your staff and your team you’re more connected and that’s been been a big piece of the last four months … getting everybody settled in and understanding what I think that this (defense) is going to be and taking their feedback and input into what we’re going to be in Buffalo.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun and Olean Star senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
