woodbuck27
08-08-2006, 02:14 PM
Ford likes look of Lions
Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News
Daniel Mears/The Detroit News
DETROIT -- William Clay Ford feels a fresh air of hope about the Detroit Lions franchise he has owned for 43 years.
Training camp is a time of hope, and Ford knows there should be caution signs, despite the good vibes he gets from his new head coach, Rod Marinelli.
Ford has felt optimism before in the early stages of training camp with a new coaching regime. The winds of fortune are fickle. They can change in a hurry.
A change in coaches and coaching styles almost always is a springboard for optimism, but what is fresh today can become stale tomorrow.
Marinelli is in his seventh month as head coach of the Lions. The team begins its 11th day of training camp today, after a day off Sunday.
Ford likes what he has seen -- so far. Marinelli runs a tougher training camp than his predecessor, Steve Mariucci, and Ford likes Marinelli's approach.
Ford has seen an injection of discipline and commitment in a team that had a 5-11 record in 2005 and was splitting at the seams by the end of the season.
"I'm very impressed," Ford said Saturday evening. "I've seen quite a few practices. The whole mood is different -- upbeat. He's working them hard, which is great.
"Just the attitude. Who knows what it'll bring? But at this stage of the game, I think it's wonderful.
"It's a great coaching staff. I'm very impressed with that."
Ford was on the sideline at the Lions' public scrimmage at Ford Field on Saturday as he spoke about Marinelli, his staff, the team and Mariucci.
Ford has not been available for interviews since early in the 2005 season. His comments Saturday were his first on the firing of Mariucci in November and the hiring of Marinelli in January.
Assembling the staff was vital for Marinelli. This is his first job as a head coach.
He has not surrounded himself with cronies and friends at key positions.
Marinelli hired Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. They have never worked together, but Martz is considered a master builder of offenses.
Offensive line is another important position because the unit often sets the tone for an entire team's chemistry and makeup. Marinelli hired Larry Beightol, with whom he butted heads as an assistant.
Marinelli coached Tampa Bay's defensive line, and Beightol coached Green Bay's offensive line.
On defense, Marinelli went to Donnie Henderson, an old acquaintance, for his coordinator. Henderson was a defensive back at Utah State when Marinelli was a young assistant coach.
Marinelli retained Chuck Priefer, who is highly regarded, as special-teams coordinator.
Ford seemed more disappointed than anything that Mariucci failed to produce a winner. Ford was fond of Mariucci. When he arrived in Detroit in 2003, Mariucci's NFL resume showed four playoff appearances in six years as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
Mariucci's media-friendly manner, Upper Peninsula roots and winning background made him the ideal replacement for Marty Mornhinweg.
However, he lost consistently in Detroit -- 5-11 in 2003, 6-10 and '04 and a 4-7 debacle when he was fired with five games left in '05.
His laid-back style worked with a veteran team in San Francisco that was used to winning, but it did not get traction with a Lions team that was inexperienced in many areas, including quarterback.
Ford was disenchanted with Mariucci long before president Matt Millen fired him.
"It was tough, because he is such a high-class guy," Ford said. "He really was certainly doing his best and everything else, but the gears just didn't mesh."
Was Mariucci the wrong coach at the wrong time?
"I guess I'd have to say, who knows?" Ford said. "But for the team we had at that time, he was the wrong coach at the wrong time for that. This is not to denigrate him in the least. I think he's a great coach.
"With another team with the right mix of veterans and rookies, he'd do great. We weren't the right team for him. I wish him nothing but luck. He's a great guy."
The status of Millen is not an issue with Ford. Last year, Ford gave Millen a five-year contract extension. It took effect this year.
Marinelli removed the possibility of a quarterback controversy by naming Jon Kitna the starter before training camp opened.
Even though Joey Harrington started 37 straight games before being benched in favor of Jeff Garcia last year, there was constant speculation about his future and whether Mariucci really wanted him.
"It's not too dramatic, which is great," Ford said. "Kitna's going to fill in great. Who knows how it's going to go? I don't know, any more than anybody else does. To have Rod pick him right off and OK, he's the guy -- maybe it doesn't make good copy, but it gives the team stability.
"There's not that uncertainty. You know who the leader is going to be. He is the leader. All of that's a plus. It's positive."
Mike O'Hara
Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News
Daniel Mears/The Detroit News
DETROIT -- William Clay Ford feels a fresh air of hope about the Detroit Lions franchise he has owned for 43 years.
Training camp is a time of hope, and Ford knows there should be caution signs, despite the good vibes he gets from his new head coach, Rod Marinelli.
Ford has felt optimism before in the early stages of training camp with a new coaching regime. The winds of fortune are fickle. They can change in a hurry.
A change in coaches and coaching styles almost always is a springboard for optimism, but what is fresh today can become stale tomorrow.
Marinelli is in his seventh month as head coach of the Lions. The team begins its 11th day of training camp today, after a day off Sunday.
Ford likes what he has seen -- so far. Marinelli runs a tougher training camp than his predecessor, Steve Mariucci, and Ford likes Marinelli's approach.
Ford has seen an injection of discipline and commitment in a team that had a 5-11 record in 2005 and was splitting at the seams by the end of the season.
"I'm very impressed," Ford said Saturday evening. "I've seen quite a few practices. The whole mood is different -- upbeat. He's working them hard, which is great.
"Just the attitude. Who knows what it'll bring? But at this stage of the game, I think it's wonderful.
"It's a great coaching staff. I'm very impressed with that."
Ford was on the sideline at the Lions' public scrimmage at Ford Field on Saturday as he spoke about Marinelli, his staff, the team and Mariucci.
Ford has not been available for interviews since early in the 2005 season. His comments Saturday were his first on the firing of Mariucci in November and the hiring of Marinelli in January.
Assembling the staff was vital for Marinelli. This is his first job as a head coach.
He has not surrounded himself with cronies and friends at key positions.
Marinelli hired Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. They have never worked together, but Martz is considered a master builder of offenses.
Offensive line is another important position because the unit often sets the tone for an entire team's chemistry and makeup. Marinelli hired Larry Beightol, with whom he butted heads as an assistant.
Marinelli coached Tampa Bay's defensive line, and Beightol coached Green Bay's offensive line.
On defense, Marinelli went to Donnie Henderson, an old acquaintance, for his coordinator. Henderson was a defensive back at Utah State when Marinelli was a young assistant coach.
Marinelli retained Chuck Priefer, who is highly regarded, as special-teams coordinator.
Ford seemed more disappointed than anything that Mariucci failed to produce a winner. Ford was fond of Mariucci. When he arrived in Detroit in 2003, Mariucci's NFL resume showed four playoff appearances in six years as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
Mariucci's media-friendly manner, Upper Peninsula roots and winning background made him the ideal replacement for Marty Mornhinweg.
However, he lost consistently in Detroit -- 5-11 in 2003, 6-10 and '04 and a 4-7 debacle when he was fired with five games left in '05.
His laid-back style worked with a veteran team in San Francisco that was used to winning, but it did not get traction with a Lions team that was inexperienced in many areas, including quarterback.
Ford was disenchanted with Mariucci long before president Matt Millen fired him.
"It was tough, because he is such a high-class guy," Ford said. "He really was certainly doing his best and everything else, but the gears just didn't mesh."
Was Mariucci the wrong coach at the wrong time?
"I guess I'd have to say, who knows?" Ford said. "But for the team we had at that time, he was the wrong coach at the wrong time for that. This is not to denigrate him in the least. I think he's a great coach.
"With another team with the right mix of veterans and rookies, he'd do great. We weren't the right team for him. I wish him nothing but luck. He's a great guy."
The status of Millen is not an issue with Ford. Last year, Ford gave Millen a five-year contract extension. It took effect this year.
Marinelli removed the possibility of a quarterback controversy by naming Jon Kitna the starter before training camp opened.
Even though Joey Harrington started 37 straight games before being benched in favor of Jeff Garcia last year, there was constant speculation about his future and whether Mariucci really wanted him.
"It's not too dramatic, which is great," Ford said. "Kitna's going to fill in great. Who knows how it's going to go? I don't know, any more than anybody else does. To have Rod pick him right off and OK, he's the guy -- maybe it doesn't make good copy, but it gives the team stability.
"There's not that uncertainty. You know who the leader is going to be. He is the leader. All of that's a plus. It's positive."
Mike O'Hara