woodbuck27
08-18-2006, 11:29 PM
Posted August 18, 2006
Sanders brings own style to defense
New coordinator isn't as 'wild' as his mentor, Jim Bates
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
If there was anything memorable about last season for the Green Bay Packers, it's the image of defensive coordinator Jim Bates running around the field during training camp, chasing plays and high-fiving or chastising players after almost every rep.
In his first  and only  season with the Packers, he was the most noticeable and dominant personality on the practice field.
Though the rest of the 4-12 season largely was forgettable, Bates left a lasting mark  so much so that when General Manager Ted Thompson fired coach Mike Sherman, Bates was the overwhelming replacement choice among the players, especially those on the defensive side.
Bates didn't get the job, and shortly after Mike McCarthy took over, Bates was gone. Left behind to take his spot was his understudy, Bob Sanders. Sanders plans to run the same defensive scheme Bates did a year ago, when the Packers jumped from 25th in total defense in 2004 to seventh.
What won't be known until at least several regular-season games is whether Sanders has Bates' deep understanding of the system and his uncanny ability to reach the players. After three weeks of training camp, one thing is clear: Sanders doesn't have the same on-the-field presence that Bates did. But who does?
"Both are fiery guys, but he's not like Bates," said linebacker Nick Barnett, who has played for four defensive coordinators in his four NFL seasons.
"I think they're both great people and great coordinators, but they have different personalities. Do I think his personality is going to work as well as Bates'? Yes. I just think it's going to be a little different."
Bates caught people's attention from the start. In training camp last year, it was not unusual to see him rip off his visor and slam it to the ground when a play went awry, or run behind a player and slap him on the butt when something went right.
"We loved Coach Bates," third-year defensive tackle Corey Williams said.
"But we'll love Coach Sanders, too. They're kind of similar, but Coach Bates is just a lot louder. He would run around like a wild man. That's him. You never knew what to expect out of him. We loved him to death."
Though the 52-year-old Sanders hasn't done anything to make anyone think he's that personality type, several of his players warned observers not to think he's Mr. Quiet, either.
"He stays on you, that's for sure," Williams said. "He lets you know when you're doing good and lets you know when you're doing bad, stuff like that."
Sanders, who coached defensive ends last season under Bates, is in charge of a defense for the first time in his 30-year coaching career. When Bates joined the Packers, it was his seventh defensive coordinator job, including two other NFL coordinator jobs.
"It's Coach Sanders' first time, and he's got to have time to get in a groove," defensive tackle Colin Cole said.
"I think he called a pretty good game (in the preseason opener against San Diego). We as players still have to go out and execute. That's what it comes down to."
Barnett said: "I think he has that special quality. I mean, it takes a while for players to start to relate to him, and understand his coaching and his strategy. I relate to him, but it might take everybody else some time."
Sanders said he regularly talks to Bates, who is out of football, but said Bates didn't offer advice. Even if Bates had, it wouldn't be in Sanders' more introverted nature to share it publicly.
"You have to be yourself," Sanders said. "You've got to be you. Any time you fill a guy's shoes who you have great admiration for and a friendship with, and the success he's had, sure, those are big shoes to fill. But he prepared me for this. I try to work as a tribute to him and the things he did for me.
"The way I call the defense doesn't win the games. Playmakers win the games. The thing I learned from Jim is you get prepared before and get the guys in position to make plays, and they execute. That's what wins the games."
DEFENCE! DEFENCE !! DEFENCE !!!
GO PACKERS !! FAITH IN 2006 !!!
Sanders brings own style to defense
New coordinator isn't as 'wild' as his mentor, Jim Bates
By Rob Demovsky
rdemovsk@greenbaypressgazette.com
If there was anything memorable about last season for the Green Bay Packers, it's the image of defensive coordinator Jim Bates running around the field during training camp, chasing plays and high-fiving or chastising players after almost every rep.
In his first  and only  season with the Packers, he was the most noticeable and dominant personality on the practice field.
Though the rest of the 4-12 season largely was forgettable, Bates left a lasting mark  so much so that when General Manager Ted Thompson fired coach Mike Sherman, Bates was the overwhelming replacement choice among the players, especially those on the defensive side.
Bates didn't get the job, and shortly after Mike McCarthy took over, Bates was gone. Left behind to take his spot was his understudy, Bob Sanders. Sanders plans to run the same defensive scheme Bates did a year ago, when the Packers jumped from 25th in total defense in 2004 to seventh.
What won't be known until at least several regular-season games is whether Sanders has Bates' deep understanding of the system and his uncanny ability to reach the players. After three weeks of training camp, one thing is clear: Sanders doesn't have the same on-the-field presence that Bates did. But who does?
"Both are fiery guys, but he's not like Bates," said linebacker Nick Barnett, who has played for four defensive coordinators in his four NFL seasons.
"I think they're both great people and great coordinators, but they have different personalities. Do I think his personality is going to work as well as Bates'? Yes. I just think it's going to be a little different."
Bates caught people's attention from the start. In training camp last year, it was not unusual to see him rip off his visor and slam it to the ground when a play went awry, or run behind a player and slap him on the butt when something went right.
"We loved Coach Bates," third-year defensive tackle Corey Williams said.
"But we'll love Coach Sanders, too. They're kind of similar, but Coach Bates is just a lot louder. He would run around like a wild man. That's him. You never knew what to expect out of him. We loved him to death."
Though the 52-year-old Sanders hasn't done anything to make anyone think he's that personality type, several of his players warned observers not to think he's Mr. Quiet, either.
"He stays on you, that's for sure," Williams said. "He lets you know when you're doing good and lets you know when you're doing bad, stuff like that."
Sanders, who coached defensive ends last season under Bates, is in charge of a defense for the first time in his 30-year coaching career. When Bates joined the Packers, it was his seventh defensive coordinator job, including two other NFL coordinator jobs.
"It's Coach Sanders' first time, and he's got to have time to get in a groove," defensive tackle Colin Cole said.
"I think he called a pretty good game (in the preseason opener against San Diego). We as players still have to go out and execute. That's what it comes down to."
Barnett said: "I think he has that special quality. I mean, it takes a while for players to start to relate to him, and understand his coaching and his strategy. I relate to him, but it might take everybody else some time."
Sanders said he regularly talks to Bates, who is out of football, but said Bates didn't offer advice. Even if Bates had, it wouldn't be in Sanders' more introverted nature to share it publicly.
"You have to be yourself," Sanders said. "You've got to be you. Any time you fill a guy's shoes who you have great admiration for and a friendship with, and the success he's had, sure, those are big shoes to fill. But he prepared me for this. I try to work as a tribute to him and the things he did for me.
"The way I call the defense doesn't win the games. Playmakers win the games. The thing I learned from Jim is you get prepared before and get the guys in position to make plays, and they execute. That's what wins the games."
DEFENCE! DEFENCE !! DEFENCE !!!
GO PACKERS !! FAITH IN 2006 !!!