Arizona Cardinals defensive line coach Derrick LeBlanc was the subject of our spotlight three weeks ago, but it made sense to talk to him again after the performance of the run defense against the Chargers, coupled with the continuing injuries the unit is experiencing.
LeBlanc talked to the local media after practice Friday:
Q: Are you getting any kind of déjà vu this year with what it was like last year?
A: A little bit, a little bit. You know what though, I think we’re more prepared. Like the rough year last year with the injuries, I know what you’re getting to, but we got enough. I keep saying that; we got enough. I think the guys played well last week. Hopefully, we can keep building on that. And we got enough guys that are able to help us win the football game this weekend.
Q: You said you’re more prepared. How can you possibly prepare for something like that?
A: Well, expect the worst and hope for the best, right? So I mean, you just gotta; from last year, I mean like rotation wise, like who’s available, who’s capable of playing tackle and nose or who can swing, you know what I mean? So those kind of things from my experience last year, it’s really helped me prepare more for this type of situation. But I think preparing the guys to play no matter who’s in and I’ll say it every time we talk, but these guys are ready to play, they’re ready to play.
Q: You mentioned Monday night, what do you think the key was with the rotation where sometimes there were two d-linemen, sometimes three and moving guys around and yet the run defense was pretty impressive. How did that happen?
A: I think that’s more Nick’s (defensive coordinator Nick Rallis) calls. We have personnel packages where sometimes it’s three bigs, sometimes only two and they have to know them all. So, preparing, executing the game plan, just doing your job. Seems like when you just do your job and do it well, good things happen.
Q: How did that performance come together? I mean JG talks a lot about execution, details. What were the things that against a really good run offense made that possible.
A: I think just preparation. I mean, we have a young inexperienced team, but they’re getting better every week, and we have this thing where we’ve been going up and down with how we play, good and bad. And I think it kind of finally came together and hopefully we can stack another one up and just keep getting better every week.
Q: What’s been the key for guys like Naquan (Jones) and Ben (Stille), who were here before but weren’t at the start of the season and now coming in the last few weeks and made plays?
A: Well, the good thing about both of those guys is they’re in their second year of our system. So there’s a lot of recall, there’s a lot of retention in our calls, so even getting them both back it didn’t take long to get them back familiar with the calls. It’s kind of ingrained in them really, so getting Naquon back was a plus and getting Ben, I mean he’s like another coach in the room, so getting him back was definitely a plus.
Q: In what ways is he another coach in the room?
A: He’s just a smart guy. He wants to be a coach when it’s over and nobody talks about when it’s over, but when he’s done playing he wants to be a football coach and he’s gonna be pretty good at it.
Q: When we think about the mental side of the game and all those things that guys have to process. You think about a quarterback, safeties, linebackers. What are the things that a defensive lineman has to process? And why is it helpful to be in Year 2 in the same system?
A: Well, I think with the d-line it’s this: I may have to be a one-technique or a three-technique. I may have to be a four-technique and I have to be a five. I may get this block, he may pull. These guys may double me. So it’s more about recognizing what happens in front of you more than the mental thinking of it. Our job’s easy mentally. We just do what we’re told, get lined up. The challenge is the physical part of IDing and beating blocks and getting off blocks and making plays. That’s the hard part for a defensive lineman.
Q: So then why is it helpful to be in Year 2 of a system?
A: Just hearing the calls, the terminology. Like anything else, it’s like the second year of any job, right? You know what to expect. You know what time to be here. You know what the expectations are of the coaches. I think, just the holistic part of being in Year 2 and keeping those same guys around, it’s definitely going to be a plus for us.
Q: And one guy who’s not in his second year, but I suspect will have a bigger role this week with Roy (Lopez) out is (Khyiris) Tonga. How’s his progress been?
A: His progress is going really good. And as far as terminology, he’s learned it all. As far as the style of play, it was similar at Minnesota. So we have a plus with him from what he was taught fundamentally at Minnesota and coming here is just kind of like a shoe-in really for him.
Q: With a guy like Darius, g\Going through everything that he’s been going through to start the season. What’s your message to him?
A: Just run the race, right? I mean life’s challenging for all of us, right? Regardless of what those things are, just run the race and he’s got support. So we’re all here for him. I mean we’re his family away from home and this is going to be his home. So use us as need, be use me. I always tell the guys, I coached college ball forever, right? Hey, I’m available, my wife’s available. Like, just use us, right? Use us off … I want to say off campus, but outside of the facility, inside the facility, just use us as needed. And we’re here for him, man. So whenever he gets done dealing with what he’s got to deal with, hopefully he’s ready to play. He better be or I’ll be in trouble, but we gotta get him ready to play and, and I’m looking forward to seeing him on the field.
Q: Going to Miami this week, that’s where you started your NFL journey (in 2022) after a lot of years (21) in college. How meaningful is that to you?
A: It’s meaningful. A good friend of mine, Austin Clark, really help[ed and gave me a job when I was out of one. It was kind of cool. It was kind of good to work with him. So now we’re playing against him and we’ll see how it goes. But I’m excited about it to say the least.
Q: That was the connection?
A: Yeah, Austin Clark was my connection. He’s a great young defensive line coach and he does a good job with that d-line over there and hopefully we can match their intensity and play well.
Q: Where’d that connection come from prior?
A: We both have the same mentor, a guy named Pete Jenkins who’s been coaching d-line forever. I think he’s retired now, but he still mentors us, helps us out with stuff and he’s still involved in football. But that was the connection between Austin and I.
NOTE: The 83-year-old Pete Jenkins began his coaching career at the high-school level in 1964 and coached mostly the defensive line for 37 years in college, including 22 in the SEC, and three with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jenkins is credited with “revolutionizing the way the position is taught and coached” and after retiring in 2018, as LeBlanc said, he still consults with college teams and helps train current NFL players and NFL draft prospects.
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