Tag: dennard wilson

Titans’ Dennard Wilson prepared for emotional homecoming

Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson will be heading home on Sunday to the area that helped shape his coaching career.

As the Tennessee Titans prepare to take on the Washington Commanders in Landover, one member of the organization has a little more excitement than most: defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. 

Not only does he coordinate one of the best units in the league, ranking second in total defense, first in pass defense, and eighth in run defense. He now gets an opportunity to return home to continue building his resume. 

Born and raised near the Commanders’ Northwest Stadium in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He attended the University of Maryland and eventually signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 2004. Unfortunately, his potential career on the field was derailed by injury, where he quickly pivoted into coaching. 

Now, a decade later, he enters the stadium as a hot name in coaching circles after building an ascending defense during his first season as a coordinator. 

“It’s not about me; all I care about is going back to Washington and getting a win,” Wilson said on Thursday. “All I care about is this defense having success.”

Wilson then reflected on growing up in the Washington area.

“Obviously, I love being from the East Coast, being from the Maryland/DMV area,” he said. “A majority of my family is there. I have great memories. High school was right down the road; my grandmother lived right across the street from the stadium. I grew up probably 10 minutes away from it. Being from there is a helluva thing, and I represent it well.”

At 3-8, Tennessee has a lot of question marks on their coaching staff, but Wilson isn’t one of them. He is a rising talent and Titans’ are lucky to have him. 

Sunday is a homecoming for Titans DC Dennard Wilson

Dennard Wilson grew up near Northwest Stadium and began his NFL journey with Washington.

One name that should be on the radar of NFL teams needing a head coach is Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. In his first season as a DC, Wilson has the Titans ranked second in total defense, first in pass defense, and eighth in run defense.

Not bad for a 42-year-old first-time coordinator.

On Sunday, Wilson returns home as the Titans travel to Landover, Maryland, to face the Washington Commanders. Wilson was born and raised near the Commanders’ Northwest Stadium in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He played collegiately at the University of Maryland and signed with the then-Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2004.

An injury ended Wilson’s playing career before it began, but he quickly made an impact as a coach.

“It’s not about me; all I care about is going back to Washington and getting a win,” Wilson said on Thursday. “All I care about is this defense having success.”

Wilson then reflected on growing up in the Washington area.

“Obviously, I love being from the East Coast, being from the Maryland/DMV area,” he said. “A majority of my family is there. I have great memories. High school was right down the road; my grandmother lived right across the street from the stadium. I grew up probably 10 minutes away from it. Being from there is a helluva thing, and I represent it well.”

The Titans have struggled to pick up victories in 2024, but you can’t blame Tennessee’s defense, which is why you’ll start hearing Wilson’s name when the offseason hiring cycle kicks off.

Titans vs. Chargers: 6 keys to victory in Week 10

The Titans face the Chargers on the road in Week 10 and there are six keys to getting a victory.

The Tennessee Titans hit the road this week and head to the West Coast to face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. The game features two teams that prefer to run the ball than throw it, but also have capable passers who can launch it down the field. It also features two teams with strong defenses.

The Titans are coming off of a thrilling overtime win, but the Chargers get to wake up in their own beds this week and travel can be a momentum killer. The 5-3 Chargers are favored over the 2-6 Titans for good reason. If the Titans want a shot at winning, there are six things they must do on Sunday.

We still don’t know if Will Levis will suit up on Sunday or not. Indications are that he might play given his increase in practice this week, but that decision has not been made yet. The quarterback play has been much better in recent weeks, and while Nick Holz wants to say it’s not all about the quarterback, a large part of it is. Wide receivers should catch a pass that touches their hands, yes, but if the ball is a wounded duck coming at them, it’s not easy to catch. This can result in drops just as much as receiving mistakes.

Whoever plays quarterback on Sunday, they have to make sure their passes aren’t just accurate, but they are catchable passes. Against a stout Chargers defense, the Titans’ offense can’t afford to make mistakes.

The play calling by Brian Callahan has been better in recent weeks, allowing Tony Pollard to carry the offense and using Mason Rudolph’s experience to get the ball to Calvin Ridley and Nick Wesbrook-Ikhine. That type of play calling has to continue even if Will Levis is the starter on Sunday. Callahan has to remember that Levis is not Rudolph and the plays need to change based on their differences. Levis is more mobile, but he’s less accurate and more prone to turnovers. That has to play a factor in his strategy on Sunday.

The Titans and Chargers both take over 31 seconds in between plays, the most in the NFL. Both also have a run-first mentality, which should keep the clock moving quickly. The Titans have the advantage on defense in this area because those guys are used to playing a LOT of snaps due to all of the injuries this season. Being given that kind of time between plays will give them rest they aren’t used to having.

On offense, it might behoove them to move a little bit faster to throw off the Chargers who will expect more time between snaps.

However they decide to do it, the Titans need to control the clock on Sunday and win the time of possession battle.

Dennard Wilson has his defense coming together nicely this season. It’s hard to miss the impact he has on a defense. Look at the Baltimore Ravens this year, their defense ranks last. That wasn’t the case when Wilson was there last year. Now the Titans have the top defense in the NFL under Wilson and no one can ignore that. Wilson will look for the mismatches on the field and exploit them, it’s what he does best and why his defenses create takeaways, as we saw last week with Amani Hooker.

The Titans’ defense is strong enough to carry this team to victory against the Chargers, so long as the offense doesn’t do anything like throw a pick-six (just saying).

Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is in his fifth season in the NFL, and it’s like a switch flipped for him the last two weeks. Westbrook-Ikhine has the most receiving touchdowns on the Titans’ offense this season with four. The last couple of weeks have seen him used more on the field, and he has made the most of those targets since the departure of DeAndre Hopkins. He has become a top target for Mason Rudolph, after Calvin Ridley of course, with Tyler Boyd battling a nagging shoulder injury and Treylon Burks landing on IR. Keeping him involved, no matter who is throwing the ball, is now an integral part of the Titans’ offense.

Over the last few weeks, at least three passes that have gone toward Chig Okonkwo have been picked off. Last week, Josh Whyle committed a foul that negated a Tony Pollard touchdown. Nick Vannett has four touchdowns and is the most reliable tight end the Titans have in regard to catching the ball. He is a capable blocker as well, but Okonkwo and Whyle can make an impact there too. Brian Callahan has to be smart about how he uses these three players. The offense can’t afford mistakes if they want to win this week.

Titans DC Dennard Wilson: L’Jarius Sneed is NFL’s best cornerback

Does Titans CB L’Jarius Sneed have a case as the best at his position in the NFL?

The Tennessee Titans received a lot of attention this offseason for their wholesale changes. Whether it was firing successful longtime coach Mike Vrabel and replacing him with Brian Callahan or adding significant talent on offense, it was a busy offseason for Tennessee.

However, the Titans are 1-3 heading into a Week 6 showdown with the Indianapolis Colts. Tennessee’s defense is not to blame for its lack of wins.

Before Week 6 kicks off, the Titans rank No. 1 in the NFL in total defense and No. 1 in pass defense. Tennessee is allowing just 243 total yards per game and only 124 passing yards per contest. One of the Titans’ prized offseason acquisitions, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, is already paying dividends. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson recently called Sneed the NFL’s best cornerback.

“Sometimes, I don’t think he gets the respect that he deserves,” Wilson said of Sneed. “I think he’s the best corner in the National Football League. He’s not afraid of any challenge, he’s not afraid of anyone, and I just love to see him compete.”

The results speak for themselves. While calling one player the best is subjective, the Titans’ defensive results are proof that GM Ran Carthon made the right move by acquiring Sneed.

Titans’ Dennard Wilson ‘loved the way’ defense played vs. Bears but…

Tennessee Titans DC Dennard Wilson “loved the way” his defense played in Week 1 but that comes with one major “but…”

Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson liked much of what he saw from his defense in Week 1.

The Titans lost the game but the Bears didn’t score a single touchdown on offense. The unit allowed Caleb Williams to throw for just 93 yards in his NFL debut but failed to force any turnovers.

“That’s the one thing that you come out of the game and say, we didn’t take the ball away,” Wilson told reporters on Thursday. “That’s a huge emphasis for us, and that’s a huge emphasis going into this game (in Week 2).”

The Titans did recover a fumble. but it came on special teams.

“If you wanna be a good defense in the league, you gotta take the ball away,” Wilson declared.

The first-year DC also praised rookie defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat.

Sweat didn’t light up the stat sheet, collecting two pressures on 38 snaps. However, the massive Sweat dominated on the interior and helped stifle the Bears’ ground game.

Sweat received a stellar 77.7 PFF grade in his debut and earned a shoutout from Brian Baldinger.

“He’s the player we envisioned when we drafted him,” Wilson said of Sweat. “He keeps getting better and better.”

The Titans will need Sweat to play a larger role as the season progresses, which is exactly what Wilson envisions.

“In his mind, he wants to be one of the best defensive tackles in the National Football League and that’s what we want him to be,” said the coach.

Wilson’s defense will have a tough task in Week 2 as Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets come to town.

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Titans’ Amani Hooker: ‘I am able to do my job now’ with new CBs

Amani Hooker explained why the Titans’ new cornerbacks will allow him to “do my job now.”

The Tennessee Titans’ roster overwent an overhaul this offseason, and perhaps no group underwent more changes than the secondary.

In addition to a new coaching staff, the secondary also added two new starters. L’Jarius Sneed and Chidobe Awuzie were brought in to start at cornerback, replacing Kristian Fulton and Sean Murphy-Bunting.

One holdover in the secondary is safety Amani Hooker. The veteran defensive back is the second-longest tenured Titan alongside Jeffery Simmons. Only Harold Landry has been with the team longer than those two.

Despite his extended tenure in Nashville, Hooker has to start from scratch in 2024 after the change at head coach.

“It’s all about accountability, with me as well,” Hooker said, per Jim Wyatt. “This is all new for me – it’s a new style, a new defense, new scheme, so just like everyone else is learning, I am doing the same thing. But my job is to make sure everyone learns at a progressive level and we’re doing it together as a unit.”

“I’ll just say it’s a lot more aggressive,” Hooker said of the defense under Dennard Wilson. “There’s times when it can be aggressive and there’s times when not to, so our coaches are doing a good job teaching that.”

Hooker has lived through staff changes before, so having his presence in the locker room will help the young guys get acclimated. Having two talented corners in Sneed and Chido will be a huge help, also.

“We have two dogs – we have Chido and Sneed out there,” Hooker said. “I can’t wait to go full speed with them, with the pads on. I have been watching them make plays for the other team against us, so I am excited that they’re on our team now and it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

It’s no secret that the Titans’ secondary struggled in 2023. For example, Fulton ended with a pitiful 46.4 PFF grade and allowed 37 receptions on 51 targets. Hooker perhaps threw shade at his former teammates, saying he will be able to “do my job now” because he can bank on the fact that Sneed and Awuzie will be in the right places.

“These guys have proven they can be in the right position to make the plays, and when I’m out there I am able to do my job now, and start searching for plays as they come to me. Knowing you have guys that are aggressive out there, it makes me as a safety have that same mentality that they have and bring it to our defense.”

Having quality corners will go a long way toward helping Hooker perform at the highest level. The DB is excited for the 2024 season, and Titans fans should be as well.

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Dennard Wilson bringing much-needed approach to Titans’ secondary

Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson is making a much-needed change to the way Titans cornerbacks defend receivers.

One of the major frustrations with the Tennessee Titans‘ previous regime was cornerbacks not playing press coverage, giving opposing receivers extra room to work with in the short part of the field, often leading to easy first downs.

But under new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, those days are over. Before practice on Wednesday, Wilson made it very clear that Tennessee’s cornerbacks will press receivers at the line of scrimmage.

“For me, I believe press or less,” Wilson said, per Paul Kuharsky. “And I want them to be in front of receivers and challenge the receivers. Ultimately in this game, if you get free access, it’s easy for the quarterbacks to complete balls.

“So what I do, I want to create hesitation at the line of scrimmage and make them earn it the hard way, make them earn it throwing the 50-50 ball. Everything else we’re going to challenge.”

When asked if Titans cornerbacks will have a choice in the matter at all, Wilson made it very clear they will not.

“From Day 1, it’s we press everything, period,” he replied.

It’s true that the previous coaching staff didn’t have anywhere near the talent of the Titans’ 2024 cornerbacks room, but the lack of even trying to play press coverage only made things more frustrating.

Wilson went into more detail about his philosophy, including how it’s more about what a coaching staff emphasizes as opposed to what cornerbacks are comfortable doing.

“Listen, offenses do a great job of giving different formations, right?” he said. “A lot of offenses when they spread you out, it’s wide. You’re going to line up and press them, you want to go body on body. But what offenses do, they shrink the formation and get you to back off. A lot of times when you see guys playing off coverage, it might be because of the coverage that you’re playing and you have zone vision so you have to be off.

“To me, it’s not about the DBs or players having fear of doing it, it’s about what do you emphasize? And players do what you emphasize. It’s what you want from a scheme standpoint. And then teaching the techniques and letting the corners understand the leverage and where’s their help. When they thoroughly understand where their help is they can play to certain leverages and take certain routes away.”

After having a coaching staff that was more guarded than Fort Knox, it’s so refreshing to see these types of detailed answers from the new one.

Whether it’s because of that, or the new approaches this coaching staff is bringing, it’s very clear these are not going to be the same Titans we watched the last six years.

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Titans’ Dennard Wilson to take part in NFL Coach Accelerator Program

Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson will be taking part in the NFL Coach Accelerator Program next week.

As he prepares to enter his first year as the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, Dennard Wilson will be taking part in the NFL’s Coach Accelerator Program next week.

According to the league, Wilson is one of 27 invitees, a list that also includes former Titans passing-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Charles London, who is now with the Seattle Seahawks.

The program, which will take place in Nashville during the league’s spring meetings from May 20-22, is “part of the league’s continued efforts to strengthen the pipeline of diverse coaching candidates.”

The program gives teams and owners an opportunity to meet with qualified coaching candidates from different backgrounds.

After retiring from the NFL, Wilson has been coaching since 2004, working his way up from the high school level all the way to the pros.

He was most recently the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive backs coach after getting passed up for defensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he also served as a pass-game coordinator and defensive backs coach.

If Wilson can find success in his new job in Tennessee, it may not be long before he’s a head coach.

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Ravens-Steelers rivalry is “a bloodbath,” says new Titans DC Dennard Wilson

Tennessee Titans Defensive Coordinator Dennard Wilson described the Ravens-Steelers rivalry as the best in football.

By his definition, Dennard Wilson was not a “true Raven” for the one year he spent with the franchise. Wilson, now the Tennessee Titans’ Defensive Coordinator, served as the Ravens’ defensive backs coach last season, during which time Baltimore lost both of its meetings to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to Wilson, you’re not a true Raven until you beat the Steelers. He named the Ravens-Steelers rivalry the best in football and a “bloodbath.”

“Baltimore-Pittsburgh rivalry is something I’ve never seen before,” Wilson said on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast.

“I’ve been in multiple divisions. I’ve been in the old school black and blue division with the Chicago Bears, you know, the division with Philly and Dallas.

“The Pittsburgh-Baltimore rivalry is different. They first say you’re not a true Raven until you beat the Steelers.

“So like that’s huge, and it doesn’t matter how good the team is, what your record is, when you line up against the Steelers or Baltimore, it is a bloodbath. It’s old school football.”

Wilson’s NFL career, across coaching, scouting and playing, has spanned seven different teams. So he speaks the truth when he says he’s been in multiple divisions, all over the league.

If he says that Steelers-Ravens is the rivalry that stands above the rest, then we must take his word for it. As we near another annual schedule release, it’s worth noting that both sides immediately circle the two meetings on the calendar every year.

While he may not be a true Raven, at least for 2023, he is a true Marylander. He grew up in Upper Marlboro, prepped and later coached at the famed Dematha Catholic (Hyattsville), and played college ball at the University of Maryland.

Given all that, plus the fact that he spent a year as an assistant coach with both the Terrapins and the Ravens, Wilson embodies that often-quoted line from Wedding Crashers: “Crab cakes and football- that’s what Maryland does!”

Titans DC Dennard Wilson talks green dot, letting Kenneth Murray ‘play free’

Titans DC Dennard Wilson’s main focus with LB Kenneth Murray is to put him in position to “cut it loose” on the field.

One of the big topics of conversation this offseason is about who will wear the green dot for the Tennessee Titans in 2024 after last year’s leader on defense, Azeez Al-Shaair, left for the Houston Texans in free agency.

Because of the position he plays, the first name that comes to mind is free-agent signing and linebacker, Kenneth Murray, who is the only addition the Titans have made at the position in the wake of Al-Shaair’s departure.

Murray has some experience with the green dot (he actually wore it against the Titans in 2023), but there are many out there who believe he isn’t a good option for it in Nashville.

When asked about the green dot, Wilson said he isn’t worried about it right now. And, when it comes to Murray, the focus is putting him in position to not have to think too much so he can “cut it loose” on the field.

“We’re not focused on the green dot right now,” Wilson said, per AtoZ Sports Nashville. “That’s up to guys getting out there and performing, seeing how much information they can retain, first and foremost.

“The thing with Kenneth is, just like when he came out of college, you saw the explosiveness — he’s a big man, he’s athletic, he’s smart, he can make all the plays. For us, our thought process is to put him in a position to allow him to play free, to cut it loose, so he doesn’t have to think as much right now. And as we start to let him go out there and cut it loose and he plays fast and physical and ahead of plays, then you give him the other responsibilities. But right now, it’s about him being the best version of himself, the good self. And trying to maximize his potential so when he goes out and plays, he plays free.”

Wilson’s comments make it quite clear that Murray isn’t a lock to wear the green dot, but he did leave the door open for his linebacker to show he can handle the responsibility.

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