The Ravens always have high expectations for their defense, even when excellent coaches and players depart. That won't change next season, although the makeup of the defensive staff has changed quickly since the end of the season.
Zach Orr is the new defensive coordinator replacing new Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald. Former Defensive Backs Coach Dennard Wilson left the Ravens to become the Titans' new defensive coordinator. Defensive Line Coach/Assistant Head Coach Anthony Weaver was hired as the Dolphins' new defensive coordinator Saturday.
The interest in Baltimore's coaching staff was expected after the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to lead the league in points allowed, sacks, and takeaways. However, the Ravens have a standard of defensive excellence and Head Coach John Harbaugh is excited to work with the revamped staff.
Harbaugh pointed to Orr specifically, as well as remaining coaches such as Pass Game Coordinator/Secondary Coach Chris Hewitt and Outside Linebackers Coach Chuck Smith as reasons to be optimistic about the staff still in place.
"Those guys are going to build another great defense," Harbaugh said. "And I'm going to be in the middle of it, just like I'm in the middle of the offense and special teams. I'm going to lean on those guys and trust those guys and empower those guys to build a great defense."
Harbaugh thinks Orr's linebacker experience as both a player and coach will be invaluable to him as a coordinator. Previous Ravens defensive coordinators Macdonald, Wink Martindale and Dean Pees all were Ravens linebacker coaches before being promoted.
"Zach is super talented and super enthusiastic," Harbaugh said. "He's very smart. He has prepared for that job. He's in the middle of the defense. I think when you're a linebackers coach, that's an advantage because you're in the middle of the defense and you understand the whole defense inside and out.
"You have a big picture. It helps you with defensive play calling, for sure. A linebackers coach usually has an advantage as far as that goes. There's no reason not to put Zach in that position in my mind right now, and I think he'll do a great job, but I also think he'll do a great job because of the support he's going to get."
As a first-time coordinator, Orr has never called defensive plays before. Even though they were both young when hired, Macdonald had gone to the University of Michigan for one year, where he got experience calling the defensive plays. Harbaugh believes Orr will grow into the responsibility quickly.
"That's something that we're going to have to work through and Zach's going to have to get on board with quick," Harbaugh said. "I think he's been studying that and how to do that all the way through.
"In talking to him, I have a comfort level that he'll be good at it, but he has to go do it. He's going to get support not just from the veteran coaches but also the young coaches that are going to help set up those game plans and make sure that all the bases are covered that way."
