W-OLF
04-13-2006, 10:37 PM
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - Mike Martz not only is beginning his overhaul of one of the NFL's worst offenses, but he's making a quick impression.
The Detroit Lions broke a three-day voluntary minicamp Thursday with a better understanding of what has made their new offensive coordinator one of the most respected in the league.
"He's very detailed. There's nothing that goes by the wayside. He sees everything," quarterback Jon Kitna said of the former St. Louis Rams' head coach. "But the great thing about it is he's going to give us every opportunity to be successful."
That attention to detail often has been a matter of yards.
"There's more coaching. He says 2 yards outside the number, he means 2 yards. Not a yard and a half," said receiver Roy Williams, who led the team with eight touchdown catches last season. "That's different that what I'm used to."
The Lions were 27th in total offense last season and 26th in passing, marks Martz hopes to reverse after a successful seven-year run in which is St. Louis teams rank in the top 10 offensively in six of the seven seasons. Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger emerged as stars under his tutelage.
Kitna, signed as a free agent from Cincinnati during the offseason, is a believer.
"I know people in Detroit hear that with a skeptic ear, but look at his track record," he said. "The Rams were 3-13 before we got there. We have to take what we've learned now and go out and do it."
Like his offensive coordinator, new coach Rod Marinelli kept workouts brisk as the team spent most of the week beginning the process of learning its system.
"Right now you're using these camps as tools to teach and find what you want to teach," Marinelli said. "The biggest thing is progress and the tempo were trying to create."
Lions president Matt Millen was watching the coaches as much as the players.
"You saw a lot of coaching going on, a lot of details," he said. "All the tiny little things that you take for granted that often get overlooked when you don't make it a priority."
credit BellSouth
The Detroit Lions broke a three-day voluntary minicamp Thursday with a better understanding of what has made their new offensive coordinator one of the most respected in the league.
"He's very detailed. There's nothing that goes by the wayside. He sees everything," quarterback Jon Kitna said of the former St. Louis Rams' head coach. "But the great thing about it is he's going to give us every opportunity to be successful."
That attention to detail often has been a matter of yards.
"There's more coaching. He says 2 yards outside the number, he means 2 yards. Not a yard and a half," said receiver Roy Williams, who led the team with eight touchdown catches last season. "That's different that what I'm used to."
The Lions were 27th in total offense last season and 26th in passing, marks Martz hopes to reverse after a successful seven-year run in which is St. Louis teams rank in the top 10 offensively in six of the seven seasons. Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger emerged as stars under his tutelage.
Kitna, signed as a free agent from Cincinnati during the offseason, is a believer.
"I know people in Detroit hear that with a skeptic ear, but look at his track record," he said. "The Rams were 3-13 before we got there. We have to take what we've learned now and go out and do it."
Like his offensive coordinator, new coach Rod Marinelli kept workouts brisk as the team spent most of the week beginning the process of learning its system.
"Right now you're using these camps as tools to teach and find what you want to teach," Marinelli said. "The biggest thing is progress and the tempo were trying to create."
Lions president Matt Millen was watching the coaches as much as the players.
"You saw a lot of coaching going on, a lot of details," he said. "All the tiny little things that you take for granted that often get overlooked when you don't make it a priority."
credit BellSouth