Denver Native (Carol)
01-29-2010, 09:41 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9824
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- After finishing up the second day of Pro Bowl practice, Elvis Dumervil headed back to his hotel room for a little rest and relaxation.
His phone rang. It was Head Coach Josh McDaniels, and he let the outside linebacker/defensive end know that his position coach from last season, Don Martindale, had been named the team's new defensive coordinator. In other words, as Dumervil said, "it was good news."
After spending the 2009 season learning a new position under "Wink" Martindale, Dumervil came away with a respect for the coach's intelligence and work ethic. He also knows how to get the best out of his players -- after all, Dumervil became the first league sack champion in Broncos history with 17 sacks on the way to a Pro Bowl under Martindale's tutelage.
"I think we're going to be sound," Dumervil said. "I think he's a smart coach and I think he's going to create a lot of problems for opponents. I think he knows how to mix it up well. With his background of working with different guys that have been successful in this league, I'm excited. I think it's going to be a great deal for us, and I'm looking forward to working with him."
That track record Dumervil spoke of is built around a five-year stint in Oakland, when Martindale coached the team's linebackers.
During that time, he helped Oakland rank sixth in the league against the pass, and his coaching was instrumental in the development of linebacker Kirk Morrison, who registered the most tackles in the AFC -- second in the NFL -- with 491 stops in four seasons under Martindale.
Thomas Howard, another Oakland linebacker, thrived under Martindale's tutelage as well. He and Morrison each registered seven interceptions from 2006-08, making them two of the league's top five interceptors among linebackers during that span.
When Martindale focused mainly on the club's inside linebackers for his first two seasons with the Raiders, a third linebacker put up big numbers. Danny Clark registered the ninth-most tackles in the NFL from 2004-05.
Last season, Martindale's group was led by the performance of Dumervil as well as D.J. Williams, who was named a Pro Bowl alternate after leading the team with 122 tackles. Dumervil, Williams and Mario Haggan all tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles, and Martindale's unit helped Denver rank seventh in the NFL in total yards per game allowed and third in the league in passing yards per game allowed.
Robert Ayers said the success of players under Martindale starts with the attitude the coach takes toward them.
"I'm going to coach you to be great and not good," Ayers said of Martindale's first words to him. "He took that role with me and everybody else in the linebackers group. He expects you to be great and he doesn't settle for anything less."
And that is part of why McDaniels said he was excited to name Martindale the team's defensive coordinator.
"Most importantly, we want to continue to improve," the head coach said. "Wink holds his players to a very high standard, both on the field and in the meeting room, and he makes them better. He is highly regarded within our organization, and we look forward to him leading our defense."
The excitement surrounding Martindale's promotion isn't limited to the linebacker corps, however. In fact, Brian Dawkins said giving Martindale the position was "something that I was rooting for."
The Pro Bowler said Martindale helped him transition to a new scheme, and constantly gave him video on opposing teams and tips to make him better. Now that the coach will have an expanded role, Dawkins is anxious to see what the defense can achieve.
"Wink has his own ideas on what he's going to add to what we did last year," he said. "He's a very aggresive-minded play-caller, from the things that we talked about off the field and even some of the things we talk about on the sideline, some of the things he would have liked to have done. I'm looking for the same aggressive-style defense and for us to make some big plays."
McDaniels touched on that fact as well, saying that "defensively, we will keep our system consistent in terms of the scheme and will play an aggressive, physical brand of football."
As Dawkins said, the players are "already used to him talking in front of the defense, and we trust him."
That trust in his new defensive coordinator is what has brought a sense of anticipation for Dumervil, as he is ready to start working toward next season.
"Now we can move forward and get better," he said.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- After finishing up the second day of Pro Bowl practice, Elvis Dumervil headed back to his hotel room for a little rest and relaxation.
His phone rang. It was Head Coach Josh McDaniels, and he let the outside linebacker/defensive end know that his position coach from last season, Don Martindale, had been named the team's new defensive coordinator. In other words, as Dumervil said, "it was good news."
After spending the 2009 season learning a new position under "Wink" Martindale, Dumervil came away with a respect for the coach's intelligence and work ethic. He also knows how to get the best out of his players -- after all, Dumervil became the first league sack champion in Broncos history with 17 sacks on the way to a Pro Bowl under Martindale's tutelage.
"I think we're going to be sound," Dumervil said. "I think he's a smart coach and I think he's going to create a lot of problems for opponents. I think he knows how to mix it up well. With his background of working with different guys that have been successful in this league, I'm excited. I think it's going to be a great deal for us, and I'm looking forward to working with him."
That track record Dumervil spoke of is built around a five-year stint in Oakland, when Martindale coached the team's linebackers.
During that time, he helped Oakland rank sixth in the league against the pass, and his coaching was instrumental in the development of linebacker Kirk Morrison, who registered the most tackles in the AFC -- second in the NFL -- with 491 stops in four seasons under Martindale.
Thomas Howard, another Oakland linebacker, thrived under Martindale's tutelage as well. He and Morrison each registered seven interceptions from 2006-08, making them two of the league's top five interceptors among linebackers during that span.
When Martindale focused mainly on the club's inside linebackers for his first two seasons with the Raiders, a third linebacker put up big numbers. Danny Clark registered the ninth-most tackles in the NFL from 2004-05.
Last season, Martindale's group was led by the performance of Dumervil as well as D.J. Williams, who was named a Pro Bowl alternate after leading the team with 122 tackles. Dumervil, Williams and Mario Haggan all tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles, and Martindale's unit helped Denver rank seventh in the NFL in total yards per game allowed and third in the league in passing yards per game allowed.
Robert Ayers said the success of players under Martindale starts with the attitude the coach takes toward them.
"I'm going to coach you to be great and not good," Ayers said of Martindale's first words to him. "He took that role with me and everybody else in the linebackers group. He expects you to be great and he doesn't settle for anything less."
And that is part of why McDaniels said he was excited to name Martindale the team's defensive coordinator.
"Most importantly, we want to continue to improve," the head coach said. "Wink holds his players to a very high standard, both on the field and in the meeting room, and he makes them better. He is highly regarded within our organization, and we look forward to him leading our defense."
The excitement surrounding Martindale's promotion isn't limited to the linebacker corps, however. In fact, Brian Dawkins said giving Martindale the position was "something that I was rooting for."
The Pro Bowler said Martindale helped him transition to a new scheme, and constantly gave him video on opposing teams and tips to make him better. Now that the coach will have an expanded role, Dawkins is anxious to see what the defense can achieve.
"Wink has his own ideas on what he's going to add to what we did last year," he said. "He's a very aggresive-minded play-caller, from the things that we talked about off the field and even some of the things we talk about on the sideline, some of the things he would have liked to have done. I'm looking for the same aggressive-style defense and for us to make some big plays."
McDaniels touched on that fact as well, saying that "defensively, we will keep our system consistent in terms of the scheme and will play an aggressive, physical brand of football."
As Dawkins said, the players are "already used to him talking in front of the defense, and we trust him."
That trust in his new defensive coordinator is what has brought a sense of anticipation for Dumervil, as he is ready to start working toward next season.
"Now we can move forward and get better," he said.