Hobson's Choice Podcast: Lou Anarumo

Bengals.com Senior Writer Geoff Hobson interviews defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo during the Bengals' Organized Team Activities.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to another edition of Hobson's Choice Podcasts. Very happy
to have a fellow East Coast or Louianna Rummo here
the Bengals new defensive coordinator and coach. Nice for taking
the time. I know you've got a meeting here in
about twenty minutes and just couldn't go outside today because
of because of the rain, but obviously still got some
things done. I was wondering when you know, when you
went back, you've had, you know, a couple of months

(00:21):
to look at the tape, and last year, you've seen
the talent, you've seen them on the field. What are
maybe some of the one or two things that you
want to make sure that this defense can do? You know,
M Yeah, I think it's important that, you know, we
start out first of all, just letting them get a
good basic understanding of what the new defense is and
the scheme and what their job requirements are for each

(00:44):
particular guy, you know, whether it be a D lineman,
a linebacker, a dB. So that's kind of we're focused
on right now, is just getting the nuts in the
bolts of the of the scheme down. And you know,
there's plenty of talent out there and guys are working hard,
so you know, we get it. We get better each day,
and that's that's what we're looking for. Kind of a
kind of a theme. I've heard from not only the

(01:05):
players here, but a guy that you work with last
year in New York got the shake Townsend who's now
the secondary coach and in Chicago, but he worked with
you with the Giants last year. I think he was
the assistant d line coach and I think he worked
with you. So the corner form a corner from Pittsburgh.
And he said, Loue tells it straight. He says, because
we're talking about Nick Eason, he's good friends with the

(01:26):
defensive line coach. And he said, Loue tells it straight,
and he keeps it black and white. And I think
that's what these guys have said. I've talked to Sean
Williams and visual a lot of these guys, you know,
and saying that you've done a real good job of
simplifying this thing so that they can play fast. Well,
I mean, I think that's what the players want. You know, Anybody,
whatever the job is, if you're given a task, you know,

(01:46):
whether it's playing football or working at IBM, If you
know exactly what you could do, you could do a
better job. So we try to eliminate the gray. And
things happen so fast in this league, and especially on defense,
we're going to react to what the offense does. So um,
you know, if it's this, then they got to do that,
and they can't. They don't have a lot of time
to process it. So we're really trying to hone in

(02:07):
on like you said, just making it clear for the
guys and if they have questions, now's the time to
ask it. So when we get to the season, we
can hit the ground running. I mean to try to.
You know, people want to say, well, like, how's this
guy going on? How's that guy doing on that? I say,
it's just hard because last year I think, you know,
they obviously struggled. I think they had a new scheme.
They struggle with that, but you might see something completely
different than the guy and a guy who maybe was

(02:30):
thinking that, you know, who was maybe thinking in another scheme,
is not going to be thinking yeah, so different play.
I hope. I hope that's the case. And we want
all the guys to get better and no matter whether
it's Geno Atkins or undrafted rookie. We're trying to that's
why we're here. We're here to get these guys better. So, um,
they all had a clean slate. They're all as far

(02:51):
as last year's you know, that's water under the bridge.
And we're just kind of making our decisions now based
on what we see on the tape from from what
we're asking him to do, uh, and kind of go
from there. So so far, so good, and and we're
making progress. And like I said, they're all working hard.
So that's all all we can ask for right now. Yah. Yeah,
even in the league sevent eight years, a long time

(03:13):
college coach, but a guy that you've got a strand
with the Bengals fans nowell is Kevin Coyle, who was
who was the defensive coordinator in the in Miami. I
think that's probably one of the first things he did
was he came after and got you. You're both from
Staaten Island, which is not known for bringing round for
NFL players or coaches, and yet I think he was
probably a guy he's about ten years old and you

(03:35):
I'm sure he's a guy you probably has looked at, right, Yeah, Kevin,
I owe a ton of gratitude to him. You know,
he's throughout the years is uh, you know, always kind
of mentored me along the way and always you know,
have looked to him for you know, advice both in
coaching and everything else. But he's he's a great guy.
And I still talked to him today and and uh,

(03:56):
you know, Kevin has a lot to do with me
being where I am, so I I'll always appreciate that
from him, for sure. But uh, yeah, you know we've
as we go through this scheme, you know, some of
Kevin stuff, some of maybe Zim stay you know a
little bit of everything. Not not giving anything away too
to anybody, but we're kind of going to be multiple
this year and kind of stick with that right now

(04:17):
and see how it goes. Of course, you were with
Kevin in in in Miami. He came from he went
to Miami from here under under Mike Zimmer. So, uh,
like you said, there's you guys are probably you know,
you probably have some similar ideas anyway, because if you
if I'm not mistaken, the first time I think you
coached with Kevin you were in GA at Syracu. Yeah,
forever ago, yes, and and and you know coach Pascalone

(04:41):
was there, and so there's believe it or not to
some core principles from all the way back back then.
You know where a coach p put in and uh,
but football's football. You know. One of the best players
I've ever coached was Brent Rhymes and uh when I
had him in Miami, had him for three years. He
went to three straight Pro Bowl and I think he
had fifteen interceptions or so in three years. And I

(05:05):
used to ask him. I said, Brent, what do you
have in this play? And he said, uh, cover the
guy in front of me. I said exactly. I said, Brent,
what can the offense due to you on this particular play.
It's either a runner or pass? I said, exactly. So
don't make the game he was joking, obviously, but don't
make the game hard for the players. Um and get
him playing fast, physical and smart, and that's what's important.

(05:27):
It sounds like Kevin still sounding board today. A guy
you can but you get a lot of guys around
and she can reach out to. Yeah, it's been around.
It's nice, really been aroundable. Yeah. That that certainly helps
you know, whether it be keV or or you know,
multiple guys throughout the course of my career. To have
resources like that, it's unbelievable. Now you get you know,
you mentioned drives in Miami. Um, you get some pretty

(05:50):
special players here. Uh, you know, obviously upfront and Dunlap
and ack A and uh three first round corners. The safeties,
you know, you get a second round safety and Bates
and Sean is obviously kind of developed in the way,
kind of a captain esque kind of guy. This seems
to be more in the cubb and I think that

(06:11):
people want to get him. Yeah, I certainly see it
that way. And you know, we're gonna continue to get
all those guys that you mentioned better. That's our goal.
And along with trying to create some depth behind those
guys because ultimately, in this league, guys are gonna get
hurt and guys have to step up and play. And
then you know, we're still trying to figure out the

(06:32):
linebacker spot. We've got some guys that Preston Brown's played
a lot of football and he's healthy again and last
year he wasn't. You know, Jordan Evans and Vigil and
the guys like that have been here, you know, and
then just seeing what some of these younger guys can
do so we'll see. And the third round pick Pratt,
he's come up a little way and looks like he's
fighting a hammy a little bit. But I'm sure that

(06:54):
probably doesn't get your riled yet because you want them
to kind of look anyway. Yeah, you want him, you
want all the guys out there all the time, but
it is what it is. Sometimes these these guys trained
so much for the combine and they're not ready for practice.
Um and uh, you know, whatever the deal was with him,
but you know, hopefully he'll be out there soon. So
what do you got? I mean, I mean, I know
you guys like his size and his ability to his

(07:16):
ability to go to go run right, and yeah, he
can run and hit. You know, start with that at linebacker.
That's always a good thing. So he was always around
the ball at NC State. And uh, you know, we
we we like that about Him's got the mean demeanor
when he comes and plays. He's he's a violent guy.
So that's kind of it's a good thing for that position.
A guy who kind of stuck in here, snuck in

(07:37):
here is the arburn linebacker Deshan Davis quietly had two
hundred and sixty six tackles and harbor a guy who
was I think very at home and the liddle he
called the called the called the singles and the has
showed up here and he looks like he's he's kind
of used to it. Yeah, I think he's gonna shine
best when we put pads on, put a helmet on,
and just do what you just said. Anybody has that

(07:59):
many tackles in the sec He's doing something the right,
is doing something right. So, um, we're gonna I'm anxious
to see him when we start playing football. Um upfront. Obviously,
the guy we talked about, uh, you know it's you
and Nick were funny when you after you drafted him,
Rent Uh. Nick called him mount Wren and I, uh,

(08:20):
he uh, he is really a he's quite a he's
quite a cuts an imposing thing. He's a big man.
He's a big man. You know. Just again, it's hard
to evaluate any you know, the guys. You know, we
know what the veterans can do because they've done it
for a while. But these young guys, we're not gonna know.
I don't I don't get too high or too low
on anybody right now because it's just shorts and t shirts,

(08:43):
and those those guys up front. We'll find out about
when we start playing games and preseason and practicing, and
you know that's when you find out about those guys.
But he's Wren's done well so far. You know, he's
an eager guy, wants to learn. It look sounds like
talking to Herm Edwards, Herm said he was never had
a problem with him. A good guy off the field,
and uh absolutely just he says you got a big

(09:05):
He says, you got a big ball of clay there. Yeah. Yeah,
that's how we see it. So hopefully, uh we'll keep
molding out the right way. Um, and even around a
lot of secondaries, uh three first round quarters, you don't
see that very much in uh in Jackson, Denard and
Kirk Packrick. You don't know. We're fortunate. Um, we're you know,

(09:27):
like you just said, there's not a ton of teams
that have that luxury. So you know where we'll use
those guys to the best of you know, with the
best matchups and see how it plays out. And uh
COIs he's coming off an injury, so beat Dub's doing
a great job right now, and let's see how it goes.
I mean, these guys they've been drafted pretty much to
it looks like, you know, they lean, they can run.

(09:49):
I think I got some press quarters, right, I mean
they're I see what they do best. It's absolutely yeah.
And I think in order to play at least for us,
you know, to play good tight coverage, you want to
be up there and pressing these guys and making it
hard for the quarterbacks. So you've seen you emphasizing and that.
I thought you guys had a very Uh I don't know,
but it looked like you guys had a good day
in the red zone yesterday. There weren't a lot of

(10:11):
athletes there. There weren't a lot of length. Yeah, Will
had a nice pick six. Um. You know, once he
gets going out, think there's too many guys are gonna
catch him. Maybe John Ross could have but I don't know,
I don't know, but uh but no, So yeah, we
did Okay, you know we got There's some things we
gotta correct obviously, but for the first day, it wasn't bad.
One of those corners you know, well, uh, Lewisha's son

(10:33):
run a nice story for Bengals dot Com on on
a b W Webb He had him and it really
kind of revived his career. And this guy he had
knocked around, hadn't played in a lot of hadn't played
a lot, and he stuck him in there and he
uh really flourished in you. Yeah, I like he's a
competitive guy. He and job description one in this league

(10:55):
at corners, you have to be able to run fast,
and he can. Uh and he still has really good speed.
He's a good guy, wants to do well. He's got
position flexibility kids, because he can play nickel and play outside. Um,
you know, sometimes you know guys like that who just
hanging there, hanging there, hanging I hit the right scheme
at the right time and they and to his credit,

(11:17):
he's he's he's had a lot of persistence and uh
it's paid off. Probably a guy I mean when and
then and then when you get the drive here, he
realized he was a guy who's going to be available. Sure,
that was a guy you probably put on your list. Absolutely,
wouldn't you know it, wouldn't mind have him? Yep, absolutely
go again. You can't you can never have enough corners,
corners and rushers. So yeah, we'll keep bringing him in.

(11:40):
It's kind of a kind of a kind of a
lesson in the league. It's it's more of a it's
a lot of this thing is on systems, relationship with coaches.
You know, a guy might not have done much here,
but he clicked with a guy. You know, he clicked
in the scheme that seems to happen with the with
you and yeah, yeah, you know, for whatever reason, you know,
whatever dubs whatever got him cut from some other teams.

(12:03):
You know, I h we've been fortunate not to not
to see the things that you know that that may
have gotten him release. But we're we're we're happy he's here.
And you know, especially with uh Darques being out, he
stepped up. That's a perfect and that's a perfect fits
in which you I don't think you guys envisioned that
back in March. And then you get and another guy

(12:24):
I brought with you was carrying Win, who's an intriguing guy. Uh.
It looks like he's a guy's been around a little bit.
I think he's thirty. Uh, it looks like he can
play a bunch of different spots for you. Yeah, and
that's kind of what he did at the Giants. He
you know, he played um all over the place on
the front and uh and it also is a heck
of a special teams player, so you're getting multiple things

(12:46):
out of him, you know, both the D lineman and
uh an edge guy as well as like I said,
as I mentioned, we're Darren. He can help Darren on
special teams. Those big guys that can run like that
are they're hard to find. The defensive line is interesting.
I mean, I don't you know, people love to rip
this defense, and like I said, I've often said if
you if you don't name the team and just said, look,

(13:08):
this is a defense with two Pro Bowl rushers, three
first round corners. Uh, you probably wouldn't be so down
on him, you know, and don't lapping actings. You got it.
You got a great start there. Yeah. I mean again too,
like you mentioned two veteran Pro Bowl players. But I
think you know, people are going to judge on results,
and that's just what we're in. We're in a results

(13:29):
based business. And you know, it's not even the last
game anymore, it's your last play. What did you do?
And so you know, just kind of getting those guys
and all of them, uh, you know, back playing confidently
and not that Gino and Carlos, but everybody in general.
I think that can go a long way, and getting
off to a fast start will be important. Key guys

(13:50):
Sam Hubbard coming off a really good rookie year. He
looks like he's running around out there. Hey, he's a tough,
try hard, hard working guy. And you know, he's always
always around the ball, always playing hard. You know, he's
got a lot of traits that coaches like. So he's
going to be a successful guy in this league. I
think for a long time, some of those guys, that's
a pretty you know, with between Hubbard and Lawson and Win,

(14:10):
that's kind of a high motor. You got a high
mortar houp there, right, and and Jordan Willis is a
high more y. Yeah, they are guys that all play hard,
and that's kind of a premium around here. And and uh,
we're fortunate that we have those guys get an intriguing
staff too, because they really got a hand at I
think you've done a nice job getting all sorts of
guys from all sorts of different background. You know. I

(14:31):
think Nick Eason is a guy who played in the
league for you know, one hundred seventeen games eighty five
in the division, kind of has that mentality. I think
the players seem to gravitate too. Got the nicest thing
going in linebacker, where Luca Boo is a to me,
a young and up and coming culture bright guy. Played
at Colgate. He's been around, he's coached both from the
college and the pros. And he's teamed up with Duffner.

(14:52):
Mark Duffner, who is u has seen it all. He
began his career as a GAF for Woody Hayes and
uh has this gone on? May And so I mean
he's a guy that, let me start with Duff senior assistant,
kind of an old brainer. Huh yeah, Duff. And I've
known Duff for years. Um, so yeah, when it when
it did, when the opportunity presented itself, and uh, you

(15:13):
know it worked out that way. He's you know, Duff,
like you said, he's seen it all from what he
hates to you know, to thirty forty whatever the heck
how many years it is now in the NFL. He's
done a great job, seen every linebacker. You know, he
may have called every linebacker yes and wished him happy. Yeah. Yeah.

(15:34):
And then of course you got a guy, a guy
you know in the secondary Ronde Jones was my assistant
at Miami. Yeah, um for a couple of years, and
I knew Rob a little bit. Rob's done a great job.
So you know, like you said, between Nick, Tim, Rob
and Dronte, and then we got Jordan Kovacs who played
for me at Miami as well as quality control along

(15:54):
with Gerald Chapman. We you know, we got a good
staff and guys are all pulling it. It's all it's
all about everybody pulling in the right direction. And you know,
it's it's still early. Everything's good. We haven't given up
a first down yet, so right, never mind a touchdowns.
So well, when when the things get rough, that's when
you got to stick together the most. So that's kind
of what we're trying to build right now, is a

(16:15):
bunch of trust and belief in each other. Well you
get Yeah, I think it kind of crossed the generations
a little bit too. You know, start with klovax Us Surger.
You know, he's a guy who's played, he just played
in the league. And Nick is you know, five or
six years removed. You know, we talked about Duff and
you've seen it. You've seen the you've seen the evolution
from the college game, but the pro game. Well, that's
the nice thing about having Tim around is he was

(16:37):
in college football at the highest level last year in
the SEC in Mississippi State, So you know, there's a
lot of that college offense coming into the NFL and
he just had to defend it, you know, so that
had helps when you can have a hey, how did
you guys do it last year? You know when you
played at Alabama or you know, Auburn or whatever, you know,
whatever you were seeing and again and they were the

(16:59):
number one defense in the country last year. So, um,
there's some there's some good ideas that can come from
those type of guys. Yeah, I mean, we're definitely in
a in a We're definitely in a battle of ideas.
There's no question that the rules dictated. Uh, it's tough
for the defenses. They haven't made it easy. I mean,
it's it's it's a lot tougher than it was five
to six, seven years ago. I mean, it's it's it's

(17:22):
it is what it is. Um our guys, you know,
we'll get frustrated at times, but you know, um, you know,
just gotta play a good technique and especially to cover guys.
That's the hardest, the hardest job as those guys, and
just you know, can't touch receivers as we know, and
so as long as you playing with good technique, you'll
have a chance. And um, you know, we gotta watch

(17:42):
how we tackle. Can't use our head, which we never
taught anyway, right, so uh, you know we'll we'll be fine.
I mean you always teach head up at up right
and since I was, you know, whenever way back when
tackle with the shoulder? Yeah, yeah, No Oklahoma drill? I mean,
is that is that? I mean to do it years?
Is that right? Yeah? Yeah, So it's like, I mean,

(18:03):
it's a it's a different game. It's just not it
used to be the first drill. Yeah, I remember Joe
Tiller loved that one and Purdue. But you can't you know,
we we haven't done it in the NFL since I'm
in the NFL. Yeah, who do you think? Who do
you think? You talked about Tiller, you talked about Paul
Pascalonia there any other guys that are you know we're

(18:24):
gonna see out there, won't I mean, they won't be
out there, but they will be because they'll be in
your book. They'll be in your calls. Um. You know,
there's so many guys. You know, I don't want to
leave anybody out, but I mean, you go back to
my high school coach, Alpaterzo. The first, uh, you know,
I still have in my head. I was I wasn't
playing anymore. I was coaching at Wagner High School when

(18:45):
I was going to college, and uh, there was a
I was a JV head coach, and I called the
time out and and uh brought the quarterback over and
it was giving me and I was telling the kid about, hey,
we got no more time outs or whatever, and then
he said something to me about, hey, you want to

(19:06):
run this type of play on offense so that you
don't get a run through, you know. And so I
took that on defense now, and you want to make
sure you're trying to run through. And I have that
in the back of my head till this day. And
that was, you know, forever ago, a little things like that.
Charlie Pravada was the first. Really I was a defense
coordinated to King's point merch Marine Academy. You know, all

(19:28):
lessons I learned from guys like that. So everywhere every
way along the way, I should say I've kind of
taken a little bit and trying to put it all together.
I mean, really, you have done it. You have done it.
The textbook Old School Highway right from Volo said, I
was a volunteer coach. Right. Yeah. I think it's you know, selfishly.

(19:49):
I think that's how you become a good coach. You're
coaching you know, Division three one double a major college football,
you know, and then to the NFL. You learned what
to do and you learn what not to do as well.
So I'm happy the path that I chose or was

(20:09):
chosen for me. I should say one last thing, coach.
I know that Coyle was a huge, huge Yankees fan.
I know, the great Harry Coyle, his brother hero in
nine to eleven. They called him Horace because he was
that was his favorite player. Are you are you a
big Yankee fans? A coil? No bigger? I think I
don't know? Is that I don't know? Yeah, I don't know.
I know keV likes him, but yeah, I love you.

(20:31):
You know, always grew up a Yankee fan, and um
yeah I love the Yankees. So favorite Yankee I would
have to say all the time. Would have to be
hard to say. Not to say Derek Jeter. Yeah, and
he went to Giants games with your dad, right, that
was kind of a letter way back when. Yeah, who
used to go freeze my butt off, sit all the
way upstairs and yea, um, but yeah, favorite giant. Who's

(20:55):
your favorite Giant's salt? Probably? I mean, that's a great
story too. You actually you came back to coach at hometown.
It's awesome. That's awesome, coach. We appreciate it. We expect
a lot of hometime winds. Yea, thank you very much
for spending the time with us. And uh and we'll
catch out there on the field. My pleasure.