Brandon Staley uses “love letters” to instill focus on technique

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

By Ross Jackson

The New Orleans Saints defense has seen a major turnaround this season, led by the production of the players, but also the coaching job of defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

One of the most commonly repeated tenets among defensive players, particularly those in the defensive secondary, has been the importance of technique over relying on athleticism. Staley visited with the local media, as he does every Thursday, and shared some of what he does to instill that focal point in his players.

“Man, a lot of love letters,” Staley said. “Which are basically sending them videos all throughout the day and night, just showing them, ‘Wow, I know that this was four months ago but don’t forget, all that work that we’ve put in. Okay, here was that perfect pace that you had.’ And I think, now, we try to connect as much as we can and get them to focus on technique.”

This, of course, is in addition to the film study and review work the team already does both at the facility and that the players do individually themselves.

The emphasis is important as teams across the league run into the constant battle with players, particularly young ones, that want to trust their physical gifts and athletic abilities to lead them to making good things happen on the playing field.

But the issue with that route is obvious. Those gifts and abilities fade as the Father Time factor takes its toll. That is why a focus on technique becomes increasingly important throughout a career, while being immediately valuable once a player reaches the league.

“That’s what players really want,” he said. “‘Help me know how to do this instead of what to do. Tell me how to do it.’ So we really try to focus on fundamentals. And in the secondary, to me, it is a very technique oriented position, especially a corner. So we try to pour into that. And that’s part of playing the right way.”

Players agree. Defensive end Chris Rumph II told LouisianaSports.Net that this has been a part of Staley’s practices for some time. The two were together as members of the Los Angeles Chargers, reuniting in New Orleans this offseason. “He wants it just as bad as we do,” Rumph said when asked why these extra “love letters” are an important practice.

Staley doesn’t stop at just sending videos of the Saints’ defenders themselves. He also sends film from games and teams across the league, one member of the Saints secondary told us. Staley will use the errors and successes of other defenses around the NFL to reinforce the good practices that he and his staff are trying to convey.

Staley sees it as a trust-building opportunity. A notion that players have not only appreciated, but have translated to improvement and playmaking on the field.

“It’s nothing without the players,” Staley said. “Because they’re the ones that have to take the coaching points and put it on display. Those guys in the secondary are improving. You guys have seen it with [Kool-Aid McKinstry] and [Quincy Riley] and [Jonas Sanker]. We’re all work in progress. That’s why I tell these guys, ‘You never have it.’ And I think that they’ve really taken on that spirit.”

Staley’s defense has made major strides throughout the season, improving drastically upon last year’s rankings and numbers. The work that happens inside the facility will always be paramount. But perhaps his focus and that of his players are among the smaller details that make a difference.