New Special Teams Coordinator Joe Marciano Ready To Help Lions 'Kick Off And Kick Ass'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Joe Marciano, the new special teams coordinator for the Detroit Lions, has no worries about kicker Matt Prater, punter Sam Martin, or long snapper Don Muhlbach, the mainstays of the unit.
Marciano likes what those three have done, but he most looks forward to working with the less recognizable players who will be part of the group.
"My thrill in coaching special teams is getting the other 10 guys, the who's-nuts guys, the guys that are coming in from college, mold those guys into a unit," Marciano said Tuesday at the Lions town hall meeting with season ticket holders. "They're the kind of guys I like to coach. They can be all minimum-wage guys, I don't care. That's the beauty of coaching special teams. You work with the entire team, get them to play hard, keep it simple, play fast, furious, and finish. That's what they're going to do, and that's what I saw on tape last year. I saw guys playing fast."
During his review of what the Lions have done recently on special teams, Marciano paid special attention to return man Jeremy Ross, who turned heads with explosive returns in 2013 but could not replicate that success in 2014.
Marciano conveyed that Ross will have to fend off challengers to keep the job in 2015, but he also noted some positives about Ross.
"I watched all of his returns for the last two years, and I felt he probably was a little bit more productive two years ago as opposed to last year because he was playing a little bit more offense last year, but I see a guy that is strong, is tough, is fearless, and more importantly, we've got to have guys that block to get him going," Marciano said. "That's the key."
Marciano called Lions president Tom Lewand to attention with the second part of his comment about the team's return game.
"There's very few returners that can do it without any blocking," Marciano said. "Those guys are special, okay? Guys that can make plays with positive yards with very limited blocking, they're hard to find - unless you get them in the draft, Tom."
The remark prompted laughter from the thousands of Lions fans in the audience.
Marciano joined the organization in mid-February. After 12 seasons as the special teams coordinator for the Houston Texans, Maricano spent last season as a consultant for the Minnesota Vikings. He eschewed offers from other teams, but said he quickly agreed to come on board with the Lions when head coach Jim Caldwell sought him out.
"It's a great opportunity," Marciano said. "I had several other opportunities, and it didn't feel like it was right, and decided not to go back to work. Obviously when Coach Caldwell called, there was no doubt in my mind I wanted to go back to work. There wasn't even a doubt in my mind. Other situations were not nearly as good as this situation.
"I thought this team was playoff ready, and I wanted to be a part of it," Marciano added, "and I want to help us to kick off and kick ass."
