Through Training Camp, Desai Works Towards Palpable Defense

Eagles Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai knows that his biggest challenge is to recreate the team, and that challenge doesn’t go away even if the same pieces are kept.

“Even with continuity, we don’t want to get caught in a place of complacency,” Desai told the media this morning. “We’re trying to find the best 11 to fit the defense.”

Like Sirianni, Desai was impressed with how the defense is embracing the plan for the defense.

“Everybody’s at a similar level,” he observed. “We’re throwing a lot at them, but they’re prepared.”

One of the challenges from this seems to be making sure that everyone’s on the same page of what they can handle. Desai quipped that there have been times when the coaches threw stuff at the players and he thought it was a lot, but afterwards learned from players that they didn’t share that view.

“I love to learn from other guys’ experiences,” Desai said, noting that he often asks the veteran players for their input in a way that helps both grow.

When it comes to the rookies, Desai noted that they can’t play their positions in the style of other people, and that’s a focus of his.

“When it’s they’re turn, they’ll have to play it their own way,” he said, “and we’ll teach them how to.”

In installing Desai’s defensive approach, he said it also has to reflect the brand of the city. Shortly after his announcement in May, at his opening press conference, Desai described that he wanted a defense that was “palpable.” He revisited the idea today.

“We want to embody the brand of the city and be gritty,” he said.  “We want people to feel us.  We want people to know we’re on the field too.”

At this stage of training camp, Desai, like Sirianni, views the important thing as making sure there’s enough tape on the players to evaluate them.

“Right now, we just have to get everybody reps,” Desai said. “It doesn’t matter who are the ones, twos, and threes. Everyone needs to be evaluated and have a fair shot.”

As training camp progresses, Desai is looking to see what the players are learning, and that they’re proving they’ve learned it.

“Players have to prove that they’re mastering the defense, technique, and fundamentals,” Desai remarked.

While veterans have an advantage in this process, he’s committed to making sure that rookies learn how to fit in.

“We’ll help them, nurture them, develop them,” Desai said. “It’s a work in progress.”