Aaron Glenn Says He’s Changed

New York Jets training camp is only a few days away, and like every year, some Jets fans have hope, and some are already writing the season off. The Jets roster has changed, veteran leadership was added, and several young players will be expected to contribute right away. Ultimately, though, it will all come down to Aaron Glenn and whether he has what it takes to become a successful NFL head coach.

His first season brought more questions than answers, but the performance of his assistant coaches will also play a major role in determining what happens next. Glenn made significant changes to his staff this offseason, and according to Glenn, he also changed the process he used to hire those coaches after identifying a mistake he made last year. Let’s take a look at Aaron Glenn, in his own words, as we break down what he is doing differently this year.

Aaron Glenn Changes the Hiring Process

Glenn began his offseason evaluation by looking at his own performance. “There are things that I know I have to improve on,” Glenn said. “There are mistakes that I made that I won’t replicate going into this season.”

Glenn specifically identified the construction of his original coaching staff as one of those mistakes. Last year, he hired coordinators and allowed them to bring in assistants they were comfortable working with.

“I think that was one of the mistakes that I had last year,” Glenn said. “You hire a coordinator, okay, you bring the guys in that you feel comfortable with.”

Glenn said the process was different this time. General manager Darren Mougey and former NFL executive Rick Spielman were involved, and Glenn personally spent more time speaking with each candidate. “There was a lot of conversations between me and each coach to make sure that there was synergy between me and that coach,” Glenn said.

Frank Reich and Brian Duker

With Glenn taking over the defensive play-calling, he wanted an experienced offensive coordinator who could oversee that side of the football. That led him to Frank Reich, who has worked as both an NFL offensive coordinator and head coach.

“I really wanted to make sure that I had someone on that side that was highly experienced,” Glenn said. “I was just fortunate enough to be able to hire Frank Reich, who not only has been a really good coordinator in this league, but also a head coach.”

Glenn has praised Reich’s attention to detail and his willingness to receive input from the rest of the offensive staff. He has also said it will not simply be Reich’s offense. The offensive coaches will work together to build a system around the players on the roster.

Brian Duker will serve as defensive coordinator, although Glenn will call the defensive plays. Duker worked with Glenn for three seasons in Detroit and already understands how Glenn wants his defense to operate.

“He’d been through the fire with me,” Glenn said. “He knows exactly how I want to operate, and I think there is nothing more valuable than having that type of relationship with somebody.”

Glenn also said he leans on Duker during practice. When the Jets enter competitive periods, Glenn takes over the play-calling while Duker helps him balance his defensive responsibilities with his role as the head coach.

The Other Coaches Aaron Glenn Highlighted

Seth Ryan is the passing game coordinator, and Glenn described him as one of the younger, innovative coaches who can help Reich expand what the Jets are trying to do offensively. Bill Musgrave will coach the quarterbacks, and Glenn praised the way Reich and Musgrave taught the offense during rookie minicamp.

“They do a really good job of putting things in buckets,” Glenn said when discussing how the two coaches work with the quarterbacks. Glenn believes that teaching approach has helped Cade Klubnik process the offense without becoming overwhelmed.

Karl Dunbar takes over as defensive line coach. Glenn knew Dunbar from their previous time with the Jets and said he had followed his work for years.

“I was always intrigued about the techniques that he taught,” Glenn said. “I was always intrigued about the drills that he had. I was always intrigued about the mentality that he brought to the position.”

Cameron Davis will serve as the assistant defensive line and outside linebackers coach. Glenn mentioned Davis alongside Dunbar when discussing the development of rookie David Bailey, saying both coaches had done a good job working with him during the offseason program.

Glenn did not make changes to the primary members of the special teams staff. Chris Banjo returns as special teams coordinator, with Kevin O’Dea and Randall Jette remaining as special teams assistants.

“As far as special teams is concerned, nothing changes there,” Glenn said. “Coach Banjo, Coach Kev, Coach Jette, they did a remarkable job last year, and they’re staying in their respective spots.”

The Real Test Starts in Training Camp

Glenn has repeatedly said the Jets have made progress, but he has also acknowledged they still have a long way to go. He believes the new staff is better aligned with his vision, and he has taken greater responsibility for choosing the coaches who will help carry it out.

The changes do not answer every question surrounding Glenn after his first season. He still has to manage games, make adjustments and lead the Jets through adversity. His assistants must teach the new systems, develop the roster and put the players in positions to succeed.

Glenn identified what he called one of his mistakes and changed the process that produced it. That is an important first step, but the results will determine whether it was the right one. Aaron Glenn says he’s changed. Training camp is where he begins proving it.