An Incoming balancing act for Titans head coach Robert Saleh

A leader of men.

That is how Robert Saleh has been described by many, and the media in Nashville finally got to meet him when he was introduced to everyone at his opening press conference. He talked about the standard and about wanting his team to play fast and violent, but he also confirmed that he wants to call the defensive plays this time around. While he was the coach of the New York Jets, he did not call the plays, leaving that to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The defense was really good for most of the time Saleh was the Jets' head coach, but in his press conference, he said he wanted to call plays to get a close feel with his players instead of being the CEO-coach.

With that commitment to calling the plays, Saleh will have to balance being the voice the defense hears in practice with being present with the rest of the team. However, he does plan to maintain that balance and be present everywhere.

When asked about it, Saleh had this to say:

“100 percent. Still being active in all that stuff.”

Saleh plans to be active in everything. He could potentially be seen working in many different positions on the field. But ultimately, he will be seen with the defense. So, how does he find that balance?

One person who could help him find that balance, at least on the offensive side of the ball, is new Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who was mentioned a few times as someone who could help and guide Cam Ward on his growth track. Daboll, being a former head coach, definitely knows how to do things and also knows where Saleh can fit in there and what he wants from him. And, in turn, Saleh will know what to expect from Daboll, and, as he did during his meeting with the Titans, he will pay attention to the details in the plan.

 How this shows up on the practice field, we will not know until we get there. But both will definitely be working on the same timeline with the same goal in mind.

 In the same way, when he is involved on the defensive side, he will definitely have to find that sweet spot between not doing too much and not doing too little. Saleh and his team will be putting together the game plan, with Saleh as the loudest voice in the room. However, he also has to find a balance between listening to the staff he has accumulated. And in practice, allow those coordinators and coaches to implement those things without stepping over the line of taking over.

 The balancing act Saleh has as the playcaller for the defense and being the head coach is much more than just how much time he spends with the defense and the offense. It also dives into the give-and-take he will have with his staff. And that is something to watch during his second time as an NFL head coach.