Putting together a gameplan to stop the opposing offense actually isn’t the most important aspect for a defensive coordinator. This is step two. Rather, putting together a gameplan that the defenders can flawlessly execute is step one. The former doesn’t matter if the latter isn’t applicable.
The concept sounds simple: put players in positions where they can be successful. However, that’s not always a given either.
But for new Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, whether you ask Matt LaFleur, or some of Hafley’s former players like Jordan Fuller, Richard Sherman, or Tashaun Gipson, the ability to keep things simple is where he has excelled as a coach.