Right outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy sounds pretty excited to play under new defensive coordinator Zach Orr this upcoming season.
“I love ‘Z.O.’ [I am] a big fan of his, have been since he played,” Van Noy said at minicamp media availability.
“He has a relationship, I would say, with everybody on defense. You don’t see that everywhere you go. ‘Z.O.’ passions himself on relationships and communication.
“He’s done a really good job of communicating what he wants done, and you better do it.”
On February 1, Orr was elevated from inside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. He filled the void left when last year’s DC, Mike McDonald, departed to take the Seattle Seahawks head coaching position.
Orr played for the Ravens as a weak-side linebacker from 2014-2016. His final season saw him earn second-team all-pro honors after he racked up 133 total tackles, three interceptions, and five passes deflected.
Van Noy was asked if Orr will employ an aggressive strategy this upcoming season.
“How do you know he’s aggressive?” he responded, eliciting laughter from the press room.
“He was an aggressive player, so I think that’s what you’re going to want to see him [be] as a [defensive] coordinator, is be aggressive. But, he’s also really smart – very, very smart. He knows defenses.
“He eats, breathes [and] sleeps football. That’s what you want – playing for a coach like that, who has literally dedicated his – I believe it’s 32 years now – just straight football.”
Van Noy is correct; Orr is exactly 32 years old. After his playing days were over, he immediately got into coaching, staying with the Ravens as a defensive analyst for the 2017 season.
His entire coaching career has been in Baltimore, except for the 2021 season, where he served as an outside linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
You can expect a lot of heavy blitzing packages with an emphasis on being aggressive. Van Noy is very excited about having the chance to showcase his outside pass-rushing skills this fall.
“I’m excited about ‘Z.O.”s style,” the two time Super Bowl champion added.
“I think it’s going to continue to flood into the NFL because of what they’ve been able to do here for so long, and I believe we’re going to be a very, very good defense.
“It starts with him, and then it starts with the rest of the players executing – all 11 of us – each and every play.”
It will be interesting to see if Van Noy’s prediction comes true and if other teams across the league start copying Orr’s schemes.
