The Green Bay Packers made the vital decision to focus on completely revamping their defense this offseason. While they have consistently used their first-round picks in the NFL Draft on defensive players, the unit has underperformed. This is not to say that the picks were all bad, but that the scheme implemented over the last several seasons has not been suited to the players’ talents.
As a result, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur made the decision to fire Joe Barry and hire Boston College’s Jeff Hafley as his new defensive coordinator. It was a move that was met with much excitement from fans, who never liked the Barry hiring in the first place.
The move also signaled a change in Green Bay’s defensive scheme. Not only are they going back to a 4-3 defense for the first time in nearly two decades, but Hafley is also encouraging his players to stop thinking so much and just play.
The Green Bay Packers Hiring of Jeff Hafley Has Been a Popular Move with Defensive Players
Needless, to say, the switch from read-and-react to “just play” has been met with great excitement by the players. Numerous players this offseason have spoken out about how much they just love the new scheme and how much they think they will thrive in it.
Fourth-year cornerback Eric Stokes said of his new defensive coordinator. “He just want you to go out there and have fun and just play 110 miles per hour and that’s what I love about Hafley … he always say, ‘Imma go ahead and take the bullet. You just go out there and just have fun and you just play.'”
Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who also happens to be the longest-tenured player on the team, said of the new scheme: “Now this is giving us a chance to shut all that other stuff off … just use your ability, go up the field and be disruptive. I just think with my get-off and how I am, I think it’s going to suit me well.”
The praise for Hafley and his scheme may mean a little extra coming from Clark, who is no stranger to having to learn a defense frequently.
Green Bay Packers Defensive Tackle Kenny Clark Has Had 7 Defensive Coordinators Since He Started at UCLA
Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
When Matt LaFleur first took over as head coach in 2019, he kept defensive coordinator Mike Pettine on staff. He stayed on for two years before LaFleur and the Packers decided not to renew his contract following the 2020 season. 2021 saw the hiring of Barry, and of course Hafley is the defensive coordinator now.
But when Kenny Clark was first drafted by the Packers in 2016, it was Dom Capers who was running the defense. This means that Hafley is the fourth defensive coordinator Clark has played for since being drafted.
While this may seem like a lot (and it is), it is nothing new for Clark, who played for three different defensive coordinators during his three seasons at UCLA.
Lou Spanos was the defensive coordinator his freshman year; Jeff Ulbrich was hired for his sophomore season; and Thomas Bradley led the Bruins’ defense in Clark’s junior and final year.
Clark saw his college performance increase each season despite the constant changes on defense. Similarly, Clark has made the Pro Bowl for each defensive coordinator he has played for in Green Bay save Capers and Hafley (who has yet to coach in the regular season).
All this to say that if Clark is finally feeling good about a scheme, fans should be very excited about it. He has seen many of them throughout his collegiate and professional career, and this could be the one that finally gets him the national attention that he deserves.
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