Welcome into the Ravens Press Past podcast. It is Tuesday, February sixth, and the Ravens introduced a new defensive coordinator, zachary Or earlier today. Zach is gonna take over for Mike McDonald, who left to become the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Zach is a former player and his passion clearly comes across when he talks with the media. Today is to go ahead and listen to that full press conference.
How y'all doing already? Man, I just want to thank you guys for coming out. I want to thank my family, Thank my fiance, my mom, dad, my brothers, my son, close friends, everybody that's supported me throughout throughout my life. I want to thank the organization, Thank mister Bashatti, coach John Harbaugh, Eric de Consta, Sashi Brown, everybody in the organization. So many people in this wonder wonderful organization who's shown me so much love all throughout the years. Just can't
thank him enough. Man, So excited, fired up, determined. Uh for the opportunity that I have, man, and I'm ready to get to work.
Exact even you know, during your playing career, did you kind an and did ever thought about, hey, you know, post career and you know offenly getting into coach or anything like that.
Uh not.
While I was playing. My plan was honestly, make it to the National Football League, play like ten fifteen years, you know, go back home, coach some high school football. But never thought I'd be coaching the National Football League. Uh So this is this is a blessing. And obviously with my situation when I got the opportunity to start coaching the National Football League, this was one of one goal of mine. So it's just crazy to see it
all come together. But initially it definitely was not. I never I never thought this would happen.
Zach.
Can you think but the last time I could get a press conference in the year which is a national retirement.
Yeah, and from that point to now this this journey.
But can can you take us through a little bit kind of what's it been like emotionally?
It gets you back to.
This point, man, It it was tough. It was tough initially when I had to come in and sit with you guys last time and hang up the cleats, hang up the pads, hang up the helmet. But like I said, I had great support from my family and from the organization. You know, they they they sup poured me right away talking about the organization. They was like, I know, you wanted to get right into coaching. Once you get once you come right back up here and get the work.
And I did that and I learned what it took to be a coach in National Football League, learn from a lot of great people, and you know, just continue to work, work, work, work, work, fell in love with the game as a coach, and you know, now we're here. But it definitely, it definitely was a crazy journey from that moment last time I was here to now. But like I said, I'm excited. And it just shows, man, you you put into work, you treat people right the right way, great things can happen.
You just you just alluded to it.
I mean when you when you did start to make that transition, who are the people that you leaning on the most to sort of figure out how to do this at your job?
Man? It was it's so many people. I mean when I first got here. I remember when I first got back up here to coach. Osie was like, all right, now you know these hours are different, so get ready. And so he's one of the guys, obviously Coach Harball. I mean, man, it's so many, so many guys in the building, like you know, Mike McDonald, Wink martindale' Sterling, Lucas,
Jesse mintzer Man. I could go, I could name on the list a list of people, but just so many people helped me out along the way, helped me get acclimated to what it takes to do this to be successful in his profession. And I can't thank those people enough. And I know I named some people, but I know I missed a lot, but I have so many people helped me out. The way it.
Sounded like it happened, it all kind of came together pretty quickly. And then you were talking to Green Bay one day and then you know, just how quickly did it come together for you in terms of you know, was there even like a lengthy interview process or and what was that process like for you?
Yeah, so Monday it was crazy. I didn't have had a chance to process you know, what happened the day before. And you know, I had conversations with coach Harball starting on Monday, you know, cause we knew, we knew, uh what the possibility of things that could happen, uh with with the staff. So I was talking with him Monday, going through the interview process with him as well as Tuesday. You know, it was it was two days of real, real, real detailed conversations.
Uh.
Talked to Green Bay on Monday, interviewed with them Wednesday, and you know, Wednesday, after the after the interview with green Bay, had another conversation with coach Harbor, and that's when things really started to pick up steam.
After really over the.
Last seven years, it's been a quick assent for you starting out as a coach now.
Being in DC.
Is there a moment a conversation where that kind of sticks out for you where you thought, okay, being an NFL assistant, the coach position, coach, whatever, but that you could be a defensive coordinator, that you could have aspirations.
That have you sitting where you are right now. Is there anything that stands out?
I just think just the just the process. The more the more I got into it, the more I started to dive more in the coaching. The first year was kind of just getting adjusted, getting acclimated to the transition, and then second year being full fledged and so forth and so uh so on. So I wouldn't say it was just a specific moment. I just know that probably by year three or four, like I was, I'm fully
entrusted into into the coaching things. I'm I'm excited about the process of of game planning and going through the process of studying opponents, offseason studies, all the all the little details that go into it. I was fully entrenched to entrenched into it, just like how I was as a player. So I wouldn't I wanna say specific moment, but just the the whole process. Man, Like I I love what I do. I tell people all the time. I never thought I would say this is like I
have no aspirations of playing at all. You know, I love I love this.
So you've all been a leader as you know, a captain a field in termship player. Oh when you transition being or clos what are some of the similar areas that translated cover from being a leader as a player, and what.
Were some differences in how you have to be I think just if you a l if you're a leader, it really don't matter what position you in, whether you're a coach or player or just in your community, no matter what your occupation is. And I think the things that go with being a leader is first thing, you gotta lead by example. So you gotta do things right and uh to the best your ability, do things right all the time, you know, be on time, be prepared. I think that that carries over from being a player
to a coach. Be organized, you know, and then you just gotta show the passion, show that you really care uh for for the person that you're trying to lead
and for the people you're trying to lead. I think when people know that you genuinely care about them and you care about their well building, well well being, and you care about the uh what's what's best for them, I think that they'll they'll follow you as long as you're you're doing what you say you're gonna do and and you're leading by example.
U call basically defensive. What have you done to prepare before this in you in your other roles with this team? And how do you kind of do you is that something you do during your game short of imagine what you call or do you do it when you break it down the film after? How do you kind of hand with your fair?
Really?
I think what we do a great job here is everybody it's a collaborative effort going into the game plan. So obviously the coordinator is gonna have the final say so, but we all we all have game planned areas. We all watch all the film together and we come with our own ideas and we bring it to the table and everybody's voice is heard, and ultimately one person makes
a decision, but everybody's voice is heard. And I would say probably about three years ago, people were telling me like, hey, if you got aspirations of being a coordinator, when you're watching the film throughout the week, watching the film on your own, you need to start seeing what how you would call the game, what would how you would stop certain game plans, certain schemes, and how you attack certain schemes.
So always always did that, always had the conversations, and like I said, being here, it's easy because it's a collaborative effort in the game plan. You very you very into that into that role. You know, like I said, defensive coordinator has the final say so, but here's a collaborative effort, and you see the process and you very much part of the process, even as an assistant coach.
So now or you talked about who you band that situation when you anc championship bands.
Yeah, and you did overall that. Did you have any inclination that a court's.
Fan baker, that's the coordinator doing like McConnell's situation, because I guess at the veas you're playing in the Super Bowl, you're SI, we're not sitting.
Yeah.
I knew it was a possibility, you know what I mean, just because you you started seeing guys on our staff, guys are getting interviews. Obviously you knew Mike was it was a hot name and the head coaching circuit, so you definitely knew it was a possibility. But like you never know until the thing actually starts happening. So I knew it was a possibility. Uh, you know, I was focused, fully focused on uh you know, the Kansas City Chiefs, and then when I got the call from Green Bay, Uh,
my fiance could tell you. You know, I just started, I started preparing getting stuff together. So until til it really happens, you really don't know. But you knew it was a possibility in the back of your mind.
Exact where you're gonna coach game from the coach from the field, You're gonna coach from the press box or and which way do you think is better?
Were you?
I got I gotta be on the field, you know what I mean? I got I gotta look at you know, players in their eyes and see what's going on and get a feel for how guys are feeling out there, so you know, people have their different ways. I gotta be on the field. I'm I'm more like being into it and getting a feel off of motion and how guys are really feeling out there. You were, you were of.
Players that what did you What did you look for from the decordinator and how much do you think it helps you that you can still see things from a player's point of view.
I just looked for, uh, a well detailed organized game plan and somebody who can lead, you know, lead with passion and energy, you know, lead tell us like lead us, tell us what we need to do, where we need to be at, why we need to be there, and how it's gonna work for us to go out there and execute and do what we need to do at a high level.
So I just try to carry that over man like as as a decordinator, I'm looking at boom. First thing. First, I got to have my guys prepared from a mental standpoint and a physical standpoint, all right. Then I like giving them answers to potential problems or to potential questions that the offense may present. And I think once you do that, you know, you build that trust, you build that relationship, and guys will do whatever you need them to do for you.
Zach can take an.
Over one of the best defenses in the league. Obviously, you want to leave your own fingerprint. What type about identity do you want this defense to have?
The man want to I want our defense to play together first and foremost, like eleven people playing as one. Let's start there. The next thing, I want to be violent, very violent, physical. That's just the standard here, man. Everything we're gonna do is gonna be with physicality and violence, all right. And then just execution, executing at a high level, executing in certain situations, executing all the time. And then the last thing I'll leave you with is just I
would say organized chaos. Man, present a lot of problems to the offense, all right, never give the answer to the offense before the snap. But that's what I'll say my identity. First thing first is hit everything that moves. We're gonna play violent, we're gonna play together and we're gonna execute.
Zach also a great part of this staff last year. But you have many metrics to a historical defensive? Was the team last year?
How does it fuel the tailor at y'all? Or of building upon.
The historic for going to others the defense and trying to find.
Ways to grow up.
It feels great, It feels great. I think one thing that I've always lived by is either you you never stay the same. Either get better you get worse. And obviously, you know last year was a was a great year. And the thing that we did last year went through the process we we started in the off season around this time year, self scouted, look what we did good, Look what we could build on. And I think that uh led box. Coach Harb's thing that he that he pushes us to do as coaches is we gotta be
in front of things. You want to be cutting edge. You always want to evolve and always want to uh be ready for the next thing that the offense may present. So we're gonna get in the lab this off season. We're gonna're gonna look at ourselves, look at things we did well, Look how we can make it even better, look at things we need to improve on and and
and get better at that. Then look at some new ideas that we can possibly present and get ready to roll out there by the time we kick the kick off the ball the first week of the season.
So now, what about the off season for you, now that you're taking on a new responsibilities, what are you looking forward to kind of refine the details of going into the twenty.
Twenty fourth season.
I'm looking forward just diving into the diving into the tape. You know, during the season, you just you know, you you watch the film that you that you played on Sunday, right, and then now you got to start getting ready for the next opponent. We do self scout throughout the season, but now we can take a deep dive look at our you know, our rules, everything that we're going through and how it fits in and how it fits in
with our UH personnel, what we wanna do. But I'm excited about just looking in starting from day starting from scratch one, I mean, starting from starting from scratch and and see how we're gonna rebuild the defense back up. Cause it's a process that you gotta go through each and every off season. If you wanna continue to build and continue to be great, and I'm excited about that.
Za.
So much has been made about your your age. You know, you've being a one of the younger coaches.
That does that mean anything to you?
Being able to do this at such a young age, and that has it kind of caught up to you.
Just how fast is you know it's been.
I'm sure it hasn't been that fast for you, but just the rides you've had such and such a short span.
Oh for me personally, I uh, the age thing is not a big deal to me. I just look like I just look at it like, man, I'm the next man for the job, next man to to for the mission to to do it. But from the outside looking in, you know, I do see how it's as it's inspiring to a lot of uh people who are young that are into coaching, And my biggest thing to to to
let those people know is just man, you could. You can do great things and you can get great opportunities if you just continue to work hard, put your head down and and do things the right way and continue to learn and evolve. So uh, for me personally, I really don't pay attention to the age I just look at it like I'm the next man for the job, and I gotta get ready to get to do that was I.
Guess what it is, or was the tops when you officially got hired on BURSA and kind of what are you done stuff?
What will you shoot? Organized? And we got to get ready to get some some more coaches in here, you know what I mean. You know, credit to the coaches that got opportunities at other places that they're they're heck of coaches. That's why they got those opportunities. But now we're just going through that process man of uh, you know, figuring out who's gonna come in and and do a heck of a job for us, and and then also getting the self scout stuff getting ready to go, and
then we got the combine coming up. So uh, you know, it's it's a lot of stuff going on. But at the top of the top of the doler at the top of the to do list, it's obviously, you know, filling out the staff with coach and you know, self scout looking at how we can continue to evolve as a defense.
Right if you have the opportunity to talk to guys on the team who are obviously are on the contract next year, kind.
Of reached out and explain just music, Richard.
Yeah, man, a lot of people reached out. I've seen people in the building just in passing and guys are excited. I'm excited, man, and you're just saying they're gonna get every I'm gonna get everything out of them. And I told them that you're gonna get everything out of me. So I'm excited. Told them, told them to get ready to get some rest, you know, get your body ready, and when we get back, it's own.
Have you taught about those das your following europe defensive.
Ensive corn I haven't thought of that specifically. I know what the standard is here as a as a as a defense here in Baltimore, and it means a lot to me, So I haven't thought about that specifically. But obviously there's been a lot of great coaches that come through here, a lot of great defensive coordinators that have come through here. So yeah, man, I'm next in line. I got a big challenge and a big opportunity, but I'm excited for it.
That two years ago, you asked Mike McDonald if you wanted to build off of the previous scheme or if they wanted to create its own and you say they wanted to build off of the previous one. What is your approach from now McDonald's scheme and what do you want to continue and what something what are some things that you might want to change or navigate differently.
Yeah, I mean we definitely want to want to build build on that, like that's that's a scheme that we helped build here, uh for for years. It's been it's been a scheme in making. And kind of going back to the point I made earlier, all those questions that you just asked, we would find out in the off season studies, you know, and the self scout studies of what we want to do and how we're gonna build on it and what will change up and how we can get better. Like I said, we're always looking to
get better. I think that's why you've seen great defenses here in the in the in the past, and that's what we got to do to continue. Always gotta look at yourself and look at how you can improve and how you can make it better. And on top of that, staying in front of what's coming next, because you know, we know it's gonna be something that the offense is gonna get together and try to present to us new this year. So we're trying to stay in front of that.
But that's part of the process. That's part of what we're excited to go do and uh, you know, we can't wait to get started on that.
You have much input into the hiring process of assistant coach se can you restore the closeness that this defense had away from home those defensive assistant who left.
Yeah, I mean, obviously, uh, you know, our defined decision is coach Harbor and Eric DaCosta, but I'm I'm very much involved involved with it. They do a great job of you know, letting me be in on the interviews obviously, have me running the interviews and communicating back and forth. It's an open line of communication. It's been great and very very much part of that. And it's just going back to your your deal about being close as a staff.
I mean, we had to build it every year every year when you're building a team, building the staff, staff is part of the team every time you do every every year you do that, you have to build. You have to build that trust and build that camaraderie, build that team where you got to build that every single year. If let's say for some reason, we had the same exact staff that came back this past h that we had last year, this year, you know, last year, that
really didn't mean an It wouldn't mean anything. You would have to rebuild that trust because it's trust is hard to gain, it's easy to lose. So every year you got to build it up. But I'm confident of the people that we have. We do a great job of bringing great people in this organization. So I'm fully confident once we get the staff filled out that, uh, we'll be able to build that trust. We'll be able to build that team work and be the best staff we
could possibly be. You know, for our players, Zacha, when you met with John last week, what do you want to know from you?
I mean, you guys have known each other obviously for for a long time, but what do you ask me?
I just want to know if I was if I was ready, and you know, how I see the game and how with game plan and all the little details that go into play calling. So kind of picked my brain about that. It it was, it was good, And then you've.
Had certain years to adjust to to the coaching side.
But does it ever hit you, especially in this last week, man, John was my first hit coaching set up in the NFL area is one of those guys, and you helping me in person, whist mayors. Kind of working on the other side of the curtain and seeing how teams get going from that side, has ever straight you far?
Yeah, man, it's it was. It's crazy. Like me as a as a player, you kind of really don't see all the behind the scenes, all the work that a lot of people in the organization uh put in to make everything, uh you know great for you as a player to go out there and just go play football.
You know.
Me being on the uh other side of things, you kind of see all the details, the day in, day out operations of what it takes to you know, to help the organization, you know, be great and and be well ran like the Ravens organization is. So like you said, I've been I've been on the coaching side a lot, so it's not as surprising now, you know. But when I first made that transition, I was like, Okay, now I see why this organization always has a legit chance to compete for championships.
I kind of played the linebacker and playing at a high level. How does that perspective help you?
Do you think that that because that's your unique perspective that you can bring to the how do you think that helps you as the defensive world?
I mean, obviously, you know when you when you play the game, you kind of get you kind of you do have the experience of actually being out there on the field in the cleats, and you know a lot of times you put stuff up on the board and it sounds good and everything, but when you're really out there, stuff's moving a lot faster, you got somebody trying to
hit you, and things of that nature. So that helps you can kind of be like, Okay, I understand what you saw in this specific situation, but you know, honestly as a coach that that really doesn't help you from the standpoint of teaching, coaching and getting information to the players, because as a coach is really not what you know. It's what your players know and what you can get
them to know. So that's why you see a lot of players, you know, that's why you don't see a lot of players really just get into coaching and things of that nature, because coaching and playing is two totally different things.
You know.
As a player, you just got to understand, okay, this is what I do, just how it fits into what we're doing. As a coach, you got to be able to know what's coming next and be able to spit that information out to your players and make sure they're prepared to go.
Come from the football fan, what were those conversations like when you told your dad brothers about what was going on here and.
The opportunity to we have.
They were fired up. They were fired up. And you know, more than anything, my family, they get a chance to see, you know, the work and stuff that I put in behind the scenes that not necessarily everybody sees, and even just in this building, you know. So just the conversations were great.
Man.
They was fired up. It was excited.
You know.
They they've been supportive and then they always ended off the phone. All right, now, I get off the phone, get ready to get to work. You got a lot of work to do. So you know, they they understand me. I'm I'm so I'm so happy for them and they're happy for me. But they understand, you know, what what's what's at stake and what's up next? So you know they're gonna be there every step of the way with me.
And in ways, did how much you enjoyed coaching and when you got back involved, did that help you avoid any kind of lingering kind of disappointment to you know way your career, your playing career.
It did, Man, it did. And that's why I tell people all the time, and I bleed purple and black like this this organization just this means something to me. This means a little more to me. It's not just me just coaching, uh, you know for International Football League, just for any other organization. I'm coaching for the organization that that that had my back. Like when I went through what I went through, they didn't allow me to really put my head down, you know, I was I
didn't know what the next step was gonna be. Boom coach harbord IZI, mister Bushatti. They called me, they say, hey, I know you want to getting the coaching. You're coming right back up here and getting ready to work with us. And them doing that for me just just shows that they have my back in a tough situation. So they gonna get everything I got, you know, out of me. And like I said, it means something I bleed purple and black.
Is your comfortability with the organization. I'm working with John and understanding Steve Bushatti, the owner and everything.
Does that help whether.
Taking on this new challenge of being a defensive coordinator.
Yeah, it does help, cause I understand the standard and the expectation. You know, I I've I've lived it. And then I think, what's been so great about me being here? I feel like God placed me here for a reason, just because all the values and standards that this organization stands for on and off the field. I stand for. Listen to a couple of things off the field, man, just being a good person, treating people with respect and and working hard.
Man.
I value all that. And then on the football field from a football standpoint, you know, talk about playing together as a team, playing physical, playing violent, and finishing everything you do. And that's what I've believed in as a football player before I even got here. So when I got here, it was just like a match made in heaven. But definitely makes it easier cause I understand the standard expectation, I lived it and been part of it, and I'm
excited for it. That's that's I wouldn't want any other way? Could could you take us inside that conversation you had with Steve Ashatti when he was.
Kind of welcoming you back to the Ravens, and then how long.
Did it take for you to flip your mind from the disappointment and from being a player to them being a coach?
All right? So he called me, I'll tell you this is true story. So he called me, and I just had got my performance player bonus and that year, you know, it's all it's out there puppet rap like that year it was like it was like four hundred and seven, four hundred and seven thousand dollars. So he first he called me and say, hey, I see you got you a nice little parting gift, all right. So I was like yeah, I was like Dad, I know he was checking that, you know, I know he was looking at that.
But he called me. I was like, I understand you wanted to get into coaching. We think highly, we think highly of you. You know, everybody speaks the world of you. I've seen you work. Everybody say you're a hard worker. And I know you weren't getting a coaching He was like, we would love to have you back in the organization. If that's something you want to do. And he was like, you'll be you know, we'll get Izzy in contact with you. So I said great, I said, thank, I'll be right back.
Shoot the next day I'm calling. I'm probably blowing I phone up, Hey, Izzy, when you're ready for me to come back up. It's like I got you and he did, man, and and it was great and just them, you know, him him making the phone call and the organization doing that for me, Like I said, what meant the most because I didn't have time to sit there and hang my head. And I got right back to work and they helped, you know, teach me and get me ready
for my second career, which is coaching. They been with me every step of the way and supporting me every step of the way.
How did how did John tell you? Just conversation?
Yeah, so we we talked. Like I said, it was It's crazy how everything happened. We talked Monday, you know, went through the interview process, talk Tuesday again, still and still you know, asking me questions, grilled, you know, basically kind of grilling me a little bit. And then Wednesday called me into his office and helped. Mom's like, man, what do you want to talk about. You know, It's like I just talking to this dude, you know, Monday, Tuesday,
like what's up? You know, I'm like, I thought i'd answer every question you had, so you know, we're still talking Wednesday. And then he was like he asked me again, He said you ready to call it and I was like, yes, I'm ready, and he was like, all right, we' mom from you the position and that's how it went. So it was great. Man. I heard those words man in a smile. You know, I was grinning from ear to ear. And I'm just thankful that he has that belief in me.
And like I said, I'm gonna work my butt off and do everything I can to you know, make it right.
You were the people that reached out to you after you was republic that. I mean, I'm sure your phone was flubbed, as I do.
You haven't even responded to anybody at this point yet, or who are the ones that stuck out?
Man?
A lot of people respond to me man like, and let me just say this right now. If I haven't got back to you, I promise you haven't switched up. I'm sorry, you know what, I'm sorry, but I got like eight hundred some messages, but a lot of people obviously. What sticks out is man, just family, friends, coaches, I've worked with, players, I've played with, the players, players that I've coached. I mean, it's been it's been so much love. You know, it's been so much love, man, And it's
I can't I can't thank everybody enough. Man, just to see, uh, you know, all the love that I've been getting has been wonderful, and it just makes me just want to grind even harder, makes me just want to go even harder because you've got that many people showing you love. That means they believe in you. And when somebody believes in you, you do everything you can to make it write. And that's what I'm focused on. That's what I'm excited about.
You said, the collaborative effort, call them ways the best level. But at the hell, it's going to be you. And what gives you confidence that you can call ravens defense and there's life rounds.
Yeah.
I mean, you know, I've seen it done, I've been a part of it. And what makes me confident is my preparation. I'm gonna put in. I'm gonna prepare my butt off, and that's where your confidence comes in. Anything you do. When you're not confident that you can do a job, that means you haven't prepared. So if you prepare the right way like you're supposed to prepare, you're gonna be confident. And I plan on preparing the right way.
Right.
Thank you appreciate y'all.
Thank you for listening to the Ravens Press Past podcast. If you want to hear more from Zach, head over to the Lounge podcast feed. He sat down with us for a lengthy interview about his career, getting to this point and what this opportunity means for him. You can check that out on our Apple website and wherever you get your podcast. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll be back with you again. Sid