“The process was definitely a learning experience. I’ve interviewed people for other jobs in the past, but this one was a little different but exciting,” Mayo said. “I learned a lot. I learned a lot from the coaches who came to us and interviewed who weren't hired. Hopefully they had a good sense of what we’re trying to build here.”
Among other influences inside and outside the building, Mayo acknowledged that scouting director Eliot Wolf was instrumental in helping him build the coaching staff. Wolf is reportedly taking on a larger role after Belichick. According to Mayo, Wolf attended every interview with the coaching staff during the recruiting process.
“When Eliot arrived here, we hit it off the first time we met. He's one of those guys who has no ego. He just wants to win football games and that's what I live for too. “He was a great partner in this,” Mayo explained. “From a team-wide perspective down to the individual players, our philosophy is aligned. We want to develop good soccer players who are fast, smart and play for each other; he sees it the same way .”
“He definitely has a lot of resources and contacts outside the building,” Mayo added of Wolf.
The other key takeaway from Mayo's comments was that the Patriots head coach valued having a larger staff. The Pats are expected to have at least 21 coaches on the team this year, an increase from a smaller staff under former head coach Bill Belichick.
“In the past we have always had small teams. In today’s NFL, it’s difficult to do things that way,” Mayo said. “We wanted to make sure we weren’t duplicating roles. We thought about the value of a role for the team. We didn't really think about the size. We were just thinking about how we could make it as good as possible.”
After hearing from all three new coordinators, here are our other key takeaways from Wednesday's press conferences in Foxborough:
1. HC Jerod Mayo on what makes OC Alex Van Pelt's plan difficult to defend
One of the hires that greatly influenced Wolf was the Patriots' appointment of former Browns and Packers coach Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator.
Van Pelt and Wolf had worked together in Green Bay, while Mayo faced Van Pelt twice in recent years when the Pats faced the Browns. New England won both games against the Browns, with Van Pelt running Cleveland's offense and Mayo helping coach the Patriots' defense. However, Mayo noticed Cleveland's plan.
“The only thing I would say about [Van Pelt] is that he can frame the same concept in many different ways. “It’s always difficult for us defensively,” said Mayo. “First and foremost, I expect a strong team.” After that, it’s really about smart players. You don't have to be a genius, but you have to be smart enough. Then there are explosive players and guys who really play for each other.”
In my breakdown of Van Pelt's offense, we talked about how well the Browns combine their running game with their play-action passes. By mimicking run-blocking schemes, AVPs open up passing lanes when the quarterback ultimately keeps the ball in play. Apparently Mayo has taken note of this as well and wants to play this style, which is becoming increasingly popular in the NFL as teams adopt these West Coast systems.
The Patriots head coach went into more detail about his conversations with people familiar with Van Pelt's coaching style around the league.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to speaks highly of her [Alex Van Pelt]. He obviously understands the pros and cons of the game. But he also develops talent and he's really a relationship person, which I think is very important,” said the Patriots head coach. “Before you really get to grips with the guys on the field, they have to know that they care about them,” about her. One thing you will see with [Van Pelt] is that he is a people person who also has extensive knowledge of football.”
Mayo also noted that Van Pelt played an important role in bolstering the coaching staff on the offensive side of the ball, saying, “You don't want to have to teach your coaches anything.” [the scheme].”
After an introductory press conference that focused largely on building a culture and Mayo's reaction to being named head coach, it was truly refreshing to hear the Pats coaches discuss their schematic visions.