Falcons coach emphaizes agression in defensive line play

ATLANTA — Atlanta Falcons defensive line coach Ray "Sugar Bear" Hamilton has options.

Defensive end John Abraham and defensive tackle Grady Jackson are givens. The 22-year coaching veteran could use Chauncey Davis at end or tackle. Jamaal Anderson, an end, could be used at tackle on some downs, with Davis at end. Then there's still a role for tackle Jonathan Babineaux.

The buzz word for the defensive line is "disruption."

Hamilton is a former 14th-round draft pick who climbed up the rugged backside of the NFL mountain to have a nine-year playing career with the New England Patriots. Hamilton spoke with Cox News Service writer D. Orlando Ledbetter and shared his coaching vision and plans to remold the Falcons defensive line.

Q. What is your coaching philosophy with the defensive line?

A. We are a defensive line that's not a react and read defense. We are an aggressive defensive line, trying to crush the pocket especially on passes and against the run we want to get across the line and knock the offensive line back. My whole style is aggressive, trying to put he pressure on the offense and to make plays.

Q. Was it a tough transition from playing to coaching?

A. The only tough part about it was that usually after practice, the players go home. Then the coaches stay and do the game plan, try to figure out how we can help our players do good. That was a little bit different. Not going home, staying in the office and trying to figure out ways to help the players.

Q. Who are the Bay State Titans, the first team you coached for?

A. The Bay State Titans were a semi-pro team up in Massachusetts. I got released from the Patriots really, really late. All of the NFL jobs were closed so they asked me to be the head coach. We had Eric Swann, who went on to become the Cardinals first-round draft pick (in 1991). They were in a semi-pro league. We went to the playoffs.

Q. By getting a master's degree in Public Administration while you were playing, were you considering working in government?

A. Sort of, but the government is a very big company in America and there are lots of opportunities in the government. I knew if I had a master's degree and got out of playing or out of coaching, that I could work for the government.

Q. How tough was it earning your way as a 14th-round draft pick out of Oklahoma?

A. Every day in practice I would try to go against the first-round, second-round picks and the veteran guys. When you're a 14th-round pick you have to do something to catch the coaches' eyes. I would try to get the first-round pick in one-on-one drills and stuff like that. I was eager to make the team.

Q. How did you last nine years in the league, mostly at nose tackle, at 244 pounds?

A. Back then the offensive lineman weren't quite as big. We had John Hannah and Leon Gray. They weighed 270, 275 and they were considered big guys. Back then a 300-pound guy was a real big guy. Most lineman weighed about 270, 275 back in the 70s. So I wasn't really too, too small.

Q. Is John Abraham showing signs of having a big year?

A. He's totally healthy. He's one of the premier pass rushers in this league. I had John as a rookie when I was a coach with the Jets. He's just as quick, just as fast, as he was back then.

Q. What's your plan to get defensive end Jamaal Anderson going?

A. Just a lot of technique work with his hands, feet and the hips. Just the philosophy and fundamentals of rushing the passer. He just needs that.

Q. How does it help to have a swing guy like Chauncey Davis, who can play both defensive ends?

A. He's very smart. He can play inside and outside. He's a very tough guy. We had a guy like Chauncey at the Jaguars. A guy named Paul Spicer. He was kind of like that. A go-to-work guy, who brings his hard hat. He's very steady and very physical.

Q. How do you coach the bigger guys like Grady Jackson, Marcus Stroud and John Henderson?

A. We coach them to get off on the ball. Be more aggressive. A main word in our terminology is disruption. We always try to be disruptive. Trying to tear up the blocking scheme at the line of scrimmage and confuse the offense. Beat them up a little bit.

D. Orlando Ledbetter writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.