OWINGS MILLS — Ravens’ new defensive coordinator Zachary Orr will make his debut in the preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday and is prepared for the big moment.
Coach John Harbaugh promoted Orr when Mike Macdonald was hired as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. So far, it’s been a seamless transition, but the tougher tests are ahead, beginning with the Eagles.
“I’m getting comfortable every single day. Like I said, Coach Harbaugh does a great job of putting us in real-life game situations, so you have to think on the fly, you have to be prepared, you have to have your call sheet ready, you have to think a step ahead,” Orr said. “It’s a combination of that, and then going against our offense and going against ‘Monk’ [offensive coordinator Todd Monken] and Lamar [Jackson], Mark [Andrews], Zay [Flowers], both Zay’s [Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely]. I can name a lot of people with our offense.
“Going against those guys makes it even that more challenging, but it’s preparing me for the moment, and I feel more comfortable every single day with that. And another thing is the coaching staff that have helped prepare me on defense.”
Orr inherited a talented defense led by inside linebacker Roquan Smith, defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and safety Kyle Hamilton, who were each named All-Pro last season.
This past year, the Ravens became the first team in league history to finish a season ranked No. 1 in each of the following categories: points allowed (16.5 points per game), sacks (60), and takeaways (31, tied with the New York Giants).
Orr does not plan to deviate from what made the Ravens successful, but he plans to build on those game plans.
“We definitely want to build on that,” he said. “That’s a scheme that we helped build here for years. We’re always looking to get better. I think that’s why you’ve seen great defenses here in the past. That’s what we’ve got to continue.”
The players have embraced Orr as the new defensive coordinator. As a former linebacker with the Ravens, Orr already has a strong rapport with the players. They are eager to get the season started and be in the hunt for a Super Bowl title.
“I think it will be great under Zach,” Madubuike said. “Zach is a defensive mastermind. He knows where to put us in positions to be successful. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our strengths. He knows how he can utilize us to play great on defense. I feel like our defense is going to be even better than last year.
“I just feel like guys are being accustomed to each other and just growing, as just not only as players, [but] as brothers. I think we just create strength and growth and trust in each other. I think it’s going to be a testament to how good we’re going to be this year.”
