Caldwell: No Regrets Over Not Promoting Cooter Sooner
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
Lions head coach Jim Caldwell has never been one to look in the past, and with that philosophy comes a lack of regrets.
Even as the Lions struggled offensively early in the season, Caldwell didn't make personnel decisions until the team had floundered its way to a 1-6 start. Before the team headed to London (to be obliterated by Kansas City) Caldwell fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi along with two offensive line coaches.
Since Jim Bob Cooter took over as offensive coordinator, the team has gone 3-1 and even scoring 45 points last week against Philadelphia.
But Caldwell says he doesn't regret his seven-week wait to fire people.
"No," he said when asked if a part of him wished he had made the firing decisions sooner. "Probably the simplest way (to put that). Like I said, it's not that easy. It's a difficult transition, what we're going through right now even just in terms of our offensive system and how it's functioning. It's an unusual change."
Quarterback Matthew Stafford has appeared more comfortable since Cooter took over, and the offense as a whole has certainly been more competent. A running game exists now, running back/slot receiver combo Theo Riddick is being used more and the offensive formations, at least on the surface, appear more creative.
Against Oakland, Cooter called a Stafford draw play that went for a touchdown. Against the Eagles, he called another play that included wide receiver Golden Tate motioning to the fullback position, which led to him walking into the end zone a few ticks later.
"I think if a guy has the ability to do things, it's on us to give them that ability and see what they can do with it, whether that's running a route, maybe that's running the ball, whatever that could be," Cooter said. "If we think a running back lining up out wide and running a route may have a good matchup on a linebacker or something, or we think potentially we put a receiver in the backfield and hand him the ball, we're not afraid to do that if we think it gives us the best chance to win."