Fundamentals and Authenticity: Austen Lane Offers Player Perspective on Jaguars DC Joe Cullen
When Urban Meyer first agreed to become the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, he took over a team that needed a true reset in most areas of the organization. But perhaps no unit needed fresh ideas and new philosophies more than a defense coming off a major regression that was years in the making.
Jacksonville's slide from an elite defensive unit to the NFL's 31st ranked defense last season didn't happen overnight. It was the result of a loss of talent on all three levels of the defense as well as a scheme that ran its course.
To bring those new ideas that can fix the downtrodden defense, Meyer has reportedly tabbed former Baltimore Ravens defensive line coach Joe Cullen as his first NFL defensive coordinator.
It will be Cullen's first attempt to lead a defense as its coordinator at the NFL level, but he has a long history in the league as a defensive line coach. He coached the Ravens from 2016-2020 as they produced several top-five defenses, while his past stops have included time as a defensive line coach with the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and even the Jaguars.
His Jaguars tenure saw him lead the defensive line room from 2010-2012. During that period, Cullen helped show players like former Jaguars defensive end Austen Lane the ropes as they transitioned to the NFL, giving Lane a valuable perspective on Cullen's background and coaching style.
"Joe Cullen, no matter what, he's gonna coach you up. It doesn't matter if you're a Pro Bowl or an All-Pro or you're the last guy on the roster," Lane explained to Jaguar Report. "He's gonna give you 100% effort, 100% enthusiasm, and making sure that you reach your full potential."
Lane's first three seasons in the NFL were all spent under Cullen's tutelage. He would later go on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears, but throughout all of his stops, he always remembered his first positional coach.
As Lane explained it, Cullen was a demanding coach, but one who was genuine and commanded respect as a result of his authenticity. He wasn't a coach who was afraid to use his voice, with Lane noting that anyone who attended a training camp practice during those three years likely heard from Cullen.
"At the time, obviously, it was a, it's an intense environment that he has, and he preaches, you know, every play that you finish, you know, it's it's all about finishing the play. It's all about the maximum effort, because those things you can control. And he was big on that," Lane said.
For young players like Lane in 2010, Cullen served as a valuable resource and a clear signal that expectations in the NFL were different than college. Lane knew then that Cullen was an aggressive coach who demanded a lot out of his players, but it wasn't until after Lane's time with the Jaguars and Cullen that he realized the full impact of his coach's teachings.
"And in retrospect at the time, where I was thinking, 'Well, you know, I mean, this is a rough defensive line coach to have', it wasn't until I got to like Kansas City or I got to Chicago or Detroit, where I realized just how good of a defensive line coach Joe Cullen was," Lane said.
"Because in all that yelling and all that coaching up and paying attention to details, it shows that he cares And he wants to see you do as, you know, to kind of reach your full potential, let's just say. And I didn't realize that until I went to other places and I saw how they did it."
Not all coaches can use their voices to really get through to their players, but Lane said that wasn't an issue for Cullen. He didn't yell just to yell. In simple terms, he operated with a purpose.
When it comes to building trust between coaches and players, these types of traits go a long way. Players know if a coach is authentic or not, and Lane says there was no question about Cullen.
"The biggest thing, you know, being a former player myself and knowing how kind of players operate a little bit, you can be a yeller if you want to, but it has to be genuine," Lane said.
"And his personality was, obviously 100 miles per hour, and people respect that. Like if you're gonna yell at somebody, or if you're gonna be a high-strung, high energy type of guy, it's got to be genuine. And Joe Cullen was always genuine about that. So as long as you can articulate what you're trying to do and share your message, but also it's coming from a genuine spot, players will respect you."
During Cullen's second stint in Jacksonville, he will once again be tasked with taking young players and molding them into impactful defenders. The Jaguars have a young group of defensive linemen with Josh Allen, K'Lavon Chaisson, DaVon Hamilton, and Doug Costin. Cullen will immediately play a major role in how each takes the next step in their careers, a responsibility that can't be understated.
What about Cullen makes him equipped to the coach who can take a young defense and reverse its fortunes? Lane noted that a big part of it comes down to his emphasis on the fundamentals of defense and ensuring that accountability plays a role.
"When you're dealing with young players, whether they're first-rounders or undrafted free agents, but when you have young players, one of the most important things is the details and that that really gets lost sometimes when you're a young guy," Lane said. "And literally the difference between, you know, a quarterback sack and interception, you know, it's so cliche, but it's the truth, it's a game of inches, and it's the game of details. Joe Cullen will make sure that you're on your details."
A big part of whether Cullen will find success with the Jaguars as Meyer's coordinator will depend on what kind of scheme and defensive principles he brings to the franchise. Cullen has coached both 4-3 and 3-4 defensive lines, but his latest stop was in Baltimore's versatile 3-4 front that is commanded by coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale.
The identity of Martindale's defenses have been movement at the line of scrimmage, physical play along the defensive line, and an emphasis on mixing things up. Quarterbacks and offensive lines often were left guessing exactly which defenders would be dropping back or bringing pressure, which is a big contrast from Jacksonville's recent defenses.
Thanks a mix of Cullen's time in Baltimore and his emphasis on details and fundamentals, Lane has an idea for the brand of defense Cullen can bring to Jacksonville.
"So while I think Joe's gonna keep his kind of old school fundamentals a little bit, I think now coming from Baltimore, he's found a spot where Baltimore had a lot of success," Lane said.
"They're a brand on defense, and he's gonna realize like, listen, we can have fun, we can send blitzes from the cornerback position, we can maybe play a 3-4 defense and drop you know outside linebackers on the coverage, bring Myles Jack on a blitz, and keep the offense confused. That's what I'm going to expect Joe Cullen to bring to the table here in Jacksonville."
While there will be questions about what kind of defense Cullen will run until we actually see his unit hit the field, we can still look at the recent performances of his position groups to get an idea for his ability as a coach. In the case of Cullen, the Jaguars don't have to look very far back.
In this year's Wild Card round, Cullen and the Ravens defeated the Tennessee Titans in a physical 20-13 brawl. The Ravens knew the key to defeating the Titans was the stop running back Derrick Henry, who dominated the Ravens last season and was this year's Offensive Player of the Year.
Without Cullen's unit playing at a high level, the Ravens had no chance at stopping Henry. Luckily for them, Cullen had his players prepared to stop the league's most productive and dangerous running back.
In the same year that Henry redefined expectations for a running back, the Ravens held him to just 40 yards on 18 carries, an average of 2.2 yards. Henry's longest run that day? Eight yards.
Baltimore's defensive line dominated that day. Cullen gave them the preparation and mentality, and they finished the job by bullying the Titans' offensive line for four quarters, the perfect example of what Cullen brings as a coach.
"So if anything, what you saw from Baltimore against Tennessee was that mentality. It was that, you know, basically, Joe Cullen bringing his mindset to that defensive line and saying, Derrick Henry is not going to beat us," Lane said.
"And that's another great thing about Joe Cullen. It's, the mentality, it's the demeanor. It's the old school philosophy. And I'm honestly all for it. I think the games are won or lost in the trenches, and you better believe if we're talking trench warfare, Joe Cullen doesn't lose too many of those battles."
