New England Patriots defensive end Keion White (99) reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)AP
FOXBOROUGH – Last season, Keion White wasn’t shy when discussing the state of the team and the failures of the defense.
Late in the year, he openly conveyed a lack of confidence in the coaching staff to fix the problems.
The Patriots defensive end called for action.
“Something’s gotta change,” White said.
He got his wish.
Mike Vrabel was hired to replace Jerod Mayo, and brought along a new coaching staff with just one holdover – special teams head Jeremy Springer.
Speaking with the media on Tuesday, White’s words were telling.
He liked the direction the current defense was headed, and already sounded like a fan of Vrabel.
“Vrabel’s cool. He’s a hard-ass,” White said. “He’s one of those guys who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty. He’ll come out, put the pads on, and let you go through the defensive line drills with him.”
White was especially effusive in his praise of outside linebackers coach Mike Smith who had been an outside linebackers coach and pass rush specialist with the Minnesota Vikings previously.
“I have a really good coach helping me. Coach Smith was telling me steps, alignment, things like that I haven’t traditionally heard,” White said Tuesday following the team’s indoor minicamp workout. “So just that next step of having that coach behind me is really big for me.”
That suggests his coaches weren’t behind him last year. White said he and Smith have really connected. Then he really lowered the boom on Mayo & Co.
“He’s doing a good job of saying, ‘This is what you need to think of, this is your thought process,’’’ White said said of Smith. ”That’s something I don’t think I had before and what I was missing; I was training myself, I’m not going to lie. Now I feel like I have a coach.”
Obviously, that was a direct shot at Mayo and last year’s defensive coaches.
White played in all 17 games last season. He registered five sacks, seven tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits.