From the time Bobby Babich became the Bills’ new defensive coordinator in February, it’s been unclear to what extent he’ll run the show on defense, or whether head coach Sean McDermott will continue to call the defensive plays. McDermott is vowing to give Babich that opportunity, but whether he gets the job in the regular season is a different question.
“There’s going to be intentionality on my part to make sure, whether it’s practice or preseason games, that Bobby’s given that opportunity,” McDermott said, via TheAthletic.com. “So it’s just a matter of when and for how long. Being a former play caller myself, six years before I got here and then last year again, you’re always having to knock off some of the rust. You’re always having to get yourself polished and ready to go because you’ve got to be able to process quickly: down-and-distance situation, time on the clock, timeouts, what you’ve already set up. There’s a lot that happens fast. Getting yourself to the right call quickly is important, and that kind of knocks the rust off.”
McDermott called the Bills’ defensive plays last year, after former defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier left and no one was hired to replace him. Babich was Buffalo’s linebackers coach last year and was promoted to defensive coordinator this year.
The defense in Buffalo is McDermott’s, but giving Babich a better title, and perhaps the chance to call plays, could improve Babich’s chances of getting head-coaching interviews. For Babich, the promotion this year in Buffalo could lead to future promotions elsewhere.