PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions

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Jefferson
Wide Receivers
Years with Lions: 8
Years in NFL: 8
Shawn Jefferson is in his eighth season coaching with the Lions.
He was named wide receivers coach prior to the 2008 season after
working with the team’s wide receivers the previous three seasons
as a coaching intern in 2005, an offensive assistant in 2006 and as
the assistant wide receivers coach in 2007. Jefferson spent the 2003
season with the Lions as a player and brings 13 years of NFL playing
experience to the club.
lions coaching highlights
The wide receiving corps had a standout season in 2011, helping
Detroit’s offense establish new franchise records in completions (423)
and passing yards (5,071) while ranking fifth in the NFL in total offense.
‣ Leading the way for the Lions wide receiver unit was Calvin
Johnson who had a career-year while leading the NFL in receiving
yards (1,681) and finishing second in touchdown receptions (16)
and fourth in receptions (96).
‣ Johnson also set the team’s all-time single-season record for
touchdown receptions with 16 and was just 5 yards shy of a
franchise record for receiving yards (WR Herman Moore; 1,686
in 1995) with 1,681.
‣ WR Nate Burleson also had a strong year for Detroit, establishing
a career-high with 73 receptions for 757 receiving yards and
three touchdowns.
‣ Rookie WR Titus Young emerged as the dynamic playmaker the
Lions projected, finishing with 48 receptions for 607 yards and
six touchdowns.
‣ In 2010, Johnson finished the season as the team’s leader in
receptions (77), receiving yards (1,120) and touchdowns (12)
and was the team’s leading receiver for a third straight year.
Johnson was named to his first Pro Bowl and was honored as
second-team all-pro.
‣ Johnson was also tied for second in the NFL (tied for first in the
NFC) with 12 touchdown catches in 2010.
Jefferson helped Johnson break out as one of the NFL’s best
receivers in 2008 as he tied for first in touchdown receptions (12), fifth
in receiving yards (1,331), second in yards per catch among receivers
with 60 receptions (17.1), tied for second in 20+-yard receptions (21),
tied for second in 40+-yard receptions (7) and tied for first in 25+-yard
touchdown catches (6). Johnson was also named an alternate to the
2009 NFC Pro Bowl squad.
In the Lions record books, Johnson became only the second player
in team history (WR Herman Moore in 1995) to record 70 receptions,
1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in a single season. He is the only player
in Lions’ history to record 1,300 yards with less than 80 catches. His
12 touchdowns (2008, 2010) tied for the most touchdown grabs (Leon
Hart in 1951) by a first or second year player with the Lions and his
1,331 receiving yards are the second-most in team history by a first
or second year player.
In 2007, the Detroit Lions were the only team in the NFL and the first
in franchise history to have four different players finish with more than
650 receiving yards (Shaun McDonald, 943; Roy Williams, 836; Calvin
Johnson, 756; Mike Furrey, 664). Detroit’s wide receiving unit was also
second in the NFL in receptions (268) and receiving yards (3,370).
While working as an offensive assistant in 2006, Jefferson helped
WR Roy Williams to a NFC-leading and career-high 1,310 receiving
yards. He also worked with the NFC’s receptions leader Mike Furrey
(98 receptions for 1,082 yards). It was the first time since 1999 that
two Lions receivers finished with more than 1,000 yards.
In addition to his time with the Lions as a player, Jefferson spent
five seasons with San Diego, four with New England and three with
Atlanta, accumulating over 7,000 yards receiving and 29 touchdowns.
Jefferson also played in Super Bowl xxIx with the Chargers and Super
Bowl xxxI with the Patriots.
Jumping right into the coaching ranks following his playing career,
Jefferson spent the 2004 season as a volunteer coach with his high
school alma mater, William Raines H.S. During his tenure at William
Raines, he spent the month of June with the Jacksonville Jaguars
as part of the team’s Scouting Seminar.
Jefferson attended Central Florida where he starred as a wide
receiver and kick returner. Jefferson finished with 67 catches, 1,087
yards and 11 touchdowns. As a returner, Jefferson returned 39 kickoffs
for 782 yards (20.1 avg.).
Jefferson and his wife Marla, have two daughters, Paige and Faith,
and a son, Shawn Jr.
JEffErsons' s coaching Background
Detroit Lions .......................................................................... 2005-
Wide Receivers ............................................................................................2008-
Assistant Wide Receivers ...........................................................................2007
Offensive Assistant .......................................................................................2006
Coaching Assistant .......................................................................................2005
William Raines H.S. (Jacksonville, Fla.) ....................................2004
Volunteer Coach ............................................................................................2004
kris
koCurek
Defensive Line
Years with Lions: 4
Years in NFL: 4
Kris Kocurek enters his third season as defensive line coach
after joining Detroit as the Lions’ assistant defensive line coach in
2009. He had spent the previous season coaching defensive line at
Stephen F. Austin State.
lions coaching highlights
Detroit’s defensive line continued to be the heart of the Lions’ defense
in 2011. In addition to accounting for 35 of the team’s 41 sacks, their
constant pressure helped the defense intercept 21 passes which was
the fifth most in the NFL.
‣ The 35 sacks by the defensive line in 2011 were the fourth-most
in the NFL.
‣ The Lions’ 2011 pass-rush contributed to a sixth-overall ranking
in the League in ‘rush-cover,’ which is the sum of interceptions
and sacks. Detroit’s defense had a combined 62 interceptions
(21) and sacks (41).
‣ DE Cliff Avril had a standout season for Detroit’s defensive line
in 2011, leading the team with 11.0 sacks, the most by a Lions’
defensive player since 2001 (11.5, DE James Hall). Avril also had
the second most forced fumbles in the NFL (six)
‣ DE Kyle Vanden Bosch also had a strong 2011 season for the
Lions, finishing with 8.0 sacks in addition to four forced fumbles
(tied for fifth in the NFL)
‣ Overall, Detroit’s defense finished 2011 third in the League
with 17 forced fumbles; 12 of those fumbles were forced by the
defensive line.
‣ In 2010, Kocurek’s first season as the Lions’ defensive line coach,
Detroit had the most-improved pass rush in the NFL. Even though
teams threw the ball nine times less against the Lions in 2010
season than they did in 2009, the Lions picked up 18 more sacks,
which accounted for an increase of 3.28 sacks per pass play.
‣ Of the Lions’ 44 sacks in 2010, 39 (second most in the NFL) were
attributed to the defensive line, 23.5 more than the Lions defensive
line accounted for in 2009.
‣ Kocurek was also instrumental in the development of rookie
DT Ndamukong Suh in 2010, who led all NFL defensive tackles
with 10.0 sacks and had 66 tackles (49 solo). Suh was voted as
a starter for the NFC Pro Bowl squad and was named to the AP
All-Pro team. He was also the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
During his rookie season, he set a new team record for sacks by
a rookie since the stat became official in 1982.
In 2009, Kocurek helped rookie DT Sammie Hill, who was drafted
out of Stillman College in the fourth round (115th overall) of the
2009 NFL Draft, emerge as an opening day starter. He finished the
season with 26 tackles (14 solo) and two fumble recoveries in 13
games while making the transition from a small college prospect to
NFL starter (12 starts).
In 2007, Kocurek served as the assistant head coach and defensive
line coach at West Texas A&M where he helped coach the Buffaloes
to the 2007 Lone Star Conference title as well as the second round