ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --The 2017 season will be Offensive Line Coach Jeff Davidson's 23rd as an assistant coach. He's worked with seven different teams. He's been a part of three staffs that won Super Bowls.
In other words, Davidson knows the drill -- which he explained in February, just after joining the staff and reuniting with Offensive Coordinator Mike McCoy, with whom he worked in Carolina and San Diego.
"The challenge always is, No. 1, evaluating what you have, then finding out the best way to get your best five guys on the field, and then finding out what those guys do well -- and doing more of that," Davidson said then.
So far, his approach has impressed his pupils.
"I like him so far," guard Max Garcia said. "He's super hands-on. He's a technician, that's one thing that I have noticed. When we're out, those small critiques go a long way. He emphasizes that early on."
As a former Broncos player and long-time NFL coach, Davidson has figured out an approach that works: to provide feedback in a professional manner.
"He treats us like grown men," guard Ron Leary said. "You have some coaches that try and come in and be dictators over everything. He lets us be grown men about it, and I think that's going to help our play by making us more responsible for getting the job done."
The focus of that job is clear: instilling a nastier, more persistent attitude into the line.
"Pretty much not taking crap from anyone," Garcia said. "Whether it be going against our defense or just going against anybody that lines up next to us, really just not taking any crap. Just going in there, playing our game and running things."
Davidson has done it plenty of times before. The Broncos are counting on him to do it again.
