Detroit Lions head coaching candidates: Steve Wilks

Steve Wilks is an impressive, if inexperienced, candidate for the Detroit Lions head coaching position. A request to interview Wilks has been placed.

Steve Wilks first appeared on the NFL coaching radar in 2006. He was the Bears defensive backs coach until 2009. He moved to the San Diego Chargers in the same role. Wilks joined the Carolina Panthers in 2012 and has risen within that organization to the role of Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator.

Detroit Lions fans got a good look at what Wilks brings to the table this year in week five. ThePanthers defense was dominant until the closing minutes of the game. The Lions made the final score closer than the game ever really was with a late fourth-quarter surge. The Lions had their worst day running the football. They put up only 50 yards on the ground. The Panthers also recorded six sacks, and limited Matthew Stafford to his lowest passing yardage total that did not correspond to the Lions rushing for 90 or more yards in a game.

One of the advantages of bringing Wilks in would be that the defense would not need to change schemes to accommodate him. He has worked with defenses that ran both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes in the past. His specialty is the secondary, not the front seven.

Wilks is coming directly from a 4-3 defense that runs a lot of cover three zone defenses, something that the Lions have used extensively under their current defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The Lions secondary would not need to be overhauled in order to accommodate the new regime, and it was clearly one of the team’s strengths.

Another advantage that Wilks possesses, if his press conferences are any indication, is a commanding presence. He speaks with an eloquent, booming voice and there is clearly intelligence and consideration behind the words. The Lions beat writers would undoubtedly welcome this change. He is open with reporters and very specific in his answers.

What that means for fans is when something does not work for the team, Wilks speaks in specifics rather than generalities. He will tell us what was supposed to happen on the call, and who made the mistake on the play.

Steve Wilks has never been a head coach at any level of football. He also has only a single year of coordinator experience at the NFL level. While he is certainly more than a Rooney rule candidate. He will need to absolutely nail his interview with Bob Quinn to take the Lions head coaching job.

Next: 7 Lions who could be gone in 2018

Wilks is an intriguing candidate for the Detroit Lions head coaching position. Wilks is also rumored to be interviewing for the New York Giants head coaching spot. Bob Quinn may be facing competition for this coach’s services.