Keith Butler wants linebackers to shine in Pittsburgh Steelers' D

[stillers4me]

It's a philosophical riddle. What happens for a linebacker when a former linebacker takes over a defense?

"Stress the 'former' part, OK?" Lawrence Timmons said, interrupting the query. And then grinning. Because even if he was teasing new Steelers defensive coordinator -- and one-time Seahawks linebacker -- Keith Butler, the answer is the same: It's the equivalent of winning the lottery.


The Steelers did the seemingly unthinkable when they somewhat unartfully ushered defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau out the door. An icon in Pittsburgh, one whose most common modifier was and is "legendary," he was replaced by Butler, Pittsburgh's longtime linebackers coach.

Butler logged a dozen years coaching that group here. He spent four years coaching linebackers in Cleveland and, before that, 10 years playing the position in Seattle. After 11 years working under LeBeau, he hasn't wholly remade the Steelers' defense so much as tweaked it. He wants his guys playing faster, he wants them thinking less and he -- no surprise -- wants his linebackers to star. He's designed a defense, linebacker Arthur Moats said, "that a linebacker would want to play in.".............

read more @ http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...rgh-steelers-d

[86WARD]

Hasn't that always been the case? Lol...

[Steelman]

But what if your defensive line is better than your outside linebackers?

[Devilsdancefloor]

But what if your defensive line is better than your outside linebackers?

the truth is they are and I think that is why butler is letting them play 1 gap, but I am not ready to throw in the towel on the OLBers we have

[zoneblitzerII]

Has anyone heard him on Jarvis Jones? I was hoping there would've been a morsel in there on JJ. They desperately need to get things working for this player.

[86WARD]

He's (hopefully) probably keeping his mouth shut on Jones...he must realize Jones is NFG.