PITTSFORD, N.Y. — We still don't know whether it will be Sean McDermott or Bobby Babich calling the defensive plays for the Bills this season.
Babich is a first-time defensive coordinator who has never called defensive plays.
That is why he is grabbing an opportunity he can to do it in practice.
“Sean’s ramping it up and the call-it periods are great," Babich said Monday morning. "I ask for them. Me personally, the more I can do the better off I’ll be. There’s calls I wish I had back. There’s calls that you take a little note that I liked that there or certain things.”
Babich calls the play and relays it to middle linebacker Terrel Bernard, who then tells the defense in the huddle.
Often times you hear of an adjustment period with this sort of game of telephone, with each side learning how to best communicate with one another.
Bernard is quite familiar with Babich already, as he was the linebacker's coach for the last few seasons.
That might be what allows Bernard to provide more honest feedback.
“He’s told me to stop talking so much in the headset,” Babich said with a laugh.
“It gets pretty fast, especially when the game’s moving pretty fast, the situations are happening quick, he tries to get it all out," Bernard said with a smile. "But he knows so much of what’s going on, I tell him as much as he can tell me before the snap happens, I’m with it. “
“When you’re in the position meetings with him every day, obviously that builds a relationship and there’s so much communication going on that that probably helps us," Babich added. "And at the same time, just like in meetings, he’s probably like just shut up dude, and let me play.”
We do know that Babich will be at the top of the coaches' booth during games.
Why?
“Have you seen me at practice?" Babich joked. "Pretty easy. You guys can tell.”
It's probably Babich’s best call yet.