Patriots defensive lineman Keion White has already noticed a big difference between Jerod Mayo and Bill Belichick.
Belichick and the Patriots parted ways after 24 years together this past offseason, and Mayo, who both played and coached under Belichick in New England, was promoted to become head coach.
“We don’t got Bill cursing us out every play anymore, but it’s still pretty similar,” White said at Patriots OTAs this week, as covered by ProFootballTalk.
White said that he responded well to Belichick’s tough coaching.
“I miss it,” White continued.
“I like Bill. He’s my type of coach, like a hard-ass. I like that. I respond well to things like that. But Mayo’s done a pretty good job, too. It’s all different. Mayo’s doing a really good job of staying true to himself, not trying to fill somebody else’s shoes, but create his own path, and I really respect that.”
White is entering his second season in the NFL.
He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of last year’s draft out of Georgia Tech.
Last season, he appeared in 16 games and had four starts.
He had one sack on the year — in late November, on Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito.
As Mayo builds his own coaching tree, he made the decision to retain Belichick’s son, Brian Belichick, as the team’s safeties coach.
“True professional,” Mayo said of Brian Belichick, as covered by Pats Pulpit. “You know, any time you see your dad and your brother go somewhere else, the natural thing would be to go with them.”
“Look, he’s a New Englander,” Mayo continued. “He’s a Patriot. I’m happy to have him.”
Brian Belichick’s brother, Steve Belichick, landed as the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington as the program gets ready for its first season in the Big Ten.