Phillip Buchanon: I learned more about defense my one year in Tampa than during the rest of my career

New Detroit Lions cornerback Phillip Buchanon took the time to chat with Dennis Wyatt of TV Sports Daily. The interview touches on each step of Buchanon's career, from his experience on the dominant Miami Hurricanes, to his NFL stops in Oakland, Houston and Tampa Bay.

Buchanon had plenty of positive things to say about his time with the Bucs, specifically about defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

March 14, TV Sports Daily: DW: What was your experience like learning from Monte Kiffin?

Phillip Buchanon: He was definitely good. I learned more about defense in Tampa under coach Kiffin than I did in all my time in Texas and Oakland. This was a great stop for me, and regardless of the situation I wish Tampa the very best of luck, but don't get me wrong I really really really wanted to play in Tampa, but sometimes things just don't work out that way.

DW: What makes Kiffin such a good coach, is it his schemes, is it the way he motivates his players? Why is it that Tampa no matter what always had a great defense under him?

Phillip Buchanon: It's because he understands the game of football, he always puts his players in the best situations and other teams that I've been on just tell you to go out there and play man to man, or play cover three with no direction, just play football, just do what you do. Kiffin is able to break the game down and slow it down for you, and he plays to win. There was a lot of pride in what we did. In Houston the game wasn't the same. You got plenty of information, but the attitude was more just get out there and play. It was the same way in Oakland. In Tampa it was more this is why we do this and this is why we don't do that and it made sense.

Wyatt asks if he will start for the Lions, and Buchanon takes a very humble approach. Even though he has to know he's the front-runner, his answer focuses on what he'll do to make sure he earns the job.

There are whispers, but I'm going to go up there and do what I do which is work hard, continue to study my film, get the guys to work hard and hopefully reach our goal of getting to the playoffs.

What you really have to like as a Lions fan is that he not only focuses on his own work effort, but insists he'll make sure his teammates are working hard as well. When you're coming off an 0-16 season, you can never have enough guys that want to be vocal leaders in the locker room.

(blog.mlive.com)