Harbaugh thinks Orr’s linebacker experience as both a player and coach will be invaluable to him as a coordinator. Previous Ravens defensive coordinators Macdonald, Wink Martindale and Dean Pees all were Ravens linebacker coaches before being promoted.
“Zach is super talented and super enthusiastic,” Harbaugh said. “He’s very smart. He has prepared for that job. He’s in the middle of the defense. I think when you’re a linebackers coach, that’s an advantage because you’re in the middle of the defense and you understand the whole defense inside and out.
“You have a big picture. It helps you with defensive play calling, for sure. A linebackers coach usually has an advantage as far as that goes. There’s no reason not to put Zach in that position in my mind right now, and I think he’ll do a great job, but I also think he’ll do a great job because of the support he’s going to get.”
As a first-time coordinator, Orr has never called defensive plays before. Even though they were both young when hired, Macdonald had gone to the University of Michigan for one year, where he got experience calling the defensive plays. Harbaugh believes Orr will grow into the responsibility quickly.
“That’s something that we’re going to have to work through and Zach’s going to have to get on board with quick,” Harbaugh said. “I think he’s been studying that and how to do that all the way through.
“In talking to him, I have a comfort level that he’ll be good at it, but he has to go do it. He’s going to get support not just from the veteran coaches but also the young coaches that are going to help set up those game plans and make sure that all the bases are covered that way.”
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