detroit lions vs. st. louis rams the season begins consistency up front ...

JASON
ARAPOFF
Coordinator of
Physical Development
Years with Lions: 12
Years in NFL: 25
Jason Arapoff enters his 12th season directing the Lions’ strength
and conditioning program. His primary role is to oversee the physical
fi tness of all Lions’ players.
Focusing equally on the off-season regimen and the regular
season program, Arapoff utilizes high-end cardiovascular strength
training and free weight equipment in the team’s state-of-the-art
facility. His hands-on training techniques emphasize a balance of
muscular strength and cardiovascular fi tness, and are underscored
by a comprehensive, personalized approach to each athlete. He also
has introduced a shi toward more football-specifi c activities that
encompass high-intensity protocols to train the entire body.
Arapoff arrived in Detroit prior to the 2001 season with 13 years
of experience with the Washington Redskins. While serving as the
team’s conditioning director for nine years, he was instrumental in
computerizing and implementing the team’s strength and conditioning
and nutritional programs.
Arapoff has been a monthly columnist for Scholastic Coach Magazine
and is a frequent speaker for industry events, schools, universities and
football camps. He, along with Strength and Conditioning assistant Ted
Rath, started the annual Detroit Lions Strength and Conditioning Clinic
in 2011. The event is a forum for providing, sharing and exchanging
information in the ever changing world of strength & conditioning.
During his playing career as a collegian, Arapoff was a four-year
letter-winning defensive back at Springfi eld (Mass.) College, where
he earned his undergraduate degree in health fi tness. He went on
to obtain his master’s degree in exercise physiology from American
University in Washington, D.C.
Arapoff and his wife, Jennifer, have three daughters: Julia, and
twins, Anna and Alexa.
ARAPOFF’S BACKGROUND
Detroit Lions .......................................................................... 2001-
Coordinator of Physical Development ....................................................2006-
Strength and Conditioning ................................................................... 2001-05
Washington Redskins ......................................................1988-2000
Conditioning Director.........................................................................1992-2000
Conditioning Assistant .......................................................................... 1988-91
BRADFORD
BANTA
Assistant
Linebackers
Years with Lions: 5
Years in NFL: 5
Bradford Banta, a former Lion, enters his fi h season with Detroit’s
coaching staff . He was promoted to assistant linebackers coach this
off season a er being the assistant special teams coach the past
four seasons.
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
S John Wendling leads the NFL with 41 special teams tackles
over the past two seasons (2010-11) and was tied for fourth in
the NFL with 17 last season.
K Jason Hanson had another strong year for Detroit in 2011,
fi nishing with 126 points which was the fourth best for a singleseason
in franchise history.
Hanson also had fi ve 50-yard fi eld goals (second-highest of his
career) and became the fi rst player in NFL history to kick 50 50yard
fi eld goals in his career.
In 2010, the Lions’ kick return unit was the third-most improved
unit in the League in kickoff return average with 3.5 more yards
per return than in 2009.
Detroit also had the NFL’s 10th-most signifi cant improvement
in punt return average in 2010: the Lions had an 8.8 punt return
average in 2009 and improved to an average of 12.1 yards per
EXECUTIVES & COACHING
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return in 2010.
In average kickoff return yardage allowed, Detroit had the fourthmost
improved coverage unit, allowing an average of 2.7 less yards
per each kick return in 2010.
Before returning to Detroit in 2008, Banta spent the 2009 season
as a tight ends coach for the University of Tennessee Chattanooga.
He played three of his 11 NFL seasons with the Lions (2001-03) as a
tight end and longsnapper.
A er being dra ed by Indianapolis in the fourth-round of the 1994
NFL Dra , Banta spent six seasons with the Colts and established
himself as one of the League’s best longsnappers. He joined the New
York Jets for the 2000 season before coming to Detroit in 2001. He
fi nished his career with Buff alo in 2004.
Upon his retirement from the NFL, Banta worked with George Wright
Construction, as a supervisor, for a year and in Chase’s Home Financial
Division for nearly two years in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Banta was a two-year starter at tight end at the University of
Southern California (1989-93) as well as a four-time letterwinner. He
earned Honorable Mention All-Pac 10 Conference honors as a junior
and senior and received his bachelor’s degree in communications with
a minor in sociology in 1993.
A native of Baton Rouge, La., Banta was a Parade All-American
as a senior at University High School and helped them to the state
championship (1988) while playing tight end and linebacker. He and
his wife, Amy, have three children.
BANTA’S BACKGROUND
Detroit Lions .......................................................................... 2008-
Assistant Linebackers ...............................................................................2012-
Assistant Special Teams ...................................................................... 2008-11
Tennessee-Chattanooga ...........................................................2007
Tight Ends .......................................................................................................2007
MATT
BURKE
Linebackers
Years with Lions: 4
Years in NFL: 9
Matt Burke, in his fourth season as linebackers coach, came to
Detroit a er spending fi ve seasons (2004-08) with the Tennessee
Titans.
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS:
Detroit’s linebacker corps made great strides in 2011 and will be
a team strength with all three starters returning for the upcoming
season.
LB Stephen Tulloch joined the team during training camp and
quickly emerged as the starting middle linebacker before going on
to lead the team with 111 tackles (84 solo). He also has 3.0 sacks
(16 yds.) two interceptions and three fumble recoveries (1 TD).
Since LB DeAndre Levy was dra ed in 2009, Burke has been instrumental
in his development as one of the best young linebackers
in the League. Throughout his three seasons in Detroit, Levy has
registered 258 tackles (177 solo) which is the most of any Lions
defensive player during that span.
In 2011, Levy fi nished with 107 tackles (72 solo) which was the
second-most on the team.
In 2008, Burke helped coach Tennessee to a NFL best 13-3 record
and ranked seventh in overall defense with 4,698 yards allowed as
well as third in off ensive points allowed with 227. In his fi rst two
seasons with the Titans, he worked as an administrative assistant
in the football department assisting the coaching staff with scouting
breakdowns during the week and on gamedays. Burke was promoted
to defensive assistant/quality control coach in 2006. He was primarily
responsible for breaking down fi lm on upcoming opponents and selfscouting,
also conducting on-fi eld work with the linebackers.
Prior to joining the Titans, Burke was the assistant secondary coach
for one season (2003) at Harvard, originally entering the college ranks
at Boston College (2000) as a graduate assistant for recruiting before
working with the defense from 2001-02. His fi rst coaching position
came at Bridgton Academy (Maine), where he worked in 1998 and 1999.
A native of Hudson, Massachusetts, Burke played safety at
Dartmouth and was part of an undefeated Ivy League champion
in 1996.