Notes from Monday press conferences: Jim Bob Cooter will call plays

Lions head coach Jim Caldwell met the press early Monday evening after the news broke that the Detroit Lions had officially parted ways with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and other members of the coaching staff responsible for the offense. Here's a few of the details of what we learned.

• Caldwell told the press earlier on Monday that there would be no personnel changes. At that time, he claims, he had not made the decision, and in the hours that followed he had taken the time to evaluate and make the decision to let go of those members of the staff.
  
  
• Newly minted offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, previous serving as quarterbacks coach, will call plays for the Lions offense moving forward, according to Jim Caldwell. The Lions head coach was asked if he would consider calling plays himself. Caldwell stated that he had not considered the idea.
  
  
• Caldwell isn't concerned about Cooter taking playcalling responsibilities for the first time in his career. He said Jim Bob is very bright, smart and adjusts well to circumstances. Members of the press who covered Cooter when he coached at the University of Tennessee seem to agree.
  
  
• Caldwell stated that there would be a schematic change with Jim Bob Cooter now running the offense.
  
  
• Why did the Lions make this move before the London game? Caldwell stated that the Lions were "running out of time."
  
  
• "Production" was the theme as to why assistants coaching the offensive line were fired. It would be hard to argue with that, given the breakdowns the Lions have seen along the offensive line this year so far.
  
  
• The moves made by Caldwell seem to come from within the current staff. Caldwell stated that he has not yet spoken with the Ford family ownership about the decisions made to fire Lombardi, et al. Apparently ownership had no say in the decisions made on Monday.