During this year's rookie mini camp, Lions' defensive line coach Kris Kocurek told his group to make the most of their opportunity; to take advantage of their time in the meeting room, in the weight room and on the practice field, because it could be the only chance they get. Kocurek stressed that putting in the extra effort can ultimately pay off, and he knows this through his own experience.
As a seventh-round NFL draft pick out of Texas Tech in 2001, Kocurek spent his rookie year in Seattle, then went on to spend the 2002 season with the Titans where he served as a backup, "rotational" defensive tackle under then-defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and defensive line coach Jim Washburn.
After just two years in the league, Kocurek's playing career ended after sustaining a shoulder injury. It was then that he began his coaching career, starting at his alma mater.
"I blew out my shoulder, which ended my playing career early," said Kocurek. "As soon as that happened I knew I wanted to stay in football, so I got into coaching.
"I went back to Texas Tech and got involved with the football team and coached there for a year under the d-line coach."
After a season at Tech, Kocurek took a job at Texas A&M Kingsville, a small Division II school, where he coached the defensive line for two years and earned his graduate degree.
He then moved on to his first full-time job at Texas A&M Commerce where he was hired as the "multi-task coach." There he served as the team's equipment manager, weight room coach, study hall advisor and defensive line coach.
Kocurek helped guide the Commerce Lions’ top-ranked defensive unit which finished No. 1 in total and scoring defense.
"I took a hard-work approach to it," he said. "That's the way I've taken my whole career. Hard work pays off and that's the approach I want to get through to my players: come to work hard everyday, get better that day, and eventually it will pay off in the long run."
He took his next position at West Texas A&M where, again, he filled several roles. He was the assistant head coach, d-line coach and travel coordinator.
It was after a year there that Kocurek finally got his "big break," moving up to I-AA football at Stephen F. Austin where he took the sole title of defensive line coach. In his first season, the defensive line led the conference in sacks.
Kocurek proved to be successful in each position, from one school to the next, and throughout the process maintained a good relationship with Washburn.
He talked to him as much as he could, and took any advice he gave to heart.
"Every summer I tried to go down and visit with him, pick his brain, and just find out whatever little piece of information I could," he said. "I view him as the best defensive line coach in the NFL.
"I strive every day to try to live up to to what he's done and the way he's coached and the mentality that he takes. He's been my mentor through the years."
Washburn took note of Kocurek's hard-work approach and continued success, and in turn, kept coach Schwartz in the loop with what he was doing.
In 2009 when Schwartz was named the head coach in Detroit, Kocurek was on his radar, and it presented him with an opportunity to move up into the professional coaching ranks.
"I was in Nashville for a college coaching convention and got a call from a 615 number. I thought it was one of my old buddies who knew I was in town," he said. "But randomly, out of the blue, I hear 'Hey Kris, it's Coach Schwartz. I have a spot for you, do you want it?'"
Schwartz offered him the opportunity to join his staff as the assistant defensive line coach.
Kocurek jumped at the opportunity.
"I was excited, my family was excited, and Coach Washburn was excited," he said. "I came in, tried to keep my mouth shut as much as possible, coach as hard as I could, work as hard as I could and try to make a good impression."
Kocurek worked for a year under the late Bob Karmelowicz, then the team's defensive line coach.
Karmelowicz dealt with health problems throughout the season, which ultimately led to his decision to retire.
"I ended up getting another call out of the blue from Coach Schwartz letting me know that Karm was retiring," he said. "My first question was, 'Who am I going to work under now?' and he said, 'That's why I'm calling you. We're going to promote you.
"'You've put in a year, you've proved yourself and you've earned the players' respect. It's going to be your job. Get ready, we're going to the Senior Bowl next week and you're coaching the d-line.'
"From that day forward I said I have to make the most of my opportunity."
Kocurek's work ethic and high-energy approach to the game never wavered.
In his first season as the Lions’ defensive line coach, Detroit had the most-improved pass rush in the NFL, picking up 18 more sacks than the previous year.
Of the Lions’ 44 sacks, 39 were attributed to the defensive line (second-most in the NFL), 23.5 more than the Lions' defensive line accounted for in 2009.
"(I approach each day as): my players have to see the energy I bring everyday, because I want that to rub off on them," he said. "I try to show up and work as hard as I can, bring as much energy to the field as I can, bring as much energy to the meeting room as I can and I want them to feed off of that.
"I think it's been successful so far and hopefully we'll be a lot more successful moving forward."
