Buckner's workload will be minimized in Year 2 as well in an effort to preserve his stamina throughout games. "DeFo" played well over 1,000 snaps last season and rarely came off the field. That assuredly won't be the case in 2017, nor will it be for any other player on the defensive line.

"I'm a rotation guy," Zgonina said. "I'm allowed to rotate guys as much as I want, and I will do that. I told those guys, 'You give me four-to-five plays full-tilt, I'm going to rotate you.' I believe in fresh bodies all the time. I don't like to see guys play more than 1,000 snaps in a season."

Beyond one-gapping and rotating, the other pillar of Zgonina's philosophy is the ability to play multiple spots on the d-line. Each player will be cross-trained accordingly.

"I've told all the guys, 'You've got to know at least two positions just because of the numbers on gameday.' I don't want to pigeonhole a guy at one spot."