ORLANDO, Fla. -- Detroit Lions fans are angry with the losing, and they are tired of the waiting. Most wanted Jim Schwartz fired, and they got it.

Now that Jim Caldwell is on board, many are hoping to see drastic changes. And they won't get it.

Over the years, Caldwell has tracked how coaches handle their transitions to new programs. And he learned a valuable lesson from Jimmy Johnson's move from Oklahoma to Miami (Fla.) in 1984.

New Lions coach Jim Caldwell learned some lessons from former University of Miami coach Jimmy Johnson, who is shown here after winning the 1987 national championship.

Johnson overhauled the defense after taking over the Hurricanes, but didn't tinker with an offense that had become prolific. That included retaining Gary Stevens as offensive coordinator to ensure a smooth transition on that side of the ball.

"He didn't touch that offense," Caldwell said. "He made very minor adjustments, and those guys took off. They put that offense and defense together, and it was like a juggernaut. They did extremely well.

"Now guys with a big ego would have went in there and just said, 'Let's change it all. Nothing's good enough. Let's get going.'"

But Johnson didn't do that. He kept what was working, reworked what wasn't and went 52-9 during his five seasons at the school. Plus won a national title in 1987.

Caldwell told the story after fielding a question about how quarterback Matthew Stafford will adjust to having a new coaching staff for the first time in his five-year pro career. His point?

"My point is, there are some things (Stafford) did well, and those things we want to try to preserve," Caldwell said. "We'll continue to build. The things that are new, he'll adjust and adapt."

In other words: Expect a lot of change next season. Expect Joe Lombardi to overhaul the offensive scheme, and expect it to be different than what the Lions did under the previous regime.

But don't expect a revolution.

Detroit still remains every much the same team, personnel-wise, that it was last year. That's especially true on offense, where every starter is back except Nate Burleson.

And the Lions, of course, still have Calvin Johnson. And Johnson is still the best receiver in the game.

Some fans would grumble about how often Stafford and the Lions forced balls to Johnson, even when he's in triple coverage. And you know what?

"There may be some times where we're guilty of that again," Caldwell said. "Believe me, you better find a way to use your best resources, and he's one of those. He's a talented guy, and obviously he's accustomed to making some pretty special catches in areas over guys."

The Lions will look different schematically, but not drastically so, and that includes with Stafford.

He'll be taught some things differently, much of which is designed to hone his accuracy. Those will be the major changes.

But Caldwell has done this long enough to understand the Lions will be best off preserving what he does well, too.

Change. But subtly so. And hang onto the stuff that works.

"There's a lot of things he's done well, now, and it's our job to make certain he continues to do those things well, and that we put him in position to do those things," Caldwell said. "That we make him comfortable with the things he's done extremely well."