The Green Bay Packers' defensive backfield is getting a fresh voice—and a clear mandate for more takeaways. New secondary/pass game coordinator Bobby Babich addressed the media for the first time on May 5 at Lambeau Field, and his message was unmistakable: turnovers aren't optional.

Babich, who spent the last two seasons as Buffalo's defensive coordinator, was among three new assistants brought in by Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Interestingly, the two had never worked together before this offseason. Their connection? Annual meet-ups at the NFL scouting combine, where Babich and former Cardinals DC Nick Rallis would spend hours breaking down defensive schemes.

"We got to know each other there, probably spent an hour, two hours talking defensive football," Babich recalled. "That's when we first officially met and spent time together."

Football runs in the Babich bloodline. His father, Bob Babich, coached at Wisconsin and North Dakota State before spending nearly two decades as an NFL defensive assistant. Bobby has coached defensive backs and linebackers at the pro level, giving him a versatile eye for the secondary.

Now he inherits a Packers pass defense that intercepted just seven passes last season—ranking 28th in the NFL. That's a glaring weakness for a team with playoff aspirations, and Babich isn't sugarcoating the challenge.

"There's so much that goes into it, I could sit up here and give a 50-minute dissertation about it," Babich said with a knowing smile. "You get what you emphasize. You've got to be opportunistic. One of the things I tell the guys all the time: we don't need to chase plays, we need to put ourselves in position to make plays."

His philosophy is rooted in preparation. "When that ball shows up, you better make sure you've repetitioned that so much that you've been in that position," he added. For a secondary looking to flip the script, those reps can't come soon enough.