Giants 'D' makeover starts to take shape

It's never easy to replace the most popular guy in the room. The Giants' new defensive-line coach, Robert Nunn, seems to be winning everyone over with an easygoing style.

"Coach Waufle is a bit of a nut, kind of like us defensive linemen," Justin Tuck said of Mike Waufle, the only defensive line coach he and most of the Giants ever played for before he was let go by the team this offseason. "Coach Nunn is a little more laid-back. But we'll get to him soon enough."

The thing that may drive Nunn nuts will be dealing with all of the players he has and dividing the playing time. There are four starting jobs and about eight starting-caliber players - including the two rookies the Giants drafted in the first and second rounds. Getting them all involved in the game and keeping their egos in check will be one of his biggest problems.

"I can't guarantee you that everybody's going to be happy all the time," Nunn said. "Every day you just go out there and you keep building as a group, and we're going to put the best people that give us the best chance to win - obviously - out there on the field."

Does that include Osi Umenyiora, who was demoted from a starting job late last season? It's too early for Nunn to tell, especially since no one has put on shoulder pads this offseason. But Nunn said Umenyiora's attitude has been stellar and his performances on the field have been impressive.

One way to get more players involved is to shake up the formations. Earlier this week in an OTA, the Giants showed a look that had Tuck and Umenyiora at defensive end and Mathias Kiwanuka and Jay Alford at defensive tackle. Essentially four top pass rushers on the line at the same time.

"I'll be all over the place," said Kiwanuka, who is expected to battle with Umenyiora for a starting defensive end job this summer. "I've been through it before and I'm used to playing all different positions. We're good. We'll get after it."

"We did a lot of other things that you all didn't see," Tuck said of the formation. "That's the benefit of having this much talent."

Tuck admitted he was upset when Waufle, who landed with the Raiders, was axed. Part of the decision was because of a disappointing season by the line that was supposed to be the strength of the defense, but part of it was also over money.

"I'll be the first to tell you I didn't like it when it first came down, but I understand it," Tuck said. "This is a business. You keep going regardless of what happened, what you think happened."

"Wauf was all we knew and we did very well under him," Tuck added. "But it's a new guy, a new philosophy, and we have to adjust."