Gruff, intense, and slightly winded — that’s how Detroit Lions running backs coach Tashard Choice came across when speaking with reporters on Friday.

Choice revealed that he runs a mile every day before practice to get his blood pumping and keep his discipline sharp, knowing the discomfort pays off. He also does it on purpose to make himself angry before practice so that the Lions’ running backs can do something to “tick him off,” giving him an edge to push them harder during drills.

At first, hearing that might sound a little extreme or even unusual.

But in truth, Choice’s focused discipline and unorthodox approach have helped shape one of the NFL’s most productive rushing units.

The Lions rank seventh in the league in rushing yards per game (134.8), and his relentless commitment to precision continues to drive that success — even when runners like David Montgomery face heavy defensive fronts each week.

“ When you’re running the football as a back, our biggest focus is always on alignment, details, and landmarks,” Choice said. “The attention to detail has to be even higher. For someone like D-Mo, he’s got to be an eraser. No excuses — because when defenses stack the box, breaking one tackle could turn into a huge gain. It’s all about details.

“All week, I’m on them about every small thing — their tracks, their reads, knowing what the O-line is doing, and why we’re calling certain plays to set them up for success. But ultimately, they’ve got to finish the job. It’s one-on-one in the hole.”

That fiery approach doesn’t surprise running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who’s known Choice since their time together at Georgia Tech. When asked if he’s ever amazed by his coach’s boundless energy, Gibbs said it’s been part of his personality for years.

“I’ve noticed it since I was 16,” Gibbs said. “He used to do the same thing at Tech — running around in a full sweatsuit before practice.”

When a reporter mentioned that Choice does it specifically to make himself mad before practice, Gibbs couldn’t help but laugh.

“I thought he just liked doing it,” he joked.

Choice’s demanding style has strengthened Detroit’s backfield not only physically but mentally, preparing them for any defensive challenge that comes their way on Sundays.

“To be a dude in this league, to be a back like D-Mo or Jah, you’ve got to make defenders miss or break tackles,” Choice said. “For them, there’s no room for excuses. We’ve just got to keep improving, and I have to keep pushing them.

“But you embrace that. It’s respect. Defenses have to load the box to stop us, and those guys know that. So, with what’s expected of us, we’ll keep grinding and focusing on every little detail.”