Steve Spagnuolo’s first game as Saints defensive coordinator is coming up fast.

New Orleans is playing in the Hall of Fame Game on Sunday, so Spagnuolo has only had eight training-camp practices to get players ready for the preseason opener. He has replaced former coordinator Gregg Williams’ blitz-heavy, man-to-man coverage scheme with a more conventional approach, relying on pressure from the front four and increasing zone coverage.

His list of concerns for Sunday’s game against Arizona is large, but he placed three ahead of the rest.

“The one thing we haven’t done is tackle,” Spagnuolo said after Friday’s practice wrapped up. “I’ve put that first on the list, and then it would be getting off blocks, and then probably the third thing for me is communication. Are we confident enough in the system that guys are communicating confidently?”

To avoid injuries, the Saints have featured virtually no live-tackling drills so far, with the exception of a couple of brief periods in Thursday’s practice. The new collective bargaining agreement allows full contact, but the coaching staff elected the safer approach.

“We just choose not to (go live), and that’s probably a good thing,” Spagnuolo said. “We’re trying to keep them healthy. But again, that (tackling) is one of the most important things to do on our side of the ball. The only way to do it the way we’ve structured it is to get it in the preseason.”

This is Spagnuolo’s first stint as a defensive coordinator since 2008, when he helped the New York Giants ruin New England’s quest for a 19-0 season in the Super Bowl. He spent the last three seasons as coach of the St. Louis Rams, landing in New Orleans after getting fired.

“I’m loving it,” Spagnuolo said. “First and foremost I consider myself a teacher. That’s what I enjoy. I enjoy hopefully putting together something that we can be successful, and in this position I’m getting to do more teaching.”  

Follow Saints reporter Guerry Smith on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLNO.