Amid the hullabaloo by some overly nostalgic fans about Mike Macdonald’s rearranging of the VMAC, his players seem to get it. They know Pete Carroll’s missing hoop and the temporarily blank walls are a metaphor for a clean slate, a new beginning.

They also know the expectations are much higher now and being delivered in a more defined, exacting way than Carroll and his staff were doing over the last few years.

It’s all as it should be, and the smart ones – players and fans – understand that. The players who don’t won’t be around very long. And that’s as it should be, too.

The core leaders of this defense – Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu and Julian Love – sound bought in.

Nwosu said it’s “like a breath of fresh air. Last year was kind of frustrating, and sometimes when you get change it can bring out the best in everybody. I see a lot more smiles on people’s faces, people are more happy, they are more energetic, I feel like. I don’t know if that’s just because it’s a new year, a new season, or it could be the coaching change and a new opportunity. But everybody has kind of come along together and everybody is talking more, everybody is hanging out more and it just feels like it’s bringing the locker room closer.

“I feel like it’s time to really get over that hump,” Nwosu added. “We’ve got all the players. I feel like we’ve got the right coaches now. These coaches seem committed; they have really put in the time and the effort so far. That’s what you want to see.’’

That’s the most telling statement, a clear reference to Carroll’s staff being a big problem the past couple of years (at least).

Love said, “It’s exciting. A lot of new faces, new energy. Everybody’s getting a feel for what the vibe in the building is, what the energy is. … Mike’s putting emphasis on that connection between us. He wants us to get close and build something together as teammates.”

He said Macdonald “comes off as someone who’s incredibly smart. He’s intentional about what he says and what he means and the direction he wants to go. … We’re liking the energy he’s bringing to the table.”

Williams agreed, saying, “You can just tell there’s a sense of urgency right now, in a way that’s bringing everyone closer together, that’s making everyone be so locked in in meetings and the weight room and on the field. You can just tell everyone’s locked in on a different level.”

Charles Cross said, “I love (Macdonald). I feel like he brings a tenacity to the building. He’s a very blunt, to-the-point guy. He just wants to get the job done at the end of the day.”

Even offensive players are stoked about what Seattle’s defense will look like, especially after seeing it firsthand in a 37-3 embarrassment in Baltimore last season.

“Mike is very creative and he’s really smart,” Tyler Lockett said. “The type of defense that he brought and the way that the defense played, you could tell that there weren’t a lot of errors in their defense. Everybody knew what they were doing, everybody played together, they were all in together. I think that’s the biggest thing that makes a team great is when people don’t really care who gets the credit. … It’s pretty exciting to see what he’s going to bring here.”

Geno Smith said, “He’s got a vision. He’s got a plan. He already laid it out for us as a team, and it’s our job to help him and his job to help us get there. … But when we played them last year with that defense you could tell how his scheme worked and just how good they were as a defense last year and just how they excelled as a defense.

“So we know the type of scheme that he has but also the type of leadership that he brings, the type of man that he is and overall just being a great coach.’’

Seattle’s top corners know Macdonald is going to make them better.

Devon Witherspoon said, “I had a good (rookie) year, but it could be a lot better. That’s what coach keeps telling me every day. He’s like, ‘You had a good year, but you’ve got so much more potential, and I can’t wait to exploit that.'”

Riq Woolen has a ton to prove after a terrible 2023, and it sounds like he’s up for it.

“It’s still early, but we know the coaching staff has a winning mentality, and they know we have a team that’s capable of winning games,” he said. “We feel like we have the right coaches who have a championship DNA with them, and they’re going to instill that. We already have a championship DNA, but we have to make everything click to be a championship team.”