May 30, 2025 • 48 mins
On this episode of Chargers Weekly, Bolts radio play-by-play announcer Matt “Money” Smith & host Chris Hayre recap the latest news involving LA and the entire NFL. The hosts sit down with Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken to discuss how the rookies can make an impact on special teams. He also talks kicker Cameron Dicker’s development, punter J.K. Scott’s importance to the team, and more. Money & Chris also break down their early observations from 2025 OTAs, why they’re excited about the offense headlined by quarterback Justin Herbert, and much more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Late fifteen ten touched up What's Up, guys, Welcome into
a brand new episode of.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Chargers Weekly at the Bolt, as always, joined by the
voice of the Chargers, Matt Buddy Smith. The start of
OTA's This Week Money, I know you were there on Tuesday.
It was not observations, my friend.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well, I think it was a lot one, you know,
start with just I think everybody saw the highlight Ladd
and Herbert and that beautiful toss down the left sideline
that he tapped to himself. That was fun to see.
I thought, Trey Harris, you know, a couple of his tart.
You know, the new guys are always fun to kind
of just put your eyes on him. For the first time.
I saw him catch a go ball that was kind
(00:47):
of cool. And then you know, the Justin Herbert to
Mike Williams reunion was fun to watch as well. I
don't want to leave anybody out and stuff, but you know,
Q was catching everything that was thrown his way. But
the one thing I think that probably stood out the
most to me was just how big the running backs
are when you see them clustered together. And it's a
(01:09):
different in Hampton and Sanders and it's just and Hassan, Like, dude,
these guys are all over two hundred and twenty pounds.
I mean, Naji's two forty. You know, Sanders is too thirty,
and you just you see it. You're like, man, that's
a big group of dudes. And then you see Makai
Beckeden and Joe Alt standing next to each other, and
it's like that's a big couple of dudes, and it
(01:31):
just kind of lets you sort of imagine what this
thing can look like, you know, this year with some
of the pieces they've added, and how physical, how this
team wants to play physical football, and like that's just
the nucleus of it. When you look at that group
right there, like, okay, yeah, that that should be able
to play in the world of physical football.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, you know, it's it's hard to really see a
ton from OTAs.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
But the theme at the press conferences was.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
The defense, right and you from from Kim and Tarhebe
and coach Klink and Tony Jefferson. And the one thing
that kind of struck me through the forty five minutes
of press conferences was just Tarheb.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
And his growth from year one to year two.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It seems like he's he's really kind of coach Klik said,
He's just a different guy from the end of the
season and now it's what it's end of May. Working
with Khalil Mack being in the weight room every single day,
it seems like Khalil has rubbed off on some of
the young guys.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I mean, that's you know, it's it's why when we
talked about the off season and Joey and Khalil and
money and how can you pay all.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
These money and money?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, it's clear that like Mac means like what Mac
means to his team, and like that was just such
a cool story to illustrate it. Here's a guy that's
not even been here for a year, you know, that's
that's in the weight room and Khalil's like, why aren't
you in here on Friday? And it's like, why don't
you work out with me? And it's like that, you know,
talking about like I don't want to say a kid,
(03:02):
he's in his twenties, but you know what I mean,
like a second year player and now here's this future
Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players of
his era that's got his arm around you, and it's like, hey, man,
let's go. And I think that to what coach kling
Scale was talking about, that rubs off, right, and that
helps you become more of a professional. And like when
he said, tar Heep's kind of turning into a leader
in that room now, and it's like, yeah, that's that's
(03:25):
sort of the Khalil Mack effect. And based on the
way he played last year makes sense, Like yeah, I mean,
you know, I played his tail off, played great, has
some huge moments and some big games, and obviously you know,
feels like he's ready to do that based on how
he played. So it's you know, I think the one
thing I took away most from all those pressers was
(03:46):
just how tough it's going to be for some of
these guys. You know that, and by that I mean
like to make the team like that is a competitive
deep room, you know. And I know we've talked about
this before with like blue chip versus depth, and but
just like the depth of that room, man, there's there's
guys that are that are you know, maybe not gonna
(04:07):
make the initial fifty three, that that are going to
get scooped up like that because of how deep that
room is.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, and you got to make the team on special
teams and coming up, we have a great conversation with
with Ryan Ficken.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
You guys are not gonna want to miss that.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
But it also goes back to just kind of having
vets in the room that you can lean on and
coach Klink talked about how Darwin James is the reason
he gets up in the morning to coach a guy
like that, to have coach herb in the weight room, Khalil.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Having a guy like Tony Jefferson, right.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I mean, you know, Tony is the consummate pro was
out of the game for a year. Talked about just
kind of getting his body back in shape, but also
being a scout slash coach and being a resource for
some of these guys in the secondary.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, Tony said, best man. That was a really fun
presser just to hear his For those that didn't hear it,
you should check it out. Just watch it. And it's
tirety on the Chargers dot Com. He's such a great guy,
such a thoughtful person and someone who's been around the
game as long as he has. And you know, he
talked about what Ben Herbert meant him and we heard
this coming in, right, We heard that when when coach
(05:13):
Harbaugh was hired that he was adamant that that Herb
had to come with him. And you know, and and
you heard from J. J. Watt, you know, and saying
what coach Herbert meant to him at the University Wisconsin
and how important he was. And then you hear Tony
Jefferson say, man, I was out of football. I wasn't
going to make this team. And now he's standing at
the lectern talking about how I'm in a completely different headspace,
(05:34):
like my body's different, I feel different, I'm I'm a
football player, you know. And I think last year he's
coming off a year of scouting and thinking about walking
away from the game, and now he's like, dude, I
got to figure out how to make this team. And
because that's what he was talking about, how deep the
room is and how competitive the room is. And to me,
you think about what he meant and when he was
called upon how well he played in a couple of
(05:55):
those games, you know, not just the preseason game against Dallas,
been in the regular season, and it's like, man, that
just contributes to it, you know, because you obviously have
when you draft, you know, Mickens now you've got Mickens, Molden,
Gilman Derwin. Now you're gonna add you know, Tony to
that mix. Yeah, five in the safety room, man, And
then you look at the corners and you signed Dante
(06:18):
Jackson and Saint just and of course you have Cam
Tarheb and then you've got John Dean Leonard. Like, man,
that's that's a freaking tough nut to crack to try
to make this fifty three.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
But it speaks to Tony's perseverance too, because he admitted
he wasn't in shape in mini camp. He got of
worked himself into shape. That's why he played almost every
snap in that Dallas game, and he had to wait
his turn in the regular season, but sure enough it came.
So it's about kind of being ready for your moment
and playing different positions. You're right, the presser was great
because he also said jesse Minch was a genius. And
(06:51):
I was put on to jesse Minzer before a lot
of you guys were because of their time in Baltimore.
So I do think that it's worth listening to every
minute of that press Come.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
You mentioned Bridges by the way for the corner room, Like,
think about that that's seven. That's seven dudes, you know,
and that's it's a great thing. Like I think about
sort of where where we've been in in this particular
moment going into a season, and just like, man, this
guy goes down what they you know, and now it's
just like the depth on this team you feel so
(07:20):
good about, you know, that room and if if somebody
God forbid, you know, gets hurt, okay, let's you know,
now you got this person to put in there, you know,
defensive line. It's like, yeah, you know, you unfortunately lose Poona,
but you draft cald Well, you bring in Jones, you
bring in Hand, You've got Tito, You've like you bring
back Tier. Like there's just depth. And that's the other
(07:42):
thing that kind of jumped out to me at OTA's
is I was watching the tight End group and I'm
just like, man, look at these dudes, like watching Tyler
Conklin just run seam routes and snatch Herbert threw him
a laser and he just snatched it straight out of
the air. There was you know, I know I'm rambling here,
but Omarion had this this just quick out and you
just had real good suddenness in his break and as
(08:02):
he turned around that ball was on him and just
to see him snatch it and immediately get upfield, it's like, oh,
this looks this looks different. It looks like this looks
this looks a little bit different. This year with Conklin
and Gadsden catching some of those balls and the way
Hampton look catching that ball, it's like, I think about
what that was last year, just that those that particular
(08:22):
group and what it looks like now man, And it's.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Well, you know, a year ago, money we were we
were excited about Hayden Hurst because he did look good
in the all season and just injuries kind of he
had an injury renal season, was not able to be
on the field, and you know, Will Disley was kind
of put into situations that aren't necessarily his strengths.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
But he had a great year. But now you add.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Gadsden and Conklin to the Disleey room, it's just it's
gonna look different. You're one year two. You know again,
if you told us on May thirtieth last year that
we'd be talking about cam Harten Tar, he's still the
way we're talking about them right now as potential starters
on a on a team that were, you know, their
fifth round picks last year. Cam Hart was was great
(09:03):
as well. You know, he kind of had an injury
riddled rookie year, but he showed the necessary flashes and
if he can play seventeen games and he got a really,
really tough sick secondary.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yeah, look, that's a big one and there's a reason
why I slipped to the fifth round. And that was it.
You know, he's a guy that dealt with injuries throughout
his entire time at Notre Dame. And no one's doubting
the talent. You see the size, I mean, my gosh,
he's huge, you know for playing corner. You see how
fearless he is and how aggressive he is. And you
know what coach Minner told us, you know he wants
to do and what he preferred to do. I mean,
(09:33):
cam Hart fits right into that. So him staying healthy
and that was something coach Clean Scales talked about as well,
is you know, let's doing stuff off the field that
you take care of your body to make sure you know,
you can be available for seventeen So of course they're
all then nobody wants to get hurt, you know, and
you hope that there's a way that he can stay healthy,
because if he can, he's a heck of a player, man,
(09:57):
no doubt. So yeah, I'm just trying to think of
some other things I was watching because I had a
very great vantage point. I was up on the second
floor balcony doing my radio show, so I had a
chance to just kind of see everything from above and
I could just follow with my binoculars all the different groups,
which was really fun to be able to do. Justin
looks a lot bigger, for sure. You can kind of
see it the way he's kind of put together, and
(10:21):
that was so it was fun to watch him. I
saw Jamari kind of working some of the drills with
the pads and you know, getting low and coming out
from underneath the tarp there and you can see everything
that we saw on film at Houston, and sort of
the quick feet an organ as well. He's a big dude,
so that was fun to see. And then of course
the offensive line that was kind of an income. You know,
that's the grade you give there is incomplete. Rashan wasn't there,
(10:42):
and it looked like they were doing some stuff with
Zion on the side, so it was kind of hard
to piece together. How that thing's going to look outside
of you know, Mackai and Joe on that right side.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Yeah, that's incomplete.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
I think Poper in his observation's heads like Taylor and
Jamar Sawyer as the starting five.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yeah yeah, sall your left tackle and and Branson Taylor
is the left guard for a while, and it's.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Like, I don't think that's what it's gonna be in Brazil.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Last thing before we get to coach fick In is
that you know, again a year ago, it's very rare
to see a strength coach get at the podium and
talk for twenty five minutes.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Coach Harb is as advertised.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
We talked about him all year, and it's just every
guy you talk to, from a young guy like Tarheb
to a grizzled bit like Tony like they swear by coach.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Harp Yeah, no doubt and and look, it's it's important,
you know, it's it's it's a cliche for a reason.
The best abilities availability, and that's what he's tasked with,
and it's very hard to it's a very hard job
considering how violent the game is and the attrition is
a very real part of it. But based on how
the players you know, talk about him, it's a true advantage.
(11:51):
I mean, it's a real win that this franchise has
maybe over some other organizations because you know, he's still
he's here and he's here again for another year and
it's another year in his program, and you see the
participation out here and a lot of the guys saying,
oh yeah, I was around here working out with Herb
a lot in the off season, and I think that
just speak You think about how many of these guys
go home and they want to be with their trainers,
you know, like Tony was saying, you know, and his presser,
(12:14):
he's like, yeah, my trainer told me to take some
time off and I was like, I can't take I
gotta go. I'm ready to go. I gotta and you know,
and he was talking about working here with with Herbs.
So it's it is it's great to see because I
think that just builds more and more camaraderie and you know,
cohesiveness and guys being together. So you know, for Khalil
instead of working out at home with his personal trainer,
(12:36):
because he certainly has the money and he's been in
it long enough to probably have his own guy. It's like, no,
I'm gonna be here with herb And now I've got
you know, Tar, You've still under my shoulder, and I've
got an opportunity to show this young man the way.
And and I think that just speaks to the culture
that that coach Harbaugh has created with all these other coaches,
that guys want to be around here and look at it.
Who doesn't want to be here? My gosh, you knows
(12:57):
where else you're gonna go. You gonna go plan fitting
them and that and say that I don't Yeah, I
don't know who's who's paying the bills. So this place
is great. I'll leave it there.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Imagine if you're Tarhe and you say, hey, I'll see
you on Monday.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Khalil says, why Yeah, why are you going to Thursday?
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Friday to Friday. Sorry, let's go see tomorrow. Yeah, good idea.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Hey, we've had a blast talking all these coaches. And
we talked to Jesse mitter you and Jalil did a
month ago.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Uh uh.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Jill Hortiz a couple of weeks ago, uh.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Coming up a fantastic conversation with Special Teams coordinator Ryan Ficken.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
All right, guys, has promised.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Ryan Ficken joins us on Chargers Weekly and coach, appreciate
your time.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Always a pleasure. How is the opening week of OTA
has been for you?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Man?
Speaker 4 (13:42):
That's been great.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
I mean it's just getting out on the grass with
these guys, you know, kind of getting a flow and
just being around everyone right now has been a lot
of fun. And uh, I just enjoy being out there
with the coaching staff and the players and just eager
to continue to look forward to OTA number three tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
It feels like, you know, with with young players, you know,
you're you're the guy that's that's got to get these
guys in here, get them rolling. So what's it like
every year you hear all this guy could could make
the team on special teams when you bring in all
these undrafted free agents, all the draft picks, and what's
your process and kind of getting them sort of acclimated
to what you want them to do for special teams.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
You know, I think it's just getting everyone on the
same page first and foremost, you know, give them the
reality check that everyone here at this level they got
to play special teams. They got to find a way
to increase their value in some form of fashion, whether
it be a quarterback and he's got to be a
holder to where it's d tackles, where they got to
be on field goal block and some pun return stuff.
They got to find a way to increase their value
(14:38):
in some form of fashion. But again starting at the
very basics and starting with the foundation. You know, who
we are as a unit, what we want to be,
what our goals are going to be for this upcoming year,
and making sure that we set that foundation with what
the roles are and so they can go ahead and
help our team, you know, be successful this year.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
You know you kind of have that baseline.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
You talk about a guy like like Nickens who played
a lot of special teams at Clemson, and then KeAndre
who didn't play much special teams, it all burned. How
do you go into an off season, especially with rookies,
knowing that some may have more experience on special teams
than others and get that player or players who don't
have as much experience on special teams up to speed.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Yeah, it starts with meetings with all that meaning with
these guys, these guys have been great. I mean they're
coming up to our offices, eager to learn more. So
just in terms of the nuances of the rules with
Special teams, it's it's completely different than it was with
college and so just like say the kickoff kickoff return rules,
So really get getting a baseline and a foundation for
these guys. And I'm assuming that they don't know anything
about it because they don't in terms of this type
(15:39):
of rules that they're going to be in the speed
of Special Teams. But these guys have been phenomenal. They
are eager to learn, you know, Canard has been you know,
a great want and to always meet you know, Mickens,
all the young guys, even you look at the Trey Harrison,
Lamarin Hampton, they're really just how can we help this
team be successful?
Speaker 4 (15:57):
And so that.
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Makes our job a little bit easier at their eagerness
and willingness to be able to do more, which we
were very appreciative of.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
What, uh, I guess there's a lot of different ways
you can answer this, but but what goes into making
a great Special Teams player? Because you've had some good ones.
I think Nick Name and who just left, you know,
seemingly was always in the right spot at the right time,
like what is it that that goes into that that
that makes these players like a Matthew Slater, who year
in and year out is at the top of you know,
sort of the class of of you know, what are
(16:25):
they doing differently than everybody else?
Speaker 5 (16:27):
You know, I think it's the willingness in them embracing
the role, you know, understanding, hey, I'm not just the
linebacker or for you know, Matthew Slayer's spot. He was
a football player. I mean he was you know, I
coached him at UCLA back when he was in college,
and you know, he was a track guy, and he
was he could do anything and everything he was on
offense and defense. But just finding out which role is
(16:48):
in embracing that and that role and how we can
help this team win. And I think that's what makes
a great you know, special teams or a good special
teams player into.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
A great one.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Just that desiring effort and this disciplined, be great you
know after role. And then obviously the physical traits you know,
you like to have, you know, the guys that have
you know, some kind of dynamic trade and elite trade,
and then that's for us to go ahead and continue
to build on those traits put them in those positions
to be successful, but then also continue to develop the
other traits that we need to go ahead and make
(17:18):
them a well rounded player.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Coach, what I think is so cool about your career
in the NFL is that you're in Minnesota for as
long as you were, but you span three different coaching staffs, right,
so you head with Childress, Frasier and Zimmer and then
Staley and Hardball here you've been that constant, right, So
these new administrations, they want you to stay a part
(17:40):
of their culture and what they're doing. How do you
balance kind of being authentically you because obviously there's a
reason why they want you, and kind of adapting to
different coaching stats and different styles of doing things.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
I think it's like you hit it. I mean, you've
got to be yourself, you know, first and foremost. You
can't try and be someone else, you know, And I
also believe, you know, always learning from these coaches. I mean,
these coaches have been successful, you know at their trade,
and uh, it's very important that I learned and take
something from each of them and try to better my
game with that. But just to be able to make
us a well rounded special Teams unit and a better
(18:14):
team with that. But I very appreciative all the coaches, uh,
you know, being able to learn under you know, it's
been a blessing with that. And then you look at
the current regime now just the experience and how much
success they have had, uh and being able to adjust
and and uh, you know, implement what they're trying to
achieve too. And you know, I think it's just being
(18:34):
willing to want to learn and continue to improve.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
This could be an incredibly dumb question, but I'm gonna
ask not anyway, And.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
And Armies, there are no dumb questions.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Is is there one? Is there one that's harder to
teach than the others? Field goal, kick, kick return, punt,
punt return? Is there one that that needs to be
specifically more technical?
Speaker 4 (18:57):
You know, I think there's a bunch of nuances with
a lot of them.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
You know, you could talk about from position specific with
the specialists, uh to the holder. I mean, the other
people just see the you know, the snap, the hole,
the kick and operation in one point three seconds. But
there's a lot of you know, details that those guys
you don't have to work daily. And that's why the professionals,
and they make it look seamless and easy out there.
But I think it's it's more of the situations in
(19:23):
terms of the phase of what makes them difficult in
the game flow, uh, that you have to deal with
because say field goal, you're dealing with, you know, different
type of athletes and that place happening one point three
seconds as opposed the punt pont return is going to
be a little bit you know longer obviously from snap
to pont to end of the play. But I would
(19:44):
say to answer your question, uh, just going off of
what the new rules are kickoff, kickoff return, learning that
because it's essentially you know, when I was on offense,
it's like say, hey guys, this is power right now.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
This is gonna be a new run play.
Speaker 5 (19:57):
Here, and just teaching a complete different scheme, different techniques
where you're learning on as you go and through experience.
So I would say a kickoff kickoff return to answer
your question. But they all have their you know, the
little piece that makes it difficult and challenging, which I
don't say difficult, but challenging, which I really enjoy.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
You know that part of special teams.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
You know, for us, it's been a joy to get
to know Cameron Dicker on and off the field.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
You've been around a lot of kickers, it just.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Seems like when the stakes are the highest, he is
the most calm. What's it like being in a room
with Cameron Dicker and what attributes does he have as
a kicker that you think really separates him?
Speaker 4 (20:38):
I think the biggest thing.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Obviously he's talented, we can see that with his leg
strength and his accuracy, but I think it's the mental part.
He's always willing to work. He has zero ego. This
guy attacks every day that he wants to get better.
But he's a true professional, and I think he is
a professional, you know way before he was actually a
rookie because he came in here so mature, understand understands
(21:00):
his craft, knows you know, he's going to continue to improve.
But I just love his mind makeup and the way
he goes ahead and approaches the game. How Again, like
I said that, he doesn't have any ego and what
he's out there, he's just trying to go ahead and
you know, help this team win by kicking those balls
to the field will post and then obviously on kickoffs
to help so with field position. But he's I learned
(21:23):
it every day from this guy. I mean, the way
he approaches the game. You know, it's been a true
blessing with that.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Do you do you have like an idea I would have? Again,
I feel like I'm asking the dumbest questions. Man, does
each stadium do you have a range? Like, Hey, we're
hit Arrowhead, this is where I think his range is.
Now we're at Ford Field, and now I think this
is what? Like what is it like? And how much
goes into all of that kind of determining where you
(21:48):
think the border is of where you're comfortable saying, yeah, coach,
let's let's go ahead try that field goal here. No.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
No, that's a great question, and a lot of it
comes with situational football where you are in the game,
you know, because I know Dicker can go ahead and
make him from you know, where we go ahead him
out there and he's going to attack it like hey,
this might be other side of the ranch. He's he's
gonna attack and he's going to go ahead and you know,
put it through there. But yeah, it's all about the situation.
If you're outdoors, obviously, the wind, the type of wind
where it is in the game. If you know, if
(22:15):
you attempt a long field goal for so whatever reason,
it doesn't go through and you're given.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Up field position.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
So I think the spread situation is going to depend
on how far you challenge them. And that was game
winning situations off. So you can go ahead and you
got the journaline going, and you can go ahead, and
the stress it a little bit more stretch. It's more
indoors obviously the flight. But uh, he hit such a
true ball and he does a great job with his approach,
and you just have so much confidence in him, you know,
(22:41):
with myself, but the organization and you know, so I
think he makes our g our jobs a lot easier.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
You know, a special teams play can can flip everything.
And I just I go back to last year Thursday
night football, I guess the Denver Broncos right before the half,
when seemingly everything was going the opposite way, that one
moment which we haven't ever really seen happens. Take me
through that moment for you and just what that was
(23:07):
like for your unit in the team in general, and
how that kind of was a springboard to win that game.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
No, I mean, first and foremost I was more excited
just because of it did help our team win a
game and it changed that momentum. And that's what we
talked about. One of our core philosophies is you know,
either be a momentum answer guy or a team or
you know, making sure we do a great job creating
momentum for our team and then that phase right there,
I think we did a great job creating a momentum
for our team going into halftime and coming out in
(23:33):
the second half and a completely different ballgame. But you
know that is our role where a one play series,
which we got to go ahead and do that. But
in that situation, it's always those situations we got to
make sure we always prepare for. We will talk about
o tas we'll hit it. We'll do it in training camp,
and then once a season hits we cover once a week,
and then we make sure we walk through those situations
once a week because you could do it where it's
(23:55):
every quarterly or once a year, like, oh, we already
covered it. But the way our roster changes now, as
with practice squad and how you can elevate guys, you
almost have to cover it every every week with a
walk through because guys might play different positions, and and
just the nuances, the little intricacies of that rule with
it's a different kind of alignment with the kickoff, you know,
different with the kickoff return. The clock start starts at
(24:18):
a different time, it doesn't start, you know, rymony catches it.
So it has to be a perfect, you know, situation
in which you know occurs. So in that situation, the
answer question was, you know it is a pun return
in which you know there's amount of time on the
clock in which if you go ahead and fair catch
right there, and you go ahead and go with the
free kick, you got to make sure that clock expires
(24:40):
on the free kick, so they don't have an opportunity
right there. So I just take my hats off to
all of our players because they are dialed in. They
were ready to go. It doesn't matter how much you
go ahead and talk about it, but they accept the challenge.
They knew about it. So all my hats off to
those guys and going out and executing, you know, with
starting with the part return part where d D fair
catching it and I know you got the pilody. However,
(25:01):
if he doesn't fair catch a certain that ball, or
if he tries to return it, that situation does not occur,
so him having an awareness, you know, that was gonna
be a fair catch situation. So then our guys going
out there and getting a ligne correctly for the kickoff,
and just the nuances where you're bringing JK. Scott out
there as the holder, which now you don't have a
holder on kickoff anymore because of you know, everyone's at
(25:24):
the forty yard line.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
The holder will be the actual punter as a twelfth guy.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
But in that situation, he's coming out there and now
you got to bump the number two and number three
outside of the number.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
So a lot of different rules.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
But if those guys didn't go ahead and take you know,
full responsibility, accountability throughout the weeks and the meetings when
we cover those and would have been able to be
successful because the guy would have been misaligned, and then
we would have been like, oh what if you know?
So I'm just happy for those guys to help our
team win. But what I love though the most thing
out of anything. I mean, we got the W but
(25:54):
you know, coach was fired up. He made sweatshirts for
the whole all the guys that are on the on
the field and the cartoon figure. So that was that
was pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
That was really cool.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
You mentioned JK a long time ago. I'm not gonna
say names or years or anything, but there were some
complaints about the holder that that was maybe an issue
what what goes in and how hard is it to
be a good holder and what kind of work does
JK put in to do that, because it certainly seems
like that whole operation is just dialed.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
No, they do.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
I mean, we got three great guys, you know, veteran
guys that but they attack every day, you know where
it's They want to get better and they want each
other to have success too. So that's what I love
about these three is, you know Josh. Obviously, it starts
with Josh as being our leader for not just our specialists,
but he's the leader for our core special teams unit.
And uh so it starts with him. And but they
(26:44):
all want success for you know, for Dicker. They all
want success for JK when he's punning it, and they
all three of them are those two the punter Kickers
definitely want success for Josh as well. So that's what
I love about them. But going with the holding, I mean,
there's a lot of interacies to it in which h
JK does a great job.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
He works at it.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
Him and Dick are always working, you know, together and
making sure they go ahead and find tune and everything
and depend on the win until they're always over communicating
with one another, you know how they like it. And
I think JK is a really good holder and he's
been great and and that's that's part of his value.
Not he's not just a punter. But you switch out punters,
then you also got to switch out holders and you
(27:23):
change the whole dynamic of everything. And uh, and there's
some growing pains with some of that stuff. But that's
why he has such great tremendous value for this organization,
not because he can hit a five to six punt,
but also because he's a really good holder as well.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Money alluded to this at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
You know, during the off season in training camp, Man,
you're one of the most important coaches in this building
because all these guys are trying to make the team.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
On special teams.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
When you have so many players probably knocking on your
door trying to figure out how they can make the team,
how does your job and your role in the offseason
change versus the regular season. It seems like you're gonna
have so many guys that you have to talk to
in the offseason about potentially making the team versus then
you finally get the squad on the field.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
Yeah, I think it's first and foremost is making sure
we lay that foundation, uh and understand what their expectations are,
how they're going to help our team win football games.
And that's the biggest goal, you know, and everything and
and just making sure that we put them in situations
to be successful, you know. So we want to make
sure that, you know, we call at that time to
meet with these guys they come up. You know, we'll
(28:29):
have a meeting here, coming up here with a bunch
of guys that just want to get some extra work
and just watch tape and just and a lot of
times when it's outside of the ours, you have accountability
within the organization.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Those leaders, leaders like Josh Harris, you.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
Know, Lohi Gilman, it was Nick nam And and Troy Die
you know, where they'll run those meetings together, you know, together,
so they're all on the same page. So it's about
creating that foundation first and foremost, and right now we
are laying that foundation which we've got to make sure
we do a great job with and that starts with
you know, obviously us as the coaches, but the player.
But and then we got to build off that once
we get into training camp. If we can't be great
(29:05):
at something, there's no way we're going to go ahead
in advance like two point zero and three point oher
in terms of what we're trying to do. So we
got to make sure we're great at something so we
can hang our hat on it and then continue.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
To build as we go in and put this thing together.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
How does it work with you and the rest of
the coaching staff when it comes to a player that
might be elevated to you know, a starter and it's
going to be getting more. I think about tu Lee
and you know where he may end up and watching
in OTAs the other day saw him out there with you.
But but what is that conversation like and what special
team snaps might take out of somebody that may be
elevated to play in more snaps on either offense or defense,
(29:38):
and how that affects you and your squad.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Yeah, I mean that's a great question because what it
affects in different kinds of ways too. And now obviously
with say injuries, but you know, first and foremost is
we want to make sure we go ahead and develop
these guys where we want them to become starters, you know,
on offense, defense. And like I give a case in
point where we had Adam Thielen. He was a tryout
guy back in Minnesota. He wasn't drafted. He was now
(30:01):
a free agent signing. He came to a rookie mini
camp and tried out, and he stuck around on special teams.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
He created his value on special teams.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
First and foremost he developed, uh you know, he got
better as a wide receiver, allowed him and gave him
some time to continue to work his craft as a
wide receiver. And then once he got those opportunities as
a wide receiver, because special teams kind of gave him
that time to go ahead and get to that spot,
he took off. And we know what he is as
a wide receiver. I mean he was running the punt team,
blocking field goals and punts, you know, as on special teams.
(30:30):
And then now he's just an elite receiver and he
knows he'll and he'll tell you like I would always
have him. Talk to our special teams here and especially
the young guys. Hey, you know, here's a guy that
you know was in those seats and learned, and so
you know that that's the big thing in terms of
you know, developing, I think with those guys as we
you know, walked through and put these guys together. But
to answer your question in terms of like the two
(30:50):
of you, the starters, we got to be able to
adapt because once they get to the starter and that
it's like, all right, Mitt's take something off your plate,
maybe almost everything.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
The role's changed.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
And now these younger guys they've seen him do it,
they've seen how great of a job he's done it.
Now those it's time for those guys to take over.
And that's part of the foundation of having it. And
I know, again a long wind on this one, but
with ssayk injuries, they say, a running.
Speaker 4 (31:10):
Back goes down.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
Unfortunately, knock on wood, someone goes down and it's not
like the runn back room. But all right, the next
running backs up. You know, we'll go next guy, he's up,
he's going.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
All right.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
So with us, that's going to change about four different
depth charts because and that might be now a linebacker
fulfills his role on punt and maybe a safety fulfills
his role on kickoff. So different position groups that are
all interchangeable. But the end of the day, it's all
of them and guys collectively, what do we got to
do to go ahead and get the job done? And
all my hat, my hat's all off for these players
(31:41):
because they embrace that and they do a great job.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Mentioned the coaches that you worked for, but you also said,
you know, you learn from guys like Cameron Dicker and
you just mentioned Adam Thielen.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
You worked with Adrian Peterson early in your career.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Who are some of the players that have really had
an indelible impact on your career that you've taken stuff
from you can really apply to, you know, some of.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
The guys here.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
Yeah, I mean, I'll say one that comes off in
my mind right now was Marcus Shows as a punk returner.
I have' you know, worked with him extensively with him
being a punk return he's the you know, leading punk
returner and biking history right now, and he was a
tryout as well, was never drafted, but just talking about mechanics,
what he sees to say at Cordero Patterson, the way
(32:24):
he returns, you know, to Randy Moss when I was
working with wide receivers, and the way he approached the game,
the way he studied the game, how he could talk
about offense and defense of the opponent.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
Uh, and just his knowledge of the game was was unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (32:40):
But the Adrian Peterson's explosive this, but there will be
guys where I'll put while learning, like a Terrence Newman
on punk return. He was playing corner for us, and
there was this little step that made sense to me,
and we called it the Terrence Newman step. It's just
a quick little six inch step inside right there, just
to go ahead and you know, just make sure we're
still down the tempo and and right then and there,
(33:02):
I was like, all right, that's I'm not it's not
my mine more. It's the Terrence Newman step now. And
so that kind of carries way though then with these
other guys, when the young guys like, well now, I
got to kind of say, hey, maybe maybe they don't
know some of these guys now, but anyways they're like, hey, yeah,
Terrence Summan, he's all, you know, Hall of Famer.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
He became late in his career.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
Yeah, and just something if we can learn from these
guys because they've been in those positions, they've learned, and
I would be naive and ignorant if I didn't learn
from them. I don't think I'll be doing the players,
you know, the satisfaction tick, go ahead and approve them,
because I think that's my my job as well, is
you know, make sure we put him in those positions
to be successful. But you know we can go ahead
and help. Hey, if that works for you, let's see
(33:40):
how it might be able to work for other people too.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
So we saw him a lot more returns last year,
but I think we you know, in my opinion, I
felt like we saw a lot more touchbacks and I
thought we were going to with it being at the thirty,
just with the new kickoff, with the dynamic kickoff, how
you assess giving a team the ball at the thirty
versus trying to drop that thing right in there to
be returned and you know the potential plus landing it
(34:02):
in the landing zone. And there's a lot that goes
into it of how you determine you want to attack
that has that changed it all from last year to
this year with them now tweaking the rules even further.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
You know, absolutely, And I think you could see the
change in the way people attacked it in the philosophy
change midway through the year last year, just the way
they would approach the game and situations of it. The
drives start being almost average on the thirty and when
you include the touchbacks and at that as well. But
you know, I know it was slightly lower than the
thirty when you actually challenge them on the kickoffs, but
(34:31):
they also had the risk in terms of the big returns.
And that's for anything and everything. But I think this
rule is great for the game. I think it's great
for the players as well the fans. It's more exciting
now you'd be able to see these guys play. And
then these players get to have the opportunity to go
ahead and cover kicks or make plays on kickoff return
and you see that their value be like a nickname
(34:52):
in his you know, he had great value, adding nice contracts,
you know, coming out of here, and I was very
happy for him.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
So you know, you like to you you.
Speaker 5 (34:59):
Root for those guys those situations as opposed well, if
it's just touchbacks.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
And it's kind of a dead play.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
So I think it's an exciting for the NFL, you know,
as we go ahead and approach it, and yeah, I
think there will be there's definitely gonna have to be
posh philosophy. Uh, philosophy changes in terms of you know,
going into this year because of the drive start now
being the thirty five on a touchback, and so yeah,
you're going to have put more balls in play and
more challenging kicks that you may have. So you know,
Dick or being able to do the things that he
(35:25):
can do, you know, bry spreading the ball around and
different types of kicks increases his value, increases the coverage
guys value.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
It's going to increase the third running backs.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
Value in terms of you know, playtime that more tackles
they get the returners. So I think it's great for
the game, and you know it'll be exciting.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
You know, you mentioned guys coming and going, you know,
Nick Nemeas, I hear. But you bring a guy like
Phillips Troy Dies back. How excited are you to to
get some of the existing guys back and then add
some some vets to the mix.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
No, I think it's great, you know, and I appreciate.
And it's not just me.
Speaker 5 (35:57):
I think our organization appreciates the way you know, Joe
Hortiz and his staff assembles this roster.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Along with you know, Coach Harborov. I mean, they do
a great job.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
Because they have a vision and uh and they're you know,
always you know, eager to listen. But they got a
great vision in terms of how they're building this roster
and you know, so that's exciting and to find guys
to come in and compete. And that's what Coach's vision
is is it's all about competition. You know, competitors are welcoming.
So I think that's great just trying to bring in
(36:27):
the top guys as a matter you're seven year vet,
if you're a three year vet or a rookie, they're
going to bring in guys to go ahead and compete,
compete for the jobs. And you know, we're definitely blessed
to go ahead and get adult Sean Phillips in here.
Just what he brings to the table with his athleticism,
his length, and then his experience, like you mentioned before,
you know, things we can take from him that he's
been at different places. By all right, what worked for
(36:49):
you all right, that might work for uh, you know,
another guy on a roster, young guy. Let's go ahead
and see if we can implement some of this stuff.
And Troy's leadership, you know, while I was with him
in Minnesota, and I've always been fan of him, just
the way he plays the game, the way he approaches it, practices,
he practices.
Speaker 4 (37:05):
You know, full throat all every play.
Speaker 5 (37:06):
And so I knew when he was first available coming
out of Minnesota, I was like, we got to go
after this guy, just the way his makeup is. And
I was like, he's right, you know, exactly what coach
is looking for. And and then we you know, signing
another guy. Uh, you know, maga talking about that linebacker
room that Delshaun Phillips Maga, you know, I mean, we're
excited about that piece that he brings, the physicality, the
(37:28):
athleticism that brings. But to answer your question in terms
of Nick Neeman, I mean, it's never easy to replace
one specific guy, you know, uh, and that's why everyone
else got to pick up, you know, pick up the
torch and go ahead and make sure we collectively we
pick up you know, the misspiece. And I think this
this roster we have and what coach has built with Joe.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
It's exciting. I can't wait to go ahead and get
to some of the games with the.
Speaker 3 (37:50):
New on side kick and just kind of well, it's
new in multiple ways, right since when you were doing
it where you can overload the one side and we've
seen the lack of success with it, But we'd love
to know your take on what we grew up watching
that on side kick, which is you know, pound it,
get that second bounce to Now I think we see
kind of young Way doing in Atlanta a lot where
(38:11):
you're kind of putting that thing on the ground and
trying to spin it. Have you noticed, like, is it's
weird to think of developments and on side kicks? You know,
is the game has progressed, But is there a way
that you think is more effective or is it just
a really hard play to execute because of how the
NFL has this thing laid out? Now?
Speaker 5 (38:28):
You know, I think I think what is really important
the way the NFL has it, you know, mapped out,
is obviously player safety, which I think is very very important.
And so I get back I support that one thousand percent.
And in regards to that play, yeah, the success rate
isn't high, you know. But also this, you know that
(38:48):
the team you're trying to reward with the onside kicks
has been is losing too, So you know, so I
think the play will get better. We did a slight
rule change, you know, with that in which you're want
to move them up with yard and so again another
rule change with it. But they're going to be towing
that thirty that five that thirty five yard line to
be able to get a little bit closer to the ball.
(39:08):
But yeah, I mean in these kickers, they can do
a lot of great things in terms of the spinning
that you talked about, and you know Denver did that
to us a couple of times, you know, last year,
and it's a timing. But how can you go ahead
and attack you know, a weakness that you might see
on tape or buy our opponent, you know, are they
overloaded on a certain side, a type of ball of
(39:28):
personnel where they are All that factors in in terms
of how you can go ahead and get some of
those recoveries. And you know, we had a couple of
close ones, like you know against Kansas City, you know,
I think it was twenty two, and you know, ball
was free. It's just didn't have you know, didn't have
enough guys right there to go ahead and get it.
But it's just those opportunities where you get it free
to have guys, you know, buy that ball to make
the play. And you know that's all we're trying to do.
(39:49):
And and you know, I think they're you know, hopefully
not on our watch. Is not more recoveries maybe when
we're on the on side, but hopefully we have more
hands teams than anything that I was trying to kick
those on sides to go ahead and give another play.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
But you know, it's just.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Also the hands team doing a great job defending against
it too.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
So you're coaching every NFL stadium, but week one in Brazil,
it's it's a different animal. What do you know about
that stadium? The grass And I'm sure that you're already
h looking looking ahead.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
Well I will say that, and maybe this is still
you know, there's a lot of full disclosure here and
I might be saying this out too much, but uh,
it's been I want to say, twenty years since I've
been to Brazil. I've been this actually some Paulo Brazil
coming out of college. Uh, some friends we took a
trip down there, so yeah, but yeah, so I have
to go ahead and brush up on my Portuguese.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
Not very good with that.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
But anyways, as the game, I mean, it's I think
it's great for the NFL and what they're trying to
do and just broaden this and you know, make a
worldwide sport because it is it's I think it's I
think it's the best game, uh in the world, in
all sports, and that maybe I'm biased, but I think
it's an unbelievable game and so much parody amongst the
talent level. But to be in such an amazing country
and my you know, my wife she's Colombian, you know,
(40:58):
South America down there, and so just being in that
that country will be amazing, especially bringing to the fans
down there.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
I'm excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 5 (41:07):
I'm very you know, very blessed to be able to
be fortunate to be able to go down there for
week one.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Now.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
I've been to London twice, uh so going there, it's
gonna be a lot of fun. You know, the travel
will be you know different, so I know, the sleep
and all that. Making sure and they got this dialed
in in terms of when to sleep when not to sleep.
Uh So, so we can go ahead and get on
that that time zone quickly. And now you know, just
excited to get there, but it'll be there soon enough,
but it'll be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Well, since you've already been there, I'm gonna put you
in charge of you know, hey, guys, why don't we
go down a couple of days early. You know, let's
maybe get down there four or five days early, just
to make sure we get settled.
Speaker 4 (41:39):
And we get this.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
We're gonna stay in that hotel because it will be
fun just to just to be down there and just
see the city. Absolutely, because we're going down there to
to do one thing, and that's to win that football game.
And you know it will be a great start to
the season, and you know, just to go ahead and
get that trajectory going, you know somewhere excited about last one.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
For me, I got asked that it's one watching the
highlights from what he was doing at Iowa State, but
then two seeing coach Harbaugh just the way he says,
Steve O. Klotz, just the name, and I think back
to Derrek Watt when he was here with a great
you know fullback, it's a great special teams player. Kind
of your initial impressions of Steve O. Klotz and what
he might be able to do for you.
Speaker 5 (42:20):
You know, I think the best for him is still
in front of us about what he's going to bring,
and that's the physicality, because he he is a hammerhead
in terms of he is a physical hit and we
can't obviously have paths on right now. So you know,
watching him at I always stay. There was a coach
that kind of put me on him early in the
kind of evaluation process for the draft, and he was
(42:41):
a four core guy and they you know, I know
they're talking about port and all of them, which are
you know, elite special teams players as well and as
in respect to the position. But I think the one
thing that he brought is like they're like, this guy
was the captain, and you know, he kind of drove it.
Just he set the tone, the tone setter for everything
they do. And I was like, you know, I'd like
to go ahead and get more of those guys, and
you know, excited about that. And it felt that what
(43:03):
he brings, he's gonna go ahead and just you know,
mess right in with our guys, and so he's doing
everything right out there, you know, the technique, the fundamentals,
the mental part, learning from these guys, uh, coming in
and wanting to meet extra But I'm looking forward to
seeing him in training camp, preseason games where you get
to see that physicality part uh take over. And that's
(43:23):
where I think he's gonna go ahead and really flourish.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Coach last one for me and for US eleven wins
last year, year two with Coach Harball, what was your one?
Speaker 1 (43:35):
Like, you know, just meshing with a new coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
And then how different is this time this year versus
this time last year?
Speaker 5 (43:45):
You know, I think, you know, Coach Harbor, it is
a true blessing to be around him and just watch
the way he works because he's a mastermind and what
he does and everything is so well thought of. Uh,
you know, it's not he's not just thinking, all right,
let's go ahead and this what this sounds good for today?
I mean he's thought through this, you know several times.
I Mean he's you know, with the schedule changes and
(44:05):
he wants what's best for the players in the organization,
But what is it going to give us that edge?
And that's how he sees everything and everything we do.
And when you have a coach like that and who's
had success, uh, it's it's difficult not to go ahead
and gravitate and just fall right in line and you know,
just try and do your best so you can see
him have success as well and see this organization have success.
(44:28):
So I think it's you know, I'm learning a lot
every day. You know, the way he goes I approaches
the you know, the team, the way he approaches each
player individually. You know, I think I'm I'm the I'm
the lucky one in terms of being able to learn
all that and being able to take a bunch of
nuggets from him, and the way he uh tries to
you know, set up the foundation for the team on
what he wants and then just see that they take off.
(44:49):
For the difference in terms of what it was last
year and this year, I think, uh, I want to say,
more comfortable. It's more we know what to expect, you know,
not coming from Michigan with him being here.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Uh. You know, so you know, for your you're one
is like all right, this is how he likes some.
Speaker 5 (45:05):
Practice and everything, and and now having an understanding of
that I feel we can continue to you know, give
more and continue to do more and just continue to
build off, you know, the success that we had from
last year, but then knowing that there's a lot more
work that we need to do as Special Teams wise
to be able to get to where we want to go,
and that's obviously to win a world championship.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
Loved it, really enjoyed it. Oh you know what we
should do? Shout out Chris, what a heck of a
coach you got as well on the on the staff.
I meant to do that earlier.
Speaker 5 (45:34):
But Coach Gold, I would say that I've been finding ways,
but this he is, he is phenomenal. He is the
best coach around and been a part of very fortunate
to be. You know, I don't see him as an assistant.
It's him and I are linked on the arm and
this thing, and uh we would not have a success
you know for this uh Special Teams unit if it
wasn't for him. He's just a phenomenal football coach and
(45:55):
uh what he does and his families you know, just
class a you know Sam and and his little guy A.
So but very fortunate. You know, he's sticking around and
he just makes us all better.
Speaker 1 (46:06):
It's great, big, great partnership be here before you know.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
Brother, Oh, absolutely appreciate your time. I appreciate it. Thank
you very much.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
Thanks good Well Monday.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Another gym Ryan Ficken, one of the coaches that I
just have so much appreciation for his longevity in the
league and just what he's done with this special Team's
gonna going into your four.
Speaker 3 (46:23):
That's an important part of the team, you know. I mean,
how many big kicks have we seen Cam Dicker make?
How many big punts to pin a team deep? Have
we seen JK. Scott make? You know? And not to
mention him as an evaluator and helping construct this team.
And who's going to be that fifty second, fifty third
guy that can cured a tribute on special teams and
then becomes a more integral part like he was talking
(46:45):
about Adam Thielen of the team Austin Eckler. You know
here we think about it's the one story we always
tell about special teams, and you know that then he
goes on to being you're you're starting running back and
a guy that's you know, leading the league in touchdowns
over the course of two seasons and a lot of
that goes into the special teams coordinator being to evaluate
and recognize talent and how they can contribute with limited
(47:06):
amounts of snaps not available to them for their particular position.
But they can stick on the team because of what
you know, these guys seeing them and it's it's it's
a wildly underappreciated and underrated part of a football team.
And you know, the special teams coordinator has got to
know everybody and be able to tap into all of that.
And you know, three phases are three phases. It's not two,
(47:29):
it's three, and special teams is part of it. And
since coach Ficken has arrived, the charge has been one
of the best in the league at it year in and
year out.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
Yeah, immediately, all right, guys, there's no offseason here at
the Bolt. We got OTAs next week, we got mini
camp coming up, a very brief break before an early
training camp as we get to the Hall of Fame game.
So it's gonna be a lot of fun here in
El Segundo over the next month or so.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Take a little break and then we'll be back and
then more interviews coming up to with.
Speaker 3 (47:58):
U Roman having to coach Roman was pulling out a
second ago.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Was that was that him?
Speaker 3 (48:02):
No, it was him right before that. Okay, so I
don't know who that was. They just waved, So I
wrote that more coachy it was. I saw him walk
through his car was earlier too, Yeah, I was like,
I think that was I think it was. Yeah. So
we're gonna get everybody though. We'll make sure we get
everybody on and we always appreciate talking. Let me know
that people enjoy the content.
Speaker 4 (48:18):
No question.
Speaker 1 (48:19):
All right for money, I am Chris. This has been
charges weekly. We'll see you next week.
Late fifteen ten touched up What's Up, guys, Welcome into
a brand new episode of.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Chargers Weekly at the Bolt, as always, joined by the
voice of the Chargers, Matt Buddy Smith. The start of
OTA's This Week Money, I know you were there on Tuesday.
It was not observations, my friend.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Well, I think it was a lot one, you know,
start with just I think everybody saw the highlight Ladd
and Herbert and that beautiful toss down the left sideline
that he tapped to himself. That was fun to see.
I thought, Trey Harris, you know, a couple of his tart.
You know, the new guys are always fun to kind
of just put your eyes on him. For the first time.
I saw him catch a go ball that was kind
(00:47):
of cool. And then you know, the Justin Herbert to
Mike Williams reunion was fun to watch as well. I
don't want to leave anybody out and stuff, but you know,
Q was catching everything that was thrown his way. But
the one thing I think that probably stood out the
most to me was just how big the running backs
are when you see them clustered together. And it's a
(01:09):
different in Hampton and Sanders and it's just and Hassan, Like, dude,
these guys are all over two hundred and twenty pounds.
I mean, Naji's two forty. You know, Sanders is too thirty,
and you just you see it. You're like, man, that's
a big group of dudes. And then you see Makai
Beckeden and Joe Alt standing next to each other, and
it's like that's a big couple of dudes, and it
(01:31):
just kind of lets you sort of imagine what this
thing can look like, you know, this year with some
of the pieces they've added, and how physical, how this
team wants to play physical football, and like that's just
the nucleus of it. When you look at that group
right there, like, okay, yeah, that that should be able
to play in the world of physical football.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, you know, it's it's hard to really see a
ton from OTAs.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
But the theme at the press conferences was.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
The defense, right and you from from Kim and Tarhebe
and coach Klink and Tony Jefferson. And the one thing
that kind of struck me through the forty five minutes
of press conferences was just Tarheb.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
And his growth from year one to year two.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
It seems like he's he's really kind of coach Klik said,
He's just a different guy from the end of the
season and now it's what it's end of May. Working
with Khalil Mack being in the weight room every single day,
it seems like Khalil has rubbed off on some of
the young guys.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I mean, that's you know, it's it's why when we
talked about the off season and Joey and Khalil and
money and how can you pay all.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
These money and money?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, it's clear that like Mac means like what Mac
means to his team, and like that was just such
a cool story to illustrate it. Here's a guy that's
not even been here for a year, you know, that's
that's in the weight room and Khalil's like, why aren't
you in here on Friday? And it's like, why don't
you work out with me? And it's like that, you know,
talking about like I don't want to say a kid,
(03:02):
he's in his twenties, but you know what I mean,
like a second year player and now here's this future
Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players of
his era that's got his arm around you, and it's like, hey, man,
let's go. And I think that to what coach kling
Scale was talking about, that rubs off, right, and that
helps you become more of a professional. And like when
he said, tar Heep's kind of turning into a leader
in that room now, and it's like, yeah, that's that's
(03:25):
sort of the Khalil Mack effect. And based on the
way he played last year makes sense, Like yeah, I mean,
you know, I played his tail off, played great, has
some huge moments and some big games, and obviously you know,
feels like he's ready to do that based on how
he played. So it's you know, I think the one
thing I took away most from all those pressers was
(03:46):
just how tough it's going to be for some of
these guys. You know that, and by that I mean
like to make the team like that is a competitive
deep room, you know. And I know we've talked about
this before with like blue chip versus depth, and but
just like the depth of that room, man, there's there's
guys that are that are you know, maybe not gonna
(04:07):
make the initial fifty three, that that are going to
get scooped up like that because of how deep that
room is.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, and you got to make the team on special
teams and coming up, we have a great conversation with
with Ryan Ficken.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
You guys are not gonna want to miss that.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
But it also goes back to just kind of having
vets in the room that you can lean on and
coach Klink talked about how Darwin James is the reason
he gets up in the morning to coach a guy
like that, to have coach herb in the weight room, Khalil.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Having a guy like Tony Jefferson, right.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
I mean, you know, Tony is the consummate pro was
out of the game for a year. Talked about just
kind of getting his body back in shape, but also
being a scout slash coach and being a resource for
some of these guys in the secondary.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, Tony said, best man. That was a really fun
presser just to hear his For those that didn't hear it,
you should check it out. Just watch it. And it's
tirety on the Chargers dot Com. He's such a great guy,
such a thoughtful person and someone who's been around the
game as long as he has. And you know, he
talked about what Ben Herbert meant him and we heard
this coming in, right, We heard that when when coach
(05:13):
Harbaugh was hired that he was adamant that that Herb
had to come with him. And you know, and and
you heard from J. J. Watt, you know, and saying
what coach Herbert meant to him at the University Wisconsin
and how important he was. And then you hear Tony
Jefferson say, man, I was out of football. I wasn't
going to make this team. And now he's standing at
the lectern talking about how I'm in a completely different headspace,
(05:34):
like my body's different, I feel different, I'm I'm a
football player, you know. And I think last year he's
coming off a year of scouting and thinking about walking
away from the game, and now he's like, dude, I
got to figure out how to make this team. And
because that's what he was talking about, how deep the
room is and how competitive the room is. And to me,
you think about what he meant and when he was
called upon how well he played in a couple of
(05:55):
those games, you know, not just the preseason game against Dallas,
been in the regular season, and it's like, man, that
just contributes to it, you know, because you obviously have
when you draft, you know, Mickens now you've got Mickens, Molden,
Gilman Derwin. Now you're gonna add you know, Tony to
that mix. Yeah, five in the safety room, man, And
then you look at the corners and you signed Dante
(06:18):
Jackson and Saint just and of course you have Cam
Tarheb and then you've got John Dean Leonard. Like, man,
that's that's a freaking tough nut to crack to try
to make this fifty three.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
But it speaks to Tony's perseverance too, because he admitted
he wasn't in shape in mini camp. He got of
worked himself into shape. That's why he played almost every
snap in that Dallas game, and he had to wait
his turn in the regular season, but sure enough it came.
So it's about kind of being ready for your moment
and playing different positions. You're right, the presser was great
because he also said jesse Minch was a genius. And
(06:51):
I was put on to jesse Minzer before a lot
of you guys were because of their time in Baltimore.
So I do think that it's worth listening to every
minute of that press Come.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
You mentioned Bridges by the way for the corner room, Like,
think about that that's seven. That's seven dudes, you know,
and that's it's a great thing. Like I think about
sort of where where we've been in in this particular
moment going into a season, and just like, man, this
guy goes down what they you know, and now it's
just like the depth on this team you feel so
(07:20):
good about, you know, that room and if if somebody
God forbid, you know, gets hurt, okay, let's you know,
now you got this person to put in there, you know,
defensive line. It's like, yeah, you know, you unfortunately lose Poona,
but you draft cald Well, you bring in Jones, you
bring in Hand, You've got Tito, You've like you bring
back Tier. Like there's just depth. And that's the other
(07:42):
thing that kind of jumped out to me at OTA's
is I was watching the tight End group and I'm
just like, man, look at these dudes, like watching Tyler
Conklin just run seam routes and snatch Herbert threw him
a laser and he just snatched it straight out of
the air. There was you know, I know I'm rambling here,
but Omarion had this this just quick out and you
just had real good suddenness in his break and as
(08:02):
he turned around that ball was on him and just
to see him snatch it and immediately get upfield, it's like, oh,
this looks this looks different. It looks like this looks
this looks a little bit different. This year with Conklin
and Gadsden catching some of those balls and the way
Hampton look catching that ball, it's like, I think about
what that was last year, just that those that particular
(08:22):
group and what it looks like now man, And it's.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Well, you know, a year ago, money we were we
were excited about Hayden Hurst because he did look good
in the all season and just injuries kind of he
had an injury renal season, was not able to be
on the field, and you know, Will Disley was kind
of put into situations that aren't necessarily his strengths.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
But he had a great year. But now you add.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Gadsden and Conklin to the Disleey room, it's just it's
gonna look different. You're one year two. You know again,
if you told us on May thirtieth last year that
we'd be talking about cam Harten Tar, he's still the
way we're talking about them right now as potential starters
on a on a team that were, you know, their
fifth round picks last year. Cam Hart was was great
(09:03):
as well. You know, he kind of had an injury
riddled rookie year, but he showed the necessary flashes and
if he can play seventeen games and he got a really,
really tough sick secondary.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yeah, look, that's a big one and there's a reason
why I slipped to the fifth round. And that was it.
You know, he's a guy that dealt with injuries throughout
his entire time at Notre Dame. And no one's doubting
the talent. You see the size, I mean, my gosh,
he's huge, you know for playing corner. You see how
fearless he is and how aggressive he is. And you
know what coach Minner told us, you know he wants
to do and what he preferred to do. I mean,
(09:33):
cam Hart fits right into that. So him staying healthy
and that was something coach Clean Scales talked about as well,
is you know, let's doing stuff off the field that
you take care of your body to make sure you know,
you can be available for seventeen So of course they're
all then nobody wants to get hurt, you know, and
you hope that there's a way that he can stay healthy,
because if he can, he's a heck of a player, man,
(09:57):
no doubt. So yeah, I'm just trying to think of
some other things I was watching because I had a
very great vantage point. I was up on the second
floor balcony doing my radio show, so I had a
chance to just kind of see everything from above and
I could just follow with my binoculars all the different groups,
which was really fun to be able to do. Justin
looks a lot bigger, for sure. You can kind of
see it the way he's kind of put together, and
(10:21):
that was so it was fun to watch him. I
saw Jamari kind of working some of the drills with
the pads and you know, getting low and coming out
from underneath the tarp there and you can see everything
that we saw on film at Houston, and sort of
the quick feet an organ as well. He's a big dude,
so that was fun to see. And then of course
the offensive line that was kind of an income. You know,
that's the grade you give there is incomplete. Rashan wasn't there,
(10:42):
and it looked like they were doing some stuff with
Zion on the side, so it was kind of hard
to piece together. How that thing's going to look outside
of you know, Mackai and Joe on that right side.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Yeah, that's incomplete.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
I think Poper in his observation's heads like Taylor and
Jamar Sawyer as the starting five.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Yeah yeah, sall your left tackle and and Branson Taylor
is the left guard for a while, and it's.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Like, I don't think that's what it's gonna be in Brazil.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
Last thing before we get to coach fick In is
that you know, again a year ago, it's very rare
to see a strength coach get at the podium and
talk for twenty five minutes.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Coach Harb is as advertised.
Speaker 2 (11:18):
We talked about him all year, and it's just every
guy you talk to, from a young guy like Tarheb
to a grizzled bit like Tony like they swear by coach.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Harp Yeah, no doubt and and look, it's it's important,
you know, it's it's it's a cliche for a reason.
The best abilities availability, and that's what he's tasked with,
and it's very hard to it's a very hard job
considering how violent the game is and the attrition is
a very real part of it. But based on how
the players you know, talk about him, it's a true advantage.
(11:51):
I mean, it's a real win that this franchise has
maybe over some other organizations because you know, he's still
he's here and he's here again for another year and
it's another year in his program, and you see the
participation out here and a lot of the guys saying,
oh yeah, I was around here working out with Herb
a lot in the off season, and I think that
just speak You think about how many of these guys
go home and they want to be with their trainers,
you know, like Tony was saying, you know, and his presser,
(12:14):
he's like, yeah, my trainer told me to take some
time off and I was like, I can't take I
gotta go. I'm ready to go. I gotta and you know,
and he was talking about working here with with Herbs.
So it's it is it's great to see because I
think that just builds more and more camaraderie and you know,
cohesiveness and guys being together. So you know, for Khalil
instead of working out at home with his personal trainer,
(12:36):
because he certainly has the money and he's been in
it long enough to probably have his own guy. It's like, no,
I'm gonna be here with herb And now I've got
you know, Tar, You've still under my shoulder, and I've
got an opportunity to show this young man the way.
And and I think that just speaks to the culture
that that coach Harbaugh has created with all these other coaches,
that guys want to be around here and look at it.
Who doesn't want to be here? My gosh, you knows
(12:57):
where else you're gonna go. You gonna go plan fitting
them and that and say that I don't Yeah, I
don't know who's who's paying the bills. So this place
is great. I'll leave it there.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Imagine if you're Tarhe and you say, hey, I'll see
you on Monday.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Khalil says, why Yeah, why are you going to Thursday?
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Friday to Friday. Sorry, let's go see tomorrow. Yeah, good idea.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Hey, we've had a blast talking all these coaches. And
we talked to Jesse mitter you and Jalil did a
month ago.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Uh uh.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Jill Hortiz a couple of weeks ago, uh.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Coming up a fantastic conversation with Special Teams coordinator Ryan Ficken.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
All right, guys, has promised.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Ryan Ficken joins us on Chargers Weekly and coach, appreciate
your time.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
Always a pleasure. How is the opening week of OTA
has been for you?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Man?
Speaker 4 (13:42):
That's been great.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
I mean it's just getting out on the grass with
these guys, you know, kind of getting a flow and
just being around everyone right now has been a lot
of fun. And uh, I just enjoy being out there
with the coaching staff and the players and just eager
to continue to look forward to OTA number three tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
It feels like, you know, with with young players, you know,
you're you're the guy that's that's got to get these
guys in here, get them rolling. So what's it like
every year you hear all this guy could could make
the team on special teams when you bring in all
these undrafted free agents, all the draft picks, and what's
your process and kind of getting them sort of acclimated
to what you want them to do for special teams.
Speaker 5 (14:16):
You know, I think it's just getting everyone on the
same page first and foremost, you know, give them the
reality check that everyone here at this level they got
to play special teams. They got to find a way
to increase their value in some form of fashion, whether
it be a quarterback and he's got to be a
holder to where it's d tackles, where they got to
be on field goal block and some pun return stuff.
They got to find a way to increase their value
(14:38):
in some form of fashion. But again starting at the
very basics and starting with the foundation. You know, who
we are as a unit, what we want to be,
what our goals are going to be for this upcoming year,
and making sure that we set that foundation with what
the roles are and so they can go ahead and
help our team, you know, be successful this year.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
You know you kind of have that baseline.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
You talk about a guy like like Nickens who played
a lot of special teams at Clemson, and then KeAndre
who didn't play much special teams, it all burned. How
do you go into an off season, especially with rookies,
knowing that some may have more experience on special teams
than others and get that player or players who don't
have as much experience on special teams up to speed.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
Yeah, it starts with meetings with all that meaning with
these guys, these guys have been great. I mean they're
coming up to our offices, eager to learn more. So
just in terms of the nuances of the rules with
Special teams, it's it's completely different than it was with
college and so just like say the kickoff kickoff return rules,
So really get getting a baseline and a foundation for
these guys. And I'm assuming that they don't know anything
about it because they don't in terms of this type
(15:39):
of rules that they're going to be in the speed
of Special Teams. But these guys have been phenomenal. They
are eager to learn, you know, Canard has been you know,
a great want and to always meet you know, Mickens,
all the young guys, even you look at the Trey Harrison,
Lamarin Hampton, they're really just how can we help this
team be successful?
Speaker 4 (15:57):
And so that.
Speaker 5 (15:59):
Makes our job a little bit easier at their eagerness
and willingness to be able to do more, which we
were very appreciative of.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
What, uh, I guess there's a lot of different ways
you can answer this, but but what goes into making
a great Special Teams player? Because you've had some good ones.
I think Nick Name and who just left, you know,
seemingly was always in the right spot at the right time,
like what is it that that goes into that that
that makes these players like a Matthew Slater, who year
in and year out is at the top of you know,
sort of the class of of you know, what are
(16:25):
they doing differently than everybody else?
Speaker 5 (16:27):
You know, I think it's the willingness in them embracing
the role, you know, understanding, hey, I'm not just the
linebacker or for you know, Matthew Slayer's spot. He was
a football player. I mean he was you know, I
coached him at UCLA back when he was in college,
and you know, he was a track guy, and he
was he could do anything and everything he was on
offense and defense. But just finding out which role is
(16:48):
in embracing that and that role and how we can
help this team win. And I think that's what makes
a great you know, special teams or a good special
teams player into.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
A great one.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
Just that desiring effort and this disciplined, be great you
know after role. And then obviously the physical traits you know,
you like to have, you know, the guys that have
you know, some kind of dynamic trade and elite trade,
and then that's for us to go ahead and continue
to build on those traits put them in those positions
to be successful, but then also continue to develop the
other traits that we need to go ahead and make
(17:18):
them a well rounded player.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Coach, what I think is so cool about your career
in the NFL is that you're in Minnesota for as
long as you were, but you span three different coaching staffs, right,
so you head with Childress, Frasier and Zimmer and then
Staley and Hardball here you've been that constant, right, So
these new administrations, they want you to stay a part
(17:40):
of their culture and what they're doing. How do you
balance kind of being authentically you because obviously there's a
reason why they want you, and kind of adapting to
different coaching stats and different styles of doing things.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
I think it's like you hit it. I mean, you've
got to be yourself, you know, first and foremost. You
can't try and be someone else, you know, And I
also believe, you know, always learning from these coaches. I mean,
these coaches have been successful, you know at their trade,
and uh, it's very important that I learned and take
something from each of them and try to better my
game with that. But just to be able to make
us a well rounded special Teams unit and a better
(18:14):
team with that. But I very appreciative all the coaches, uh,
you know, being able to learn under you know, it's
been a blessing with that. And then you look at
the current regime now just the experience and how much
success they have had, uh and being able to adjust
and and uh, you know, implement what they're trying to
achieve too. And you know, I think it's just being
(18:34):
willing to want to learn and continue to improve.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
This could be an incredibly dumb question, but I'm gonna
ask not anyway, And.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
And Armies, there are no dumb questions.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Is is there one? Is there one that's harder to
teach than the others? Field goal, kick, kick return, punt,
punt return? Is there one that that needs to be
specifically more technical?
Speaker 4 (18:57):
You know, I think there's a bunch of nuances with
a lot of them.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
You know, you could talk about from position specific with
the specialists, uh to the holder. I mean, the other
people just see the you know, the snap, the hole,
the kick and operation in one point three seconds. But
there's a lot of you know, details that those guys
you don't have to work daily. And that's why the professionals,
and they make it look seamless and easy out there.
But I think it's it's more of the situations in
(19:23):
terms of the phase of what makes them difficult in
the game flow, uh, that you have to deal with
because say field goal, you're dealing with, you know, different
type of athletes and that place happening one point three
seconds as opposed the punt pont return is going to
be a little bit you know longer obviously from snap
to pont to end of the play. But I would
(19:44):
say to answer your question, uh, just going off of
what the new rules are kickoff, kickoff return, learning that
because it's essentially you know, when I was on offense,
it's like say, hey guys, this is power right now.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
This is gonna be a new run play.
Speaker 5 (19:57):
Here, and just teaching a complete different scheme, different techniques
where you're learning on as you go and through experience.
So I would say a kickoff kickoff return to answer
your question. But they all have their you know, the
little piece that makes it difficult and challenging, which I
don't say difficult, but challenging, which I really enjoy.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
You know that part of special teams.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
You know, for us, it's been a joy to get
to know Cameron Dicker on and off the field.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
You've been around a lot of kickers, it just.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Seems like when the stakes are the highest, he is
the most calm. What's it like being in a room
with Cameron Dicker and what attributes does he have as
a kicker that you think really separates him?
Speaker 4 (20:38):
I think the biggest thing.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Obviously he's talented, we can see that with his leg
strength and his accuracy, but I think it's the mental part.
He's always willing to work. He has zero ego. This
guy attacks every day that he wants to get better.
But he's a true professional, and I think he is
a professional, you know way before he was actually a
rookie because he came in here so mature, understand understands
(21:00):
his craft, knows you know, he's going to continue to improve.
But I just love his mind makeup and the way
he goes ahead and approaches the game. How Again, like
I said that, he doesn't have any ego and what
he's out there, he's just trying to go ahead and
you know, help this team win by kicking those balls
to the field will post and then obviously on kickoffs
to help so with field position. But he's I learned
(21:23):
it every day from this guy. I mean, the way
he approaches the game. You know, it's been a true
blessing with that.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Do you do you have like an idea I would have? Again,
I feel like I'm asking the dumbest questions. Man, does
each stadium do you have a range? Like, Hey, we're
hit Arrowhead, this is where I think his range is.
Now we're at Ford Field, and now I think this
is what? Like what is it like? And how much
goes into all of that kind of determining where you
(21:48):
think the border is of where you're comfortable saying, yeah, coach,
let's let's go ahead try that field goal here. No.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
No, that's a great question, and a lot of it
comes with situational football where you are in the game,
you know, because I know Dicker can go ahead and
make him from you know, where we go ahead him
out there and he's going to attack it like hey,
this might be other side of the ranch. He's he's
gonna attack and he's going to go ahead and you know,
put it through there. But yeah, it's all about the situation.
If you're outdoors, obviously, the wind, the type of wind
where it is in the game. If you know, if
(22:15):
you attempt a long field goal for so whatever reason,
it doesn't go through and you're given.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
Up field position.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
So I think the spread situation is going to depend
on how far you challenge them. And that was game
winning situations off. So you can go ahead and you
got the journaline going, and you can go ahead, and
the stress it a little bit more stretch. It's more
indoors obviously the flight. But uh, he hit such a
true ball and he does a great job with his approach,
and you just have so much confidence in him, you know,
(22:41):
with myself, but the organization and you know, so I
think he makes our g our jobs a lot easier.
Speaker 2 (22:47):
You know, a special teams play can can flip everything.
And I just I go back to last year Thursday
night football, I guess the Denver Broncos right before the half,
when seemingly everything was going the opposite way, that one
moment which we haven't ever really seen happens. Take me
through that moment for you and just what that was
(23:07):
like for your unit in the team in general, and
how that kind of was a springboard to win that game.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
No, I mean, first and foremost I was more excited
just because of it did help our team win a
game and it changed that momentum. And that's what we
talked about. One of our core philosophies is you know,
either be a momentum answer guy or a team or
you know, making sure we do a great job creating
momentum for our team and then that phase right there,
I think we did a great job creating a momentum
for our team going into halftime and coming out in
(23:33):
the second half and a completely different ballgame. But you
know that is our role where a one play series,
which we got to go ahead and do that. But
in that situation, it's always those situations we got to
make sure we always prepare for. We will talk about
o tas we'll hit it. We'll do it in training camp,
and then once a season hits we cover once a week,
and then we make sure we walk through those situations
once a week because you could do it where it's
(23:55):
every quarterly or once a year, like, oh, we already
covered it. But the way our roster changes now, as
with practice squad and how you can elevate guys, you
almost have to cover it every every week with a
walk through because guys might play different positions, and and
just the nuances, the little intricacies of that rule with
it's a different kind of alignment with the kickoff, you know,
different with the kickoff return. The clock start starts at
(24:18):
a different time, it doesn't start, you know, rymony catches it.
So it has to be a perfect, you know, situation
in which you know occurs. So in that situation, the
answer question was, you know it is a pun return
in which you know there's amount of time on the
clock in which if you go ahead and fair catch
right there, and you go ahead and go with the
free kick, you got to make sure that clock expires
(24:40):
on the free kick, so they don't have an opportunity
right there. So I just take my hats off to
all of our players because they are dialed in. They
were ready to go. It doesn't matter how much you
go ahead and talk about it, but they accept the challenge.
They knew about it. So all my hats off to
those guys and going out and executing, you know, with
starting with the part return part where d D fair
catching it and I know you got the pilody. However,
(25:01):
if he doesn't fair catch a certain that ball, or
if he tries to return it, that situation does not occur,
so him having an awareness, you know, that was gonna
be a fair catch situation. So then our guys going
out there and getting a ligne correctly for the kickoff,
and just the nuances where you're bringing JK. Scott out
there as the holder, which now you don't have a
holder on kickoff anymore because of you know, everyone's at
(25:24):
the forty yard line.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
The holder will be the actual punter as a twelfth guy.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
But in that situation, he's coming out there and now
you got to bump the number two and number three
outside of the number.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
So a lot of different rules.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
But if those guys didn't go ahead and take you know,
full responsibility, accountability throughout the weeks and the meetings when
we cover those and would have been able to be
successful because the guy would have been misaligned, and then
we would have been like, oh what if you know?
So I'm just happy for those guys to help our
team win. But what I love though the most thing
out of anything. I mean, we got the W but
(25:54):
you know, coach was fired up. He made sweatshirts for
the whole all the guys that are on the on
the field and the cartoon figure. So that was that
was pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (26:03):
That was really cool.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
You mentioned JK a long time ago. I'm not gonna
say names or years or anything, but there were some
complaints about the holder that that was maybe an issue
what what goes in and how hard is it to
be a good holder and what kind of work does
JK put in to do that, because it certainly seems
like that whole operation is just dialed.
Speaker 4 (26:21):
No, they do.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
I mean, we got three great guys, you know, veteran
guys that but they attack every day, you know where
it's They want to get better and they want each
other to have success too. So that's what I love
about these three is, you know Josh. Obviously, it starts
with Josh as being our leader for not just our specialists,
but he's the leader for our core special teams unit.
And uh so it starts with him. And but they
(26:44):
all want success for you know, for Dicker. They all
want success for JK when he's punning it, and they
all three of them are those two the punter Kickers
definitely want success for Josh as well. So that's what
I love about them. But going with the holding, I mean,
there's a lot of interacies to it in which h
JK does a great job.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
He works at it.
Speaker 5 (27:02):
Him and Dick are always working, you know, together and
making sure they go ahead and find tune and everything
and depend on the win until they're always over communicating
with one another, you know how they like it. And
I think JK is a really good holder and he's
been great and and that's that's part of his value.
Not he's not just a punter. But you switch out punters,
then you also got to switch out holders and you
(27:23):
change the whole dynamic of everything. And uh, and there's
some growing pains with some of that stuff. But that's
why he has such great tremendous value for this organization,
not because he can hit a five to six punt,
but also because he's a really good holder as well.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Money alluded to this at the beginning.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
You know, during the off season in training camp, Man,
you're one of the most important coaches in this building
because all these guys are trying to make the team.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
On special teams.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
When you have so many players probably knocking on your
door trying to figure out how they can make the team,
how does your job and your role in the offseason
change versus the regular season. It seems like you're gonna
have so many guys that you have to talk to
in the offseason about potentially making the team versus then
you finally get the squad on the field.
Speaker 5 (28:07):
Yeah, I think it's first and foremost is making sure
we lay that foundation, uh and understand what their expectations are,
how they're going to help our team win football games.
And that's the biggest goal, you know, and everything and
and just making sure that we put them in situations
to be successful, you know. So we want to make
sure that, you know, we call at that time to
meet with these guys they come up. You know, we'll
(28:29):
have a meeting here, coming up here with a bunch
of guys that just want to get some extra work
and just watch tape and just and a lot of
times when it's outside of the ours, you have accountability
within the organization.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Those leaders, leaders like Josh Harris, you.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
Know, Lohi Gilman, it was Nick nam And and Troy Die
you know, where they'll run those meetings together, you know, together,
so they're all on the same page. So it's about
creating that foundation first and foremost, and right now we
are laying that foundation which we've got to make sure
we do a great job with and that starts with
you know, obviously us as the coaches, but the player.
But and then we got to build off that once
we get into training camp. If we can't be great
(29:05):
at something, there's no way we're going to go ahead
in advance like two point zero and three point oher
in terms of what we're trying to do. So we
got to make sure we're great at something so we
can hang our hat on it and then continue.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
To build as we go in and put this thing together.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
How does it work with you and the rest of
the coaching staff when it comes to a player that
might be elevated to you know, a starter and it's
going to be getting more. I think about tu Lee
and you know where he may end up and watching
in OTAs the other day saw him out there with you.
But but what is that conversation like and what special
team snaps might take out of somebody that may be
elevated to play in more snaps on either offense or defense,
(29:38):
and how that affects you and your squad.
Speaker 5 (29:40):
Yeah, I mean that's a great question because what it
affects in different kinds of ways too. And now obviously
with say injuries, but you know, first and foremost is
we want to make sure we go ahead and develop
these guys where we want them to become starters, you know,
on offense, defense. And like I give a case in
point where we had Adam Thielen. He was a tryout
guy back in Minnesota. He wasn't drafted. He was now
(30:01):
a free agent signing. He came to a rookie mini
camp and tried out, and he stuck around on special teams.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
He created his value on special teams.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
First and foremost he developed, uh you know, he got
better as a wide receiver, allowed him and gave him
some time to continue to work his craft as a
wide receiver. And then once he got those opportunities as
a wide receiver, because special teams kind of gave him
that time to go ahead and get to that spot,
he took off. And we know what he is as
a wide receiver. I mean he was running the punt team,
blocking field goals and punts, you know, as on special teams.
(30:30):
And then now he's just an elite receiver and he
knows he'll and he'll tell you like I would always
have him. Talk to our special teams here and especially
the young guys. Hey, you know, here's a guy that
you know was in those seats and learned, and so
you know that that's the big thing in terms of
you know, developing, I think with those guys as we
you know, walked through and put these guys together. But
to answer your question in terms of like the two
(30:50):
of you, the starters, we got to be able to
adapt because once they get to the starter and that
it's like, all right, Mitt's take something off your plate,
maybe almost everything.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
The role's changed.
Speaker 5 (30:58):
And now these younger guys they've seen him do it,
they've seen how great of a job he's done it.
Now those it's time for those guys to take over.
And that's part of the foundation of having it. And
I know, again a long wind on this one, but
with ssayk injuries, they say, a running.
Speaker 4 (31:10):
Back goes down.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
Unfortunately, knock on wood, someone goes down and it's not
like the runn back room. But all right, the next
running backs up. You know, we'll go next guy, he's up,
he's going.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
All right.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
So with us, that's going to change about four different
depth charts because and that might be now a linebacker
fulfills his role on punt and maybe a safety fulfills
his role on kickoff. So different position groups that are
all interchangeable. But the end of the day, it's all
of them and guys collectively, what do we got to
do to go ahead and get the job done? And
all my hat, my hat's all off for these players
(31:41):
because they embrace that and they do a great job.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
Mentioned the coaches that you worked for, but you also said,
you know, you learn from guys like Cameron Dicker and
you just mentioned Adam Thielen.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
You worked with Adrian Peterson early in your career.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Who are some of the players that have really had
an indelible impact on your career that you've taken stuff
from you can really apply to, you know, some of.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
The guys here.
Speaker 5 (32:03):
Yeah, I mean, I'll say one that comes off in
my mind right now was Marcus Shows as a punk returner.
I have' you know, worked with him extensively with him
being a punk return he's the you know, leading punk
returner and biking history right now, and he was a
tryout as well, was never drafted, but just talking about mechanics,
what he sees to say at Cordero Patterson, the way
(32:24):
he returns, you know, to Randy Moss when I was
working with wide receivers, and the way he approached the game,
the way he studied the game, how he could talk
about offense and defense of the opponent.
Speaker 4 (32:36):
Uh, and just his knowledge of the game was was unbelievable.
Speaker 5 (32:40):
But the Adrian Peterson's explosive this, but there will be
guys where I'll put while learning, like a Terrence Newman
on punk return. He was playing corner for us, and
there was this little step that made sense to me,
and we called it the Terrence Newman step. It's just
a quick little six inch step inside right there, just
to go ahead and you know, just make sure we're
still down the tempo and and right then and there,
(33:02):
I was like, all right, that's I'm not it's not
my mine more. It's the Terrence Newman step now. And
so that kind of carries way though then with these
other guys, when the young guys like, well now, I
got to kind of say, hey, maybe maybe they don't
know some of these guys now, but anyways they're like, hey, yeah,
Terrence Summan, he's all, you know, Hall of Famer.
Speaker 4 (33:17):
He became late in his career.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
Yeah, and just something if we can learn from these
guys because they've been in those positions, they've learned, and
I would be naive and ignorant if I didn't learn
from them. I don't think I'll be doing the players,
you know, the satisfaction tick, go ahead and approve them,
because I think that's my my job as well, is
you know, make sure we put him in those positions
to be successful. But you know we can go ahead
and help. Hey, if that works for you, let's see
(33:40):
how it might be able to work for other people too.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
So we saw him a lot more returns last year,
but I think we you know, in my opinion, I
felt like we saw a lot more touchbacks and I
thought we were going to with it being at the thirty,
just with the new kickoff, with the dynamic kickoff, how
you assess giving a team the ball at the thirty
versus trying to drop that thing right in there to
be returned and you know the potential plus landing it
(34:02):
in the landing zone. And there's a lot that goes
into it of how you determine you want to attack
that has that changed it all from last year to
this year with them now tweaking the rules even further.
Speaker 5 (34:10):
You know, absolutely, And I think you could see the
change in the way people attacked it in the philosophy
change midway through the year last year, just the way
they would approach the game and situations of it. The
drives start being almost average on the thirty and when
you include the touchbacks and at that as well. But
you know, I know it was slightly lower than the
thirty when you actually challenge them on the kickoffs, but
(34:31):
they also had the risk in terms of the big returns.
And that's for anything and everything. But I think this
rule is great for the game. I think it's great
for the players as well the fans. It's more exciting
now you'd be able to see these guys play. And
then these players get to have the opportunity to go
ahead and cover kicks or make plays on kickoff return
and you see that their value be like a nickname
(34:52):
in his you know, he had great value, adding nice contracts,
you know, coming out of here, and I was very
happy for him.
Speaker 4 (34:57):
So you know, you like to you you.
Speaker 5 (34:59):
Root for those guys those situations as opposed well, if
it's just touchbacks.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
And it's kind of a dead play.
Speaker 5 (35:04):
So I think it's an exciting for the NFL, you know,
as we go ahead and approach it, and yeah, I
think there will be there's definitely gonna have to be
posh philosophy. Uh, philosophy changes in terms of you know,
going into this year because of the drive start now
being the thirty five on a touchback, and so yeah,
you're going to have put more balls in play and
more challenging kicks that you may have. So you know,
Dick or being able to do the things that he
(35:25):
can do, you know, bry spreading the ball around and
different types of kicks increases his value, increases the coverage
guys value.
Speaker 4 (35:32):
It's going to increase the third running backs.
Speaker 5 (35:33):
Value in terms of you know, playtime that more tackles
they get the returners. So I think it's great for
the game, and you know it'll be exciting.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
You know, you mentioned guys coming and going, you know,
Nick Nemeas, I hear. But you bring a guy like
Phillips Troy Dies back. How excited are you to to
get some of the existing guys back and then add
some some vets to the mix.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
No, I think it's great, you know, and I appreciate.
And it's not just me.
Speaker 5 (35:57):
I think our organization appreciates the way you know, Joe
Hortiz and his staff assembles this roster.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Along with you know, Coach Harborov. I mean, they do
a great job.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
Because they have a vision and uh and they're you know,
always you know, eager to listen. But they got a
great vision in terms of how they're building this roster
and you know, so that's exciting and to find guys
to come in and compete. And that's what Coach's vision
is is it's all about competition. You know, competitors are welcoming.
So I think that's great just trying to bring in
(36:27):
the top guys as a matter you're seven year vet,
if you're a three year vet or a rookie, they're
going to bring in guys to go ahead and compete,
compete for the jobs. And you know, we're definitely blessed
to go ahead and get adult Sean Phillips in here.
Just what he brings to the table with his athleticism,
his length, and then his experience, like you mentioned before,
you know, things we can take from him that he's
been at different places. By all right, what worked for
(36:49):
you all right, that might work for uh, you know,
another guy on a roster, young guy. Let's go ahead
and see if we can implement some of this stuff.
And Troy's leadership, you know, while I was with him
in Minnesota, and I've always been fan of him, just
the way he plays the game, the way he approaches it, practices,
he practices.
Speaker 4 (37:05):
You know, full throat all every play.
Speaker 5 (37:06):
And so I knew when he was first available coming
out of Minnesota, I was like, we got to go
after this guy, just the way his makeup is. And
I was like, he's right, you know, exactly what coach
is looking for. And and then we you know, signing
another guy. Uh, you know, maga talking about that linebacker
room that Delshaun Phillips Maga, you know, I mean, we're
excited about that piece that he brings, the physicality, the
(37:28):
athleticism that brings. But to answer your question in terms
of Nick Neeman, I mean, it's never easy to replace
one specific guy, you know, uh, and that's why everyone
else got to pick up, you know, pick up the
torch and go ahead and make sure we collectively we
pick up you know, the misspiece. And I think this
this roster we have and what coach has built with Joe.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
It's exciting. I can't wait to go ahead and get
to some of the games with the.
Speaker 3 (37:50):
New on side kick and just kind of well, it's
new in multiple ways, right since when you were doing
it where you can overload the one side and we've
seen the lack of success with it, But we'd love
to know your take on what we grew up watching
that on side kick, which is you know, pound it,
get that second bounce to Now I think we see
kind of young Way doing in Atlanta a lot where
(38:11):
you're kind of putting that thing on the ground and
trying to spin it. Have you noticed, like, is it's
weird to think of developments and on side kicks? You know,
is the game has progressed, But is there a way
that you think is more effective or is it just
a really hard play to execute because of how the
NFL has this thing laid out? Now?
Speaker 5 (38:28):
You know, I think I think what is really important
the way the NFL has it, you know, mapped out,
is obviously player safety, which I think is very very important.
And so I get back I support that one thousand percent.
And in regards to that play, yeah, the success rate
isn't high, you know. But also this, you know that
(38:48):
the team you're trying to reward with the onside kicks
has been is losing too, So you know, so I
think the play will get better. We did a slight
rule change, you know, with that in which you're want
to move them up with yard and so again another
rule change with it. But they're going to be towing
that thirty that five that thirty five yard line to
be able to get a little bit closer to the ball.
(39:08):
But yeah, I mean in these kickers, they can do
a lot of great things in terms of the spinning
that you talked about, and you know Denver did that
to us a couple of times, you know, last year,
and it's a timing. But how can you go ahead
and attack you know, a weakness that you might see
on tape or buy our opponent, you know, are they
overloaded on a certain side, a type of ball of
(39:28):
personnel where they are All that factors in in terms
of how you can go ahead and get some of
those recoveries. And you know, we had a couple of
close ones, like you know against Kansas City, you know,
I think it was twenty two, and you know, ball
was free. It's just didn't have you know, didn't have
enough guys right there to go ahead and get it.
But it's just those opportunities where you get it free
to have guys, you know, buy that ball to make
the play. And you know that's all we're trying to do.
(39:49):
And and you know, I think they're you know, hopefully
not on our watch. Is not more recoveries maybe when
we're on the on side, but hopefully we have more
hands teams than anything that I was trying to kick
those on sides to go ahead and give another play.
Speaker 4 (40:00):
But you know, it's just.
Speaker 5 (40:02):
Also the hands team doing a great job defending against
it too.
Speaker 2 (40:05):
So you're coaching every NFL stadium, but week one in Brazil,
it's it's a different animal. What do you know about
that stadium? The grass And I'm sure that you're already
h looking looking ahead.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
Well I will say that, and maybe this is still
you know, there's a lot of full disclosure here and
I might be saying this out too much, but uh,
it's been I want to say, twenty years since I've
been to Brazil. I've been this actually some Paulo Brazil
coming out of college. Uh, some friends we took a
trip down there, so yeah, but yeah, so I have
to go ahead and brush up on my Portuguese.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
Not very good with that.
Speaker 5 (40:36):
But anyways, as the game, I mean, it's I think
it's great for the NFL and what they're trying to
do and just broaden this and you know, make a
worldwide sport because it is it's I think it's I
think it's the best game, uh in the world, in
all sports, and that maybe I'm biased, but I think
it's an unbelievable game and so much parody amongst the
talent level. But to be in such an amazing country
and my you know, my wife she's Colombian, you know,
(40:58):
South America down there, and so just being in that
that country will be amazing, especially bringing to the fans
down there.
Speaker 4 (41:05):
I'm excited to be a part of it.
Speaker 5 (41:07):
I'm very you know, very blessed to be able to
be fortunate to be able to go down there for
week one.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Now.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
I've been to London twice, uh so going there, it's
gonna be a lot of fun. You know, the travel
will be you know different, so I know, the sleep
and all that. Making sure and they got this dialed
in in terms of when to sleep when not to sleep.
Uh So, so we can go ahead and get on
that that time zone quickly. And now you know, just
excited to get there, but it'll be there soon enough,
but it'll be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Well, since you've already been there, I'm gonna put you
in charge of you know, hey, guys, why don't we
go down a couple of days early. You know, let's
maybe get down there four or five days early, just
to make sure we get settled.
Speaker 4 (41:39):
And we get this.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
We're gonna stay in that hotel because it will be
fun just to just to be down there and just
see the city. Absolutely, because we're going down there to
to do one thing, and that's to win that football game.
And you know it will be a great start to
the season, and you know, just to go ahead and
get that trajectory going, you know somewhere excited about last one.
Speaker 3 (41:59):
For me, I got asked that it's one watching the
highlights from what he was doing at Iowa State, but
then two seeing coach Harbaugh just the way he says,
Steve O. Klotz, just the name, and I think back
to Derrek Watt when he was here with a great
you know fullback, it's a great special teams player. Kind
of your initial impressions of Steve O. Klotz and what
he might be able to do for you.
Speaker 5 (42:20):
You know, I think the best for him is still
in front of us about what he's going to bring,
and that's the physicality, because he he is a hammerhead
in terms of he is a physical hit and we
can't obviously have paths on right now. So you know,
watching him at I always stay. There was a coach
that kind of put me on him early in the
kind of evaluation process for the draft, and he was
(42:41):
a four core guy and they you know, I know
they're talking about port and all of them, which are
you know, elite special teams players as well and as
in respect to the position. But I think the one
thing that he brought is like they're like, this guy
was the captain, and you know, he kind of drove it.
Just he set the tone, the tone setter for everything
they do. And I was like, you know, I'd like
to go ahead and get more of those guys, and
you know, excited about that. And it felt that what
(43:03):
he brings, he's gonna go ahead and just you know,
mess right in with our guys, and so he's doing
everything right out there, you know, the technique, the fundamentals,
the mental part, learning from these guys, uh, coming in
and wanting to meet extra But I'm looking forward to
seeing him in training camp, preseason games where you get
to see that physicality part uh take over. And that's
(43:23):
where I think he's gonna go ahead and really flourish.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Coach last one for me and for US eleven wins
last year, year two with Coach Harball, what was your one?
Speaker 1 (43:35):
Like, you know, just meshing with a new coaching staff.
Speaker 2 (43:39):
And then how different is this time this year versus
this time last year?
Speaker 5 (43:45):
You know, I think, you know, Coach Harbor, it is
a true blessing to be around him and just watch
the way he works because he's a mastermind and what
he does and everything is so well thought of. Uh,
you know, it's not he's not just thinking, all right,
let's go ahead and this what this sounds good for today?
I mean he's thought through this, you know several times.
I Mean he's you know, with the schedule changes and
(44:05):
he wants what's best for the players in the organization,
But what is it going to give us that edge?
And that's how he sees everything and everything we do.
And when you have a coach like that and who's
had success, uh, it's it's difficult not to go ahead
and gravitate and just fall right in line and you know,
just try and do your best so you can see
him have success as well and see this organization have success.
(44:28):
So I think it's you know, I'm learning a lot
every day. You know, the way he goes I approaches
the you know, the team, the way he approaches each
player individually. You know, I think I'm I'm the I'm
the lucky one in terms of being able to learn
all that and being able to take a bunch of
nuggets from him, and the way he uh tries to
you know, set up the foundation for the team on
what he wants and then just see that they take off.
(44:49):
For the difference in terms of what it was last
year and this year, I think, uh, I want to say,
more comfortable. It's more we know what to expect, you know,
not coming from Michigan with him being here.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Uh. You know, so you know, for your you're one
is like all right, this is how he likes some.
Speaker 5 (45:05):
Practice and everything, and and now having an understanding of
that I feel we can continue to you know, give
more and continue to do more and just continue to
build off, you know, the success that we had from
last year, but then knowing that there's a lot more
work that we need to do as Special Teams wise
to be able to get to where we want to go,
and that's obviously to win a world championship.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
Loved it, really enjoyed it. Oh you know what we
should do? Shout out Chris, what a heck of a
coach you got as well on the on the staff.
I meant to do that earlier.
Speaker 5 (45:34):
But Coach Gold, I would say that I've been finding ways,
but this he is, he is phenomenal. He is the
best coach around and been a part of very fortunate
to be. You know, I don't see him as an assistant.
It's him and I are linked on the arm and
this thing, and uh we would not have a success
you know for this uh Special Teams unit if it
wasn't for him. He's just a phenomenal football coach and
(45:55):
uh what he does and his families you know, just
class a you know Sam and and his little guy A.
So but very fortunate. You know, he's sticking around and
he just makes us all better.
Speaker 1 (46:06):
It's great, big, great partnership be here before you know.
Speaker 4 (46:08):
Brother, Oh, absolutely appreciate your time. I appreciate it. Thank
you very much.
Speaker 1 (46:11):
Thanks good Well Monday.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Another gym Ryan Ficken, one of the coaches that I
just have so much appreciation for his longevity in the
league and just what he's done with this special Team's
gonna going into your four.
Speaker 3 (46:23):
That's an important part of the team, you know. I mean,
how many big kicks have we seen Cam Dicker make?
How many big punts to pin a team deep? Have
we seen JK. Scott make? You know? And not to
mention him as an evaluator and helping construct this team.
And who's going to be that fifty second, fifty third
guy that can cured a tribute on special teams and
then becomes a more integral part like he was talking
(46:45):
about Adam Thielen of the team Austin Eckler. You know
here we think about it's the one story we always
tell about special teams, and you know that then he
goes on to being you're you're starting running back and
a guy that's you know, leading the league in touchdowns
over the course of two seasons and a lot of
that goes into the special teams coordinator being to evaluate
and recognize talent and how they can contribute with limited
(47:06):
amounts of snaps not available to them for their particular position.
But they can stick on the team because of what
you know, these guys seeing them and it's it's it's
a wildly underappreciated and underrated part of a football team.
And you know, the special teams coordinator has got to
know everybody and be able to tap into all of that.
And you know, three phases are three phases. It's not two,
(47:29):
it's three, and special teams is part of it. And
since coach Ficken has arrived, the charge has been one
of the best in the league at it year in and
year out.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
Yeah, immediately, all right, guys, there's no offseason here at
the Bolt. We got OTAs next week, we got mini
camp coming up, a very brief break before an early
training camp as we get to the Hall of Fame game.
So it's gonna be a lot of fun here in
El Segundo over the next month or so.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Take a little break and then we'll be back and
then more interviews coming up to with.
Speaker 3 (47:58):
U Roman having to coach Roman was pulling out a
second ago.
Speaker 1 (48:01):
Was that was that him?
Speaker 3 (48:02):
No, it was him right before that. Okay, so I
don't know who that was. They just waved, So I
wrote that more coachy it was. I saw him walk
through his car was earlier too, Yeah, I was like,
I think that was I think it was. Yeah. So
we're gonna get everybody though. We'll make sure we get
everybody on and we always appreciate talking. Let me know
that people enjoy the content.
Speaker 4 (48:18):
No question.
Speaker 1 (48:19):
All right for money, I am Chris. This has been
charges weekly. We'll see you next week.
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