Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
With the one and only Nick Ferguson. How are you doing, Nick?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
What's that off hill? It is, uh, feel good Friday.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
So it's about bringing some juice, none of that laid
back stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
To turn up. It's Friday night. People are heading out,
they're listening to the show. They wanted to know what's
going on with the bron because we got to bring
energy tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yes, give the people what they want.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, of course the Bronco's maybe a little bit of
news circulating out there right now, maybe have found their
next special teams coordinator, but also maybe not.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Can you explain a little bit.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, I mean, obviously we know that Bencott Wickham was
giving his pink slip and everyone was.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Wondering who's gonna come fill the void?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
And for a second there it looks like Chris Banjo
was going to return and possibly become.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
The head guy.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
But no, he's gone to join his former DV coach
Aaron Glenn with the New York Jets. So the Broncos
were trying to figure out who was going to step
into that position. But there have been some whispers, right
some backdoor conversations that Darren Rizzy was probably going to
be that guy. By all accounts, it seemed as though
(01:09):
he's about to step into that role.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
We one thing we know about Sean Payton is he
loves coaches that he has a history with. If you
work with him with the Saints, come on, come on
a board.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
We know this.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
But so now there's a little bit of conflicting reports
out there. So Ian Rappaport of NFL Network, he says that,
you know, the Saints are zeroing in on Kellen Moore
to become their next head coach. He of course, is
coaching in the Super Bowl here with the Eagles, so
they have to wait until they can make that final.
Darren Rizzy was the interim coach there in New Orleans
(01:44):
this year. He's trying to, you know, wait it out
and see what happens there in New Orleans because you know,
if he can, he'd like to be the head coach obviously.
And then so Rappaport now reading reported about forty eight
minutes ago, he says, as a Saint zero in on
Kellen Moore, slated to have another conversation with him after
the Super Bowl, introim coach, Darren Rizzy is likely to
(02:08):
become the new Broncos special teams coordinator. Sources say okay,
Rizzy coached three years with Sean Payton in New Orleans.
But then, just a minute after that rap sheet quote,
tweets himself and says, Darren Rizzy has been the favorite
in Denver for some time. Though the Broncos will conduct
(02:29):
a full and complete search for their new special teams coordinator.
So maybe he got a little ahead of himself there.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, well, sometimes that happens when one is breaking news
or attempting to break news and be the first one
to put that out there. But look, I would say
that was kind of a question that I had once
Mike Westolf stepped away. Wicker and the special team units
still continue to play at a high standard. I didn't
(02:58):
anticipate that he would be out of work and the
Broncos would be in this particular situation. But looking at
what has happened to the Broncos as a.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Team thus far, we've seen a courser.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Of coaches take jobs other places, others not being drought back.
But finally there could be some positive news on the horizon,
you know, some leaving someone coming back in. So we'll
we'll have to see, but I will say this, when
you think about Dann Rizzy's Special Teams unit, that they
(03:31):
were performing pretty decent down in New Orleans. I would
argue that all the three phases, that was probably the
best phase as far as production is concerning your right
field coach. Peyton likes to surround himself with guys that
he is quite familiar with. They know how he coached,
they know his temperament, but more importantly, they know how
(03:54):
to handle his temperament.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yes, you have to have a certain personality to be
able to get yelled and screamed at like that and
just be cool moving forward.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Right, Well, listen, here's.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
What I can say, Like, I haven't been around the
Broncos in that regard that they just got an internship,
but there was not a lot of yelling and screaming,
but maybe John Morton trying to get the guys to
kind of get going. But I understand that standpoint because
my time around Bill Parcells. But when I first got
to New York from the Buffalo Bills, so you got
to understand this. I'm going from Wayne Phillips to build
(04:29):
Pluscells Waite.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Of course, the most cool just just chill.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
So all this language I'm like, I need ear muffs
right now, because I mean, you had all these coaches
that I watched growing up who were former players for Parcels,
who was coaching with him and for me, like here
with the Differ Broncos, there was Alex Gibbs. So the
(04:56):
New York's Jets version of Alex Gibbs was Maurice kart On.
When I tell you, man, he had a vocabulary of
words that I could not say right now, but you
knew exactly what he meant and where you stood. But
Parcels wanted guys who were around him who can coach
hard and who was going to press those types of buttons.
(05:17):
So with coach Peyton spending time with Bill Parcels in Dallas,
you gotta think that why do you think Aaron Glenn
was there with him in New Orleans? And so was
Dan Campbell.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Yeah, they're all cut from that same cloth.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
And let me tell you this, now, everyone that cloth
that they're cut for from.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Not everyone can wash their body with that cloth.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yes, yes, exactly that that's a very verbally intense cloth.
I'll put it that way. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, So the way I read those traits is that
it seems like Rizzy's going to be the guy, But
the Broncos want to follow all the proper protocols, go
through the search process. But what protocol? Yeah, it feels
like Rizzy's coming in. Here's my question to you and Nick,
is that by all accounts, like the Broncos special teams
(06:11):
was pretty good last year, right? But like I think
that for like most fans, all they're gonna whenever they
think about the Broncos special teams, the only thing they're
gonna think about is that chiefs block. That's sort of
the life of special teams are like a special teamers, Huh?
Is that like you're supposed to just I agree, It's
(06:32):
like special teams is always like you just go out
there and you're supposed to just do what you're supposed
to do, and nobody appreciates it, and then when it
goes wrong, it's like you.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Had one job.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
You absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
It's just like when everyone goes through a game, they
stand there, especially for office, especially this year with boat
Nicks and the love of excitement, but also with the
defense and how well they were playing all season a long.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Then the special teams.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Is like, well, you know what I can get on
my I go use the bathroom, I go to the concessus.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Stands, so he's not. But it's not until.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
There is a block kick right, or there is a return.
And the thing that actually was so exciting about the
Ronco Special Teams Will LUTs and how he was kicking
from a field goals standpoint and then Marvin Mahm's on
a return standpoint.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
It was just sensational.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
But special teams, You're right, it is a phase of
the game that gets overlooked into something negative. Happened, And
so many people when looking at bencott Wickham, they were
pointing at two things. They were pointing at the play
in Kansas City that you reference, and they were pointing
at the play and on the Thursday night game against
(07:44):
the Charges in maya pick and that was not Ben
klled Wicks's fault. You a coach, and I know this
being coached by Mike Westoff. As far as being a gunner,
the ball comes off upon his foot. As you're running,
you track the flight of the ball and then your
eyes automatically go to the returner. Is he waving a
(08:06):
fair catch? And if he's not waving a fair catch,
you run through his chests. Yeah, but on that particular play,
didn't see it.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
It's like, how.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, I guess Here's my other question, Nick, How important
is a special teams coordinator? Like how much are they?
How much are they dictating? Like what like, okay, you
know that offensive coordinators calling the places. He's got his style,
you know that. Okay, he likes to do X Y Z.
(08:36):
Defensive coordinator. Oh, this guy likes you know, he likes
to dial up the blitzes. He likes to play this style.
Tell me about a special teams coordinator. Do do these
guys have a style? Because, like to someone uneducated like
myself about special teams, go make the kick, kick the
ball over here, kick it through the end zone, and
(08:57):
then the ball and go get the guy. That's what
it seems like.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Fel the way you set that up, that was almost
like watching The Peanuts and watching Charlie Brown trying to
kick the ball out of Loosey's hands. And anyone who's
ever seen, you know, the Peanuts knows that Charlie Brown
never succeeds does so the game is more than just that.
It's like, when you think about that special teams coach,
he has a wealth of responsibility because from In my mind,
(09:26):
he's coaching more of the game because you guys have
guys who are playing on both sides of the ball.
He's coaching offense and defense simultaneously. He is trying to
keep an adequate account of who's on the field, who's
coming off, personnel group things, what is he calling are
they executing? Because he's got to teach the most guys, right,
(09:47):
he's got to teach DB's wide receivers. He's got to
teach you know, tight ends if they're on special teams,
which most of those guys are not because they're not
physical and athletic, but all those skilled players that special
teams coach has to coach all of those guys right,
and when they when we're talking about a practice, let
me lay it out for you guys who's listening, that
(10:09):
everyone's going to their different position of groups. Now, they're
doing drills, they're doing all these things. At some point
they got to get together for special teams. And the
way that it worked under you know coaches like Mike Westolf,
you cannot take it down off on special teams. I
don't care if you're tied on offensive defense. We really
don't care what take it down off there, but not
(10:33):
on special not on time. That's the way that he
ran his ship. And that's where where special teams coaches
are so undervalue. But they are so important to the
game because, like I said, everyone focused so much on
the offense. It's the quarterback, how well he's playing, attempt completions, turnovers,
(10:54):
what is he doing on third down? But I tell
you what, every single game, at the beginning of the
game and that coming out of the half, it starts.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
With what special teams play special teams.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
And you best believe you better have on your rosters
guys who are not in that first tier, maybe second tier,
that third and fourth you better be high on special
teams because that's your job, that's your world, that's where
you live in.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
That's where I cut my teeth.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
So this whole idea that well, you know, you could
just bring any guy and coach special teams.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
No, no, you can't.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
The other thing is, not only are they coaching a
lot of guys, they're also coaching like young guys who
are just like getting into the league, trying to earn
a spot on a team. There are oftentimes like guys
who haven't played a lot of football, So you've got
to be clearest communicator.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Oh Field, I'm laughing because you're right.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Because if Mike Westuff is here right now and he
told you about what it was like coaching the young
Nick Ferguson the New York Jets, he would tell you
how much time do you have? Because Nick was a
royal pain in my backside because I was a young
player trying to figure it out. And Coach Westal puts
a lot of pressure on you to go out there
(12:10):
and perform because he's a brilliant guy. And every single
play he draws up from a return standpoint or a
block standpoint in.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
His mind, it's gonna work.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
And if it didn't work, it was because of you, right, So.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
There was a couple of times things might not have
worked right because a young Nick Ferguson took a step
too quick. I took a step too slow, and now
I gotta go to the sideline, and I got to
see his face. But I'm going the opposite way.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I'm going to.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Opposite way to me. I'm just going over here.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I'm going he said over your coach to Coach Weston.
But that's how that's how it was. The game of football.
It's very intense, and that part of the ball should
be intense. You played with a reckless abandonment because once
again you're trying to show through your efforts on special
teams that you deserve an opportunity such a compete for
(13:09):
that starting safety or corner job.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
That's where that's where you earn your keep.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
The special teams is just such an interesting part of
the game. Like no other down does the does more
yardage change than on special teams. So it's such a
crucial part of the game. It's also the part of
the game that for like fans, there's so many like
weird rules that like, you don't know, okay, after this happens,
is it a live ball in this situation?
Speaker 2 (13:35):
What is this?
Speaker 1 (13:36):
We saw the you know the free kick? Uh just
I that. Yeah. So, like as a coach, you got
to be on top of all of these kind of weird,
quirky rules and you just got to make sure that
everybody's executing perfectly because like we mentioned, it's only when
something goes wrong do fans start thinking who is the
(13:58):
special teams coordinator?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Because once again, thinking about how many there's twenty two
players on offensive defense, so the offensive coordinator is managing
eleven players, the defensive coordinator is managing eleven players. But
the special teams coordinator, oh man, he's got a gang
of players. He's got to charge, he's got to manage,
he's got to make sure they're well coached up. And
then you know, you may have an assistant, and that's
(14:21):
one assistant, but you have to watch so many guys
and make sure everyone is doing what you need to do.
And my point of telling you guys, to let you
guys know, being football fans, I'm gonna make you smarter, right,
don't just dismiss special teams.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
It's an intricate part of the game.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Like watching a punt get covered that is really fascinating.
Because everybody's got these lanes, they're trying to funnel all
of the traffic to one area. It can be very confusing.
And also when you're watching a practice, it can be
very confusing too, just because there's so many guys on
the field all running and you're like, each guy's got
(15:01):
their own assignment. But it does seem like maybe there's
a little bit of chaos out there to an untrained eye.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
But see, you're right, it's chaos, but it's an organized chaos. Yeah,
if you don't know what you're doing, and I'll take
you back for a second, don't know if you remember
this play, Kansas City is slaying Buffalo. The ball is
kicked off to Kansas City. I'm sitting there screaming at
the television.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Right, because you're supposed.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
To fan the field, like every guy accounts for maybe
a portion of the field lane they're lane and if
your guy is somehow being blocked, now you replace him,
and then now.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
He replaced you.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Right, But what happened in that game against Kansasine and Buffalo.
All Buffalo players almost like a mask to a flame.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
They were drawn to the returner.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Meanwhile, they didn't realize that there's a whole up side
and there's a block size.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
So let me tell you guys what that means.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Hold up side means they're gonna crash one side and
they're gonna make sure that most people on that side
can't get down the field. They're gonna force them to
go inside the block side. They're just gonna run like
they're attempting to block a kick and rotate all the
way around to set up the wall. And what they
when they set up the wall, the returner may be
twenty yards away from them. Now you have to run
(16:21):
and sprint as fast as you can to get to
the returner to set up an actual wall to knock
down pans one, two, three. And I'm watching this game,
and I'm going like I'm watching at home. They're on
the field, there's no way they're gonna follow one another
like Keystone cops.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And sure enough, they sure did.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
And then the returner came and ran and put the
ball on the opposite forty. These are the things in
attention to detail that you need on special teams, and
sometimes if you don't get them, you have exposed to plays.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Thanks Nick, I feel so much smarter now you.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Can go out there and play special teams right now.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
And the Chiefs, of course, Dave Toe is a legendary
special teams coach.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
So yes, And once again, we always talk about the
brilliance of defensive coordinators the brilliance of offensive coordinators. Really
do we talk about the brilliants of special teams coaches.
We talk about the failures. And you were just talking
about a great punt, No no, no, no for me,
a great play from a special team standpoint is when
(17:30):
you hear this sound and it's two thumps, and what
that means is ball is blocked, balls on the ground.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
It's scoop and score.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Yeah, those are nice sounds.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yes, I need to hear that.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Tell me a little bit about what you think happened
here with the Broncos in the special team spot. Because
Mike west Off, you're your old coach, he leaves after
that Chiefs game, has some health issues. Then it seemed
like things are going well and you look at the staff.
Bencott Weeka's there and Chris Banjo, the assistant. He gets
(18:04):
a job with the Jets here, so he must have
been doing a good job. It sounds like maybe you're
a surprised that Kyt Weeka was like go too, So, like,
what do you think that the situation was like with
all that?
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Well, this is me just speculating just the fact that
maybe coach Shawn wanted to go to a different way direction. Yeah,
Sean Payton decided, you know what, Mike west Off was here.
He brought you along once again. West Off is my guy, You're.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Not my guy?
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Yeah, right exactly.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
And even though the special teams unit still played up
to a higher standard that Mike Westoff left.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
He established it.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
He established it because Marvin mahams Pro Bowl again in
his second year.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Yeah, unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah, special teams were still doing well, but postseason evaluation,
Sean Peyton thought, you know what, there's some things maybe
taking place in New Orleans. I get another guy that
is comfortable with me, a guy that I know, Mike
west Off, a guy that I know is now gone,
So let me try to make some change.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
So I hoole coach kott.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Wick could get another opportunity because I felt as though
he did a great job filling in for Mike west Off.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, and that was always like sort of a unique
dynamic there with west Hoff, you know, sort of it
sounds like Sean Payton like practically begged him to come back,
you know, in this older age, and then he said, Okay,
I'm gonna bring him kyt Weka. I'm gonna bring him
Banjo and this is gonna be my crew. And kyt
Weka was the actual one who had the title of
(19:38):
special teams coordinators. So interesting dynamic there. We'll get into
a lot more about this Broncos coaching step because they
have quite a few positions to fill here. So, uh well,
we'll get into all of that as we just get
getting started here on Broncos Country tonight. We're having a
good time here talking about maybe the next special teams
(19:59):
coordinator for your Denver Broncos, Darren Rizzy. That's what the
reports are out there. Not a done deal just yet.
My question, though, Nick, is that the Broncos having to
replace quite a few quote coaches this offseason. Is that
Is it a good thing that so many guys are
leaving to take bigger jobs or is it now concerning
(20:21):
to you that they got to fill a lot of spots. No.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I like the idea that guys are taking bigger jobs
for whatever reason. They could be that, hey, maybe things
didn't work out well here with the Denver Broncos. They
got a better offer. Fine, But looking at the fact
that you have some coaches who are now becoming offensive coordinators.
You know, when you think about Chris Banjo, I mean,
(20:45):
he's only two years removed from the game, and now
he is the special teams coordinator for the New York Jets.
So that shows that there's growth within the program. And
once again, we don't know exactly why is happening. Or
how is happening. What we do know is how it's happening,
But we don't know the true essence of what took
(21:07):
place inside the building that may have led to this.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
We don't know.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
All I know is is coaches are now getting better jobs.
When you think about John Morton, and I had a
chance during the summer to talk.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
To John Morton, because the big.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Thing was everyone was making a big deal out of
what he was saying to Troy Franklin. How he was
very vocal, but when you talk to him, he is
very passionate. And when you are very passionate, it comes
out in different ways. Some people think that it's anger,
but it's your passion that's coming out. And when you
see a player that has a certain ability and they're
not living up to those aspirations, then you get.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
A little upset.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
So I understand John Moore, but now to see him
get become an offensive coordinator. Then David Shaw right, who
was working on the scouting side, now he's the passing
game coordinator for Jery Golf now. And I like it
because he did a hell of a job with Andrew
Luck and I can't wait to see what.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
He does with Jared Goff. But this is a good thing.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
The Broncos and moving coaches in, the moving coaches on.
Notice I didn't say move them out right, move them
in and move them up.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, that's what you want to do. Yeah, you want
these guys to grow it and develop. And you know,
like bad teams don't lose all their coaches to better jobs, you.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Know what I mean, no one wants those coaches.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
That doesn't tend to happen.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
They think about the same job, like like how many
people were just kind of wanting the Saint job? Like
Mike McCarthy is this blows my mind. Mike McCarthy was like, nah, fam,
I'm good. I'll wait until twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I think that the more you're in coaching, you learn about, Okay,
what is a successful situation, And if you're a guy
like McCarthy, you're like, Okay, how many more opportunities am
I going to get? Is the Saints? Is that the
situation where I'm gonna be able to thrive there? If not, hey,
I'm gonna I'm gonna wait till the next cycle. I
think that a guy like MacArthur, you can have some
(23:02):
patients there and these guys they want to coach like
a young quarterback who's about to learn, you know, about
to learn and grow and develop, and somebody that they're
going to attach themselves to. You know, so many times
like now, like Sean Payton is attached to bow Nicks,
And that's the kind of situation you want, especially if
(23:23):
you're an offensive coach. You want to go to a
situation where either there's already a young quarterback there who's
on the rise, like say like maybe like a Trevor
Lawrence somewhere where you're like, Okay, there's a young guy
here who I can really work with and develop, maybe
like Caleb Williams in Chicago. That's why you know that
was a desirable job. Or you want to a situation
(23:46):
where you're going to go in and you'll be able
to draft that quarterback that you're going to attach your
name to. Doesn't sound like that. Maybe is a situation
there in Norlands.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
So yeah, we won't feel It all depends because.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Having a young quarter may not always be the best
thing for you, depending on the level of patience with
the fan base and ownership. So you may want to
go into the situation where you have a proven veteran
that you know that you can you can win right away.
But if you know that you're gonna have a longer deal,
now you say, okay, well i'll take that younger quarterback.
We will develop him. And you also know that now
(24:20):
you have time because being having a young quarterback, it
gives a justifier for while we struggle someway. But also
since you have that rookie quarterback on a rookie deal,
you can now take that excess cash and go out
and get veteran guys. But when you look at the
Saint situation, they are thirty second in the league as
(24:40):
far as cat space. So now you're telling MacArthur anyone
that takes over that job you ain't cat purgatory right.
You're gonna lose some of your veteran pieces. You're gonna
have a.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Really young team.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Oh, by the way, this fan base was used to
winning after having paper bags over their heads.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So you're walking right into that situation.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
And for Mike McCarthy, he's thinking, well, I'm coming out
of Dallas. We had some good quality years. There's a
lot of pressure on me in Dallas. Do I want
to leave Dallas go to the Saints be in this
situation where it could be one or two years and done.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Then after that my coaching career is over.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Yeah, exactly, he's got to pick the right spot for
the next job. Yes, he already just went through that
a little bit with Dak, a great quarterback, but like
maybe he's like, I don't want to adopt another situation
similar to that where you've got a good quarterback who's
already into his career like that, maybe he just didn't
want to do that.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Well, here's the other thing too.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
We were seeing a lot of coaches be a little
more demanding or wanting to be better word, be a
little more in charge.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
And they and what I mean by that is the
fact of okay.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Well you bringing me in, who's my GM me? And
that GM may not get along. Think about what happened
with the Jags when the Jags were like, okay, well
Trip Bocky was gonna be the guy, and then Liam
calms like, well, if you gonna keep him him out,
and then all of a sudden something happened with this
baby was saying next thing, you know, he's he's going.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Due a It's like, what are we doing man? What
are we doing this?
Speaker 3 (26:19):
This is what you have to be careful because all
those things have to line.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Dude, Yeah not.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
No, no.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Laugh, but hell, I gotta lab as funny as hell.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Du Sometimes Nick, I don't know about you, but when
I see something like that, I'm like, does this guy
look like he's gonna be a successful coach in the NFL?
Like a head coach? Like you just see that? Like
how important is it to win that press conference? It
feels like sometimes you're like, right away, You're like, hmm,
(27:02):
I got a weird feeling about this guy right off
the bat.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
It's like you ever see those videos with with with
the with the animals and the dog turns his head
and he's.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
Like, h's he trying to figure out what.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
It was? That type of thing, And you're right, you
you want to somewhat collavigate winning the press conference to
fire up the fan base but also get those players
fired up as well. But I we all have faults,
we all s to stumble. So I'm hoping that that's
the last we're going to see of any video like that.
And I wish coach Coin, you know, a lot of
(27:38):
success down.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah, I mean, he might be a genius coach and
become an amazing head.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Coach's a lot of people socially awkward.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Yeah, yes, That's why I'm asking you, like, how important
is that? Because like, when I think about some of
those head coaching introductions, do you think about like Adam
Gasee with his huge eyes up there, or like.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Dang cammel by easy turned out?
Speaker 2 (28:02):
You know what it turned out?
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Yes, you know what I think, because that's true to
his personality. And so maybe that's what Coin's like, you know,
like the maybe that's just cool.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Maybe maybe Egg is gonna be on our face for
just making fun of h.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
He's gonna come back and be like, oh, you guys
who are making fun of me, look at me now? Yeah?
Who knows. So we spent you know, a long time
talking about special teams and the coaching situation with the
with the Broncos. Here, one thing they don't have to
worry about is, you know, Sean Payton the offensive side
of the ball. You know, there's gonna be some consistency
(28:41):
there and that's gonna be a big deal for bo Nicks.
You know, sometimes these young quarterbacks in the NFL, their coach,
their position, coach changes and changes and it's hard to
have that consistency, and it's hard to grow. Caleb Williams
dealing with that this offseason now got to restart essentially here.
(29:03):
The good thing for Bo he doesn't have to go
through that, And you know that's gonna be a big help,
right Nick, There's.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Gonna be a tremendous help, because it's very difficult when
you even though you're playing in a professional sport and
everyone expects you to know everything, but when you have
to learn different offensive defensive scheme, the verbiage is different,
those checks are different, so it takes time to kind
of get into somewhat of a groove. But the fact
(29:31):
that the Broncos have found their quarterback, there is somewhat
of a consistency at the quarterback position, the ownership, the
GM position, and the play calling position. It makes life
easy for a lot of individuals. Think about how the
defense played this past season. A historic walho sixty three
sacks Undervans Joseph and you're only doing that because a
(29:54):
lot of those players were in the defense for the
first time and you have some young guys freaking through.
But this is what I'm very optimistic for twenty twenty five.
But as far as bo is concerned, he doesn't have
to worry about that.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Yeah, this is sort of a weird offseason for all
of us here because for the first time in a
long time, there's no ownership conversation here. There's no GM conversation,
there's no coaching conversation, there's no quarterback conversation. It's kind
of slow, Nick, Well.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
I wouldn't say hold on for a sudden. I wouldn't
say it's that slow, because even though we don't have
GM quarterback, head coach owning questions, we do have running
back questions. Yeah, there's no questions wide receiver, linebacker, safety,
stop me when I get to a point.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
But this is still very exciting.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
But that's one area that you don't have to worry
about and fans can be happy about.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Yeah. I'm excited for me. Yeah, what year two is
going to be like for both?
Speaker 3 (30:56):
But it's not going to be highly productive until certain
areas from position to standpoints are addressed.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Now, with Bow in particular, there's sort of this dreaded
sophomore Slump's a sophomore slump? Yeah? Is that a real thing?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Nick?
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Really?
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Did you see what happened down in Houston, Texas, right,
c J. Stroud was having a sophomore slump. Luckily for him,
he had Joe Mixon to turn around the hand the
ball to yes, which Grant is quite familiar with from
those of Bengal days.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, and you got some swag from the Texans today.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
It looks like on your Instagram.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Yes, we'll say that. We'll say that.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
But the sophomore slump, I mean, it was.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
So bad in Houston that Bobby slog which is which
was crazy that he was let.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Go because that first year, I mean c J. Stroud
was playing out of this world.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
Uh, and we were like, Wow, we're gonna see a
rookie break certain numbers and do certain things, and then
we didn't see it. And then this season we saw
Jane Daniels just take the league by storm.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Yeah, we never thought we ever see another like rookie
season like that. And then boom, the very next year,
Jaydaen just comes in and does that. We're just getting
started on this bow Nick stuff because we got a
lot too breakdown with his sophomore campaign coming up after
the offseason. But time for a quick break here on
Broncks Country tonight.
With the one and only Nick Ferguson. How are you doing, Nick?
Speaker 2 (00:02):
What's that off hill? It is, uh, feel good Friday.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
So it's about bringing some juice, none of that laid
back stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
To turn up. It's Friday night. People are heading out,
they're listening to the show. They wanted to know what's
going on with the bron because we got to bring
energy tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yes, give the people what they want.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, of course the Bronco's maybe a little bit of
news circulating out there right now, maybe have found their
next special teams coordinator, but also maybe not.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Can you explain a little bit.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, I mean, obviously we know that Bencott Wickham was
giving his pink slip and everyone was.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Wondering who's gonna come fill the void?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
And for a second there it looks like Chris Banjo
was going to return and possibly become.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
The head guy.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
But no, he's gone to join his former DV coach
Aaron Glenn with the New York Jets. So the Broncos
were trying to figure out who was going to step
into that position. But there have been some whispers, right
some backdoor conversations that Darren Rizzy was probably going to
be that guy. By all accounts, it seemed as though
(01:09):
he's about to step into that role.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
We one thing we know about Sean Payton is he
loves coaches that he has a history with. If you
work with him with the Saints, come on, come on
a board.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
We know this.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
But so now there's a little bit of conflicting reports
out there. So Ian Rappaport of NFL Network, he says that,
you know, the Saints are zeroing in on Kellen Moore
to become their next head coach. He of course, is
coaching in the Super Bowl here with the Eagles, so
they have to wait until they can make that final.
Darren Rizzy was the interim coach there in New Orleans
(01:44):
this year. He's trying to, you know, wait it out
and see what happens there in New Orleans because you know,
if he can, he'd like to be the head coach obviously.
And then so Rappaport now reading reported about forty eight
minutes ago, he says, as a Saint zero in on
Kellen Moore, slated to have another conversation with him after
the Super Bowl, introim coach, Darren Rizzy is likely to
(02:08):
become the new Broncos special teams coordinator. Sources say okay,
Rizzy coached three years with Sean Payton in New Orleans.
But then, just a minute after that rap sheet quote,
tweets himself and says, Darren Rizzy has been the favorite
in Denver for some time. Though the Broncos will conduct
(02:29):
a full and complete search for their new special teams coordinator.
So maybe he got a little ahead of himself there.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Well, well, sometimes that happens when one is breaking news
or attempting to break news and be the first one
to put that out there. But look, I would say
that was kind of a question that I had once
Mike Westolf stepped away. Wicker and the special team units
still continue to play at a high standard. I didn't
(02:58):
anticipate that he would be out of work and the
Broncos would be in this particular situation. But looking at
what has happened to the Broncos as a.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Team thus far, we've seen a courser.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Of coaches take jobs other places, others not being drought back.
But finally there could be some positive news on the horizon,
you know, some leaving someone coming back in. So we'll
we'll have to see, but I will say this, when
you think about Dann Rizzy's Special Teams unit, that they
(03:31):
were performing pretty decent down in New Orleans. I would
argue that all the three phases, that was probably the
best phase as far as production is concerning your right
field coach. Peyton likes to surround himself with guys that
he is quite familiar with. They know how he coached,
they know his temperament, but more importantly, they know how
(03:54):
to handle his temperament.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Yes, you have to have a certain personality to be
able to get yelled and screamed at like that and
just be cool moving forward.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Right, Well, listen, here's.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
What I can say, Like, I haven't been around the
Broncos in that regard that they just got an internship,
but there was not a lot of yelling and screaming,
but maybe John Morton trying to get the guys to
kind of get going. But I understand that standpoint because
my time around Bill Parcells. But when I first got
to New York from the Buffalo Bills, so you got
to understand this. I'm going from Wayne Phillips to build
(04:29):
Pluscells Waite.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Of course, the most cool just just chill.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
So all this language I'm like, I need ear muffs
right now, because I mean, you had all these coaches
that I watched growing up who were former players for Parcels,
who was coaching with him and for me, like here
with the Differ Broncos, there was Alex Gibbs. So the
(04:56):
New York's Jets version of Alex Gibbs was Maurice kart On.
When I tell you, man, he had a vocabulary of
words that I could not say right now, but you
knew exactly what he meant and where you stood. But
Parcels wanted guys who were around him who can coach
hard and who was going to press those types of buttons.
(05:17):
So with coach Peyton spending time with Bill Parcels in Dallas,
you gotta think that why do you think Aaron Glenn
was there with him in New Orleans? And so was
Dan Campbell.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Yeah, they're all cut from that same cloth.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
And let me tell you this, now, everyone that cloth
that they're cut for from.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Not everyone can wash their body with that cloth.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yes, yes, exactly that that's a very verbally intense cloth.
I'll put it that way. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Yeah, So the way I read those traits is that
it seems like Rizzy's going to be the guy, But
the Broncos want to follow all the proper protocols, go
through the search process. But what protocol? Yeah, it feels
like Rizzy's coming in. Here's my question to you and Nick,
is that by all accounts, like the Broncos special teams
(06:11):
was pretty good last year, right? But like I think
that for like most fans, all they're gonna whenever they
think about the Broncos special teams, the only thing they're
gonna think about is that chiefs block. That's sort of
the life of special teams are like a special teamers, Huh?
Is that like you're supposed to just I agree, It's
(06:32):
like special teams is always like you just go out
there and you're supposed to just do what you're supposed
to do, and nobody appreciates it, and then when it
goes wrong, it's like you.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Had one job.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
You absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
It's just like when everyone goes through a game, they
stand there, especially for office, especially this year with boat
Nicks and the love of excitement, but also with the
defense and how well they were playing all season a long.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Then the special teams.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Is like, well, you know what I can get on
my I go use the bathroom, I go to the concessus.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Stands, so he's not. But it's not until.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
There is a block kick right, or there is a return.
And the thing that actually was so exciting about the
Ronco Special Teams Will LUTs and how he was kicking
from a field goals standpoint and then Marvin Mahm's on
a return standpoint.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
It was just sensational.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
But special teams, You're right, it is a phase of
the game that gets overlooked into something negative. Happened, And
so many people when looking at bencott Wickham, they were
pointing at two things. They were pointing at the play
in Kansas City that you reference, and they were pointing
at the play and on the Thursday night game against
(07:44):
the Charges in maya pick and that was not Ben
klled Wicks's fault. You a coach, and I know this
being coached by Mike Westoff. As far as being a gunner,
the ball comes off upon his foot. As you're running,
you track the flight of the ball and then your
eyes automatically go to the returner. Is he waving a
(08:06):
fair catch? And if he's not waving a fair catch,
you run through his chests. Yeah, but on that particular play,
didn't see it.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
It's like, how.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, I guess Here's my other question, Nick, How important
is a special teams coordinator? Like how much are they?
How much are they dictating? Like what like, okay, you
know that offensive coordinators calling the places. He's got his style,
you know that. Okay, he likes to do X Y Z.
(08:36):
Defensive coordinator. Oh, this guy likes you know, he likes
to dial up the blitzes. He likes to play this style.
Tell me about a special teams coordinator. Do do these
guys have a style? Because, like to someone uneducated like
myself about special teams, go make the kick, kick the
ball over here, kick it through the end zone, and
(08:57):
then the ball and go get the guy. That's what
it seems like.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Fel the way you set that up, that was almost
like watching The Peanuts and watching Charlie Brown trying to
kick the ball out of Loosey's hands. And anyone who's
ever seen, you know, the Peanuts knows that Charlie Brown
never succeeds does so the game is more than just that.
It's like, when you think about that special teams coach,
he has a wealth of responsibility because from In my mind,
(09:26):
he's coaching more of the game because you guys have
guys who are playing on both sides of the ball.
He's coaching offense and defense simultaneously. He is trying to
keep an adequate account of who's on the field, who's
coming off, personnel group things, what is he calling are
they executing? Because he's got to teach the most guys, right,
(09:47):
he's got to teach DB's wide receivers. He's got to
teach you know, tight ends if they're on special teams,
which most of those guys are not because they're not
physical and athletic, but all those skilled players that special
teams coach has to coach all of those guys right,
and when they when we're talking about a practice, let
me lay it out for you guys who's listening, that
(10:09):
everyone's going to their different position of groups. Now, they're
doing drills, they're doing all these things. At some point
they got to get together for special teams. And the
way that it worked under you know coaches like Mike Westolf,
you cannot take it down off on special teams. I
don't care if you're tied on offensive defense. We really
don't care what take it down off there, but not
(10:33):
on special not on time. That's the way that he
ran his ship. And that's where where special teams coaches
are so undervalue. But they are so important to the
game because, like I said, everyone focused so much on
the offense. It's the quarterback, how well he's playing, attempt completions, turnovers,
(10:54):
what is he doing on third down? But I tell
you what, every single game, at the beginning of the
game and that coming out of the half, it starts.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
With what special teams play special teams.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
And you best believe you better have on your rosters
guys who are not in that first tier, maybe second tier,
that third and fourth you better be high on special
teams because that's your job, that's your world, that's where
you live in.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
That's where I cut my teeth.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
So this whole idea that well, you know, you could
just bring any guy and coach special teams.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
No, no, you can't.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
The other thing is, not only are they coaching a
lot of guys, they're also coaching like young guys who
are just like getting into the league, trying to earn
a spot on a team. There are oftentimes like guys
who haven't played a lot of football, So you've got
to be clearest communicator.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Oh Field, I'm laughing because you're right.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Because if Mike Westuff is here right now and he
told you about what it was like coaching the young
Nick Ferguson the New York Jets, he would tell you
how much time do you have? Because Nick was a
royal pain in my backside because I was a young
player trying to figure it out. And Coach Westal puts
a lot of pressure on you to go out there
(12:10):
and perform because he's a brilliant guy. And every single
play he draws up from a return standpoint or a
block standpoint in.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
His mind, it's gonna work.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
And if it didn't work, it was because of you, right, So.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
There was a couple of times things might not have
worked right because a young Nick Ferguson took a step
too quick. I took a step too slow, and now
I gotta go to the sideline, and I got to
see his face. But I'm going the opposite way.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I'm going to.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Opposite way to me. I'm just going over here.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I'm going he said over your coach to Coach Weston.
But that's how that's how it was. The game of football.
It's very intense, and that part of the ball should
be intense. You played with a reckless abandonment because once
again you're trying to show through your efforts on special
teams that you deserve an opportunity such a compete for
(13:09):
that starting safety or corner job.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
That's where that's where you earn your keep.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
The special teams is just such an interesting part of
the game. Like no other down does the does more
yardage change than on special teams. So it's such a
crucial part of the game. It's also the part of
the game that for like fans, there's so many like
weird rules that like, you don't know, okay, after this happens,
is it a live ball in this situation?
Speaker 2 (13:35):
What is this?
Speaker 1 (13:36):
We saw the you know the free kick? Uh just
I that. Yeah. So, like as a coach, you got
to be on top of all of these kind of weird,
quirky rules and you just got to make sure that
everybody's executing perfectly because like we mentioned, it's only when
something goes wrong do fans start thinking who is the
(13:58):
special teams coordinator?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Because once again, thinking about how many there's twenty two
players on offensive defense, so the offensive coordinator is managing
eleven players, the defensive coordinator is managing eleven players. But
the special teams coordinator, oh man, he's got a gang
of players. He's got to charge, he's got to manage,
he's got to make sure they're well coached up. And
then you know, you may have an assistant, and that's
(14:21):
one assistant, but you have to watch so many guys
and make sure everyone is doing what you need to do.
And my point of telling you guys, to let you
guys know, being football fans, I'm gonna make you smarter, right,
don't just dismiss special teams.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
It's an intricate part of the game.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Like watching a punt get covered that is really fascinating.
Because everybody's got these lanes, they're trying to funnel all
of the traffic to one area. It can be very confusing.
And also when you're watching a practice, it can be
very confusing too, just because there's so many guys on
the field all running and you're like, each guy's got
(15:01):
their own assignment. But it does seem like maybe there's
a little bit of chaos out there to an untrained eye.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
But see, you're right, it's chaos, but it's an organized chaos. Yeah,
if you don't know what you're doing, and I'll take
you back for a second, don't know if you remember
this play, Kansas City is slaying Buffalo. The ball is
kicked off to Kansas City. I'm sitting there screaming at
the television.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Right, because you're supposed.
Speaker 3 (15:28):
To fan the field, like every guy accounts for maybe
a portion of the field lane they're lane and if
your guy is somehow being blocked, now you replace him,
and then now.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
He replaced you.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Right, But what happened in that game against Kansasine and Buffalo.
All Buffalo players almost like a mask to a flame.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
They were drawn to the returner.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Meanwhile, they didn't realize that there's a whole up side
and there's a block size.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
So let me tell you guys what that means.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Hold up side means they're gonna crash one side and
they're gonna make sure that most people on that side
can't get down the field. They're gonna force them to
go inside the block side. They're just gonna run like
they're attempting to block a kick and rotate all the
way around to set up the wall. And what they
when they set up the wall, the returner may be
twenty yards away from them. Now you have to run
(16:21):
and sprint as fast as you can to get to
the returner to set up an actual wall to knock
down pans one, two, three. And I'm watching this game,
and I'm going like I'm watching at home. They're on
the field, there's no way they're gonna follow one another
like Keystone cops.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
And sure enough, they sure did.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
And then the returner came and ran and put the
ball on the opposite forty. These are the things in
attention to detail that you need on special teams, and
sometimes if you don't get them, you have exposed to plays.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Thanks Nick, I feel so much smarter now you.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Can go out there and play special teams right now.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
And the Chiefs, of course, Dave Toe is a legendary
special teams coach.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
So yes, And once again, we always talk about the
brilliance of defensive coordinators the brilliance of offensive coordinators. Really
do we talk about the brilliants of special teams coaches.
We talk about the failures. And you were just talking
about a great punt, No no, no, no for me,
a great play from a special team standpoint is when
(17:30):
you hear this sound and it's two thumps, and what
that means is ball is blocked, balls on the ground.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
It's scoop and score.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Yeah, those are nice sounds.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yes, I need to hear that.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Tell me a little bit about what you think happened
here with the Broncos in the special team spot. Because
Mike west Off, you're your old coach, he leaves after
that Chiefs game, has some health issues. Then it seemed
like things are going well and you look at the staff.
Bencott Weeka's there and Chris Banjo, the assistant. He gets
(18:04):
a job with the Jets here, so he must have
been doing a good job. It sounds like maybe you're
a surprised that Kyt Weeka was like go too, So, like,
what do you think that the situation was like with
all that?
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Well, this is me just speculating just the fact that
maybe coach Shawn wanted to go to a different way direction. Yeah,
Sean Payton decided, you know what, Mike west Off was here.
He brought you along once again. West Off is my guy, You're.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Not my guy?
Speaker 1 (18:31):
Yeah, right exactly.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
And even though the special teams unit still played up
to a higher standard that Mike Westoff left.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
He established it.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
He established it because Marvin mahams Pro Bowl again in
his second year.
Speaker 2 (18:46):
Yeah, unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Yeah, special teams were still doing well, but postseason evaluation,
Sean Peyton thought, you know what, there's some things maybe
taking place in New Orleans. I get another guy that
is comfortable with me, a guy that I know, Mike
west Off, a guy that I know is now gone,
So let me try to make some change.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
So I hoole coach kott.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Wick could get another opportunity because I felt as though
he did a great job filling in for Mike west Off.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Yeah, and that was always like sort of a unique
dynamic there with west Hoff, you know, sort of it
sounds like Sean Payton like practically begged him to come back,
you know, in this older age, and then he said, Okay,
I'm gonna bring him kyt Weka. I'm gonna bring him
Banjo and this is gonna be my crew. And kyt
Weka was the actual one who had the title of
(19:38):
special teams coordinators. So interesting dynamic there. We'll get into
a lot more about this Broncos coaching step because they
have quite a few positions to fill here. So, uh well,
we'll get into all of that as we just get
getting started here on Broncos Country tonight. We're having a
good time here talking about maybe the next special teams
(19:59):
coordinator for your Denver Broncos, Darren Rizzy. That's what the
reports are out there. Not a done deal just yet.
My question, though, Nick, is that the Broncos having to
replace quite a few quote coaches this offseason. Is that
Is it a good thing that so many guys are
leaving to take bigger jobs or is it now concerning
(20:21):
to you that they got to fill a lot of spots. No.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I like the idea that guys are taking bigger jobs
for whatever reason. They could be that, hey, maybe things
didn't work out well here with the Denver Broncos. They
got a better offer. Fine, But looking at the fact
that you have some coaches who are now becoming offensive coordinators.
You know, when you think about Chris Banjo, I mean,
(20:45):
he's only two years removed from the game, and now
he is the special teams coordinator for the New York Jets.
So that shows that there's growth within the program. And
once again, we don't know exactly why is happening. Or
how is happening. What we do know is how it's happening,
But we don't know the true essence of what took
(21:07):
place inside the building that may have led to this.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
We don't know.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
All I know is is coaches are now getting better jobs.
When you think about John Morton, and I had a
chance during the summer to talk.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
To John Morton, because the big.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Thing was everyone was making a big deal out of
what he was saying to Troy Franklin. How he was
very vocal, but when you talk to him, he is
very passionate. And when you are very passionate, it comes
out in different ways. Some people think that it's anger,
but it's your passion that's coming out. And when you
see a player that has a certain ability and they're
not living up to those aspirations, then you get.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
A little upset.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
So I understand John Moore, but now to see him
get become an offensive coordinator. Then David Shaw right, who
was working on the scouting side, now he's the passing
game coordinator for Jery Golf now. And I like it
because he did a hell of a job with Andrew
Luck and I can't wait to see what.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
He does with Jared Goff. But this is a good thing.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
The Broncos and moving coaches in, the moving coaches on.
Notice I didn't say move them out right, move them
in and move them up.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, that's what you want to do. Yeah, you want
these guys to grow it and develop. And you know,
like bad teams don't lose all their coaches to better jobs, you.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Know what I mean, no one wants those coaches.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
That doesn't tend to happen.
Speaker 3 (22:29):
They think about the same job, like like how many
people were just kind of wanting the Saint job? Like
Mike McCarthy is this blows my mind. Mike McCarthy was like, nah, fam,
I'm good. I'll wait until twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I think that the more you're in coaching, you learn about, Okay,
what is a successful situation, And if you're a guy
like McCarthy, you're like, Okay, how many more opportunities am
I going to get? Is the Saints? Is that the
situation where I'm gonna be able to thrive there? If not, hey,
I'm gonna I'm gonna wait till the next cycle. I
think that a guy like MacArthur, you can have some
(23:02):
patients there and these guys they want to coach like
a young quarterback who's about to learn, you know, about
to learn and grow and develop, and somebody that they're
going to attach themselves to. You know, so many times
like now, like Sean Payton is attached to bow Nicks,
And that's the kind of situation you want, especially if
(23:23):
you're an offensive coach. You want to go to a
situation where either there's already a young quarterback there who's
on the rise, like say like maybe like a Trevor
Lawrence somewhere where you're like, Okay, there's a young guy
here who I can really work with and develop, maybe
like Caleb Williams in Chicago. That's why you know that
was a desirable job. Or you want to a situation
(23:46):
where you're going to go in and you'll be able
to draft that quarterback that you're going to attach your
name to. Doesn't sound like that. Maybe is a situation
there in Norlands.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
So yeah, we won't feel It all depends because.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Having a young quarter may not always be the best
thing for you, depending on the level of patience with
the fan base and ownership. So you may want to
go into the situation where you have a proven veteran
that you know that you can you can win right away.
But if you know that you're gonna have a longer deal,
now you say, okay, well i'll take that younger quarterback.
We will develop him. And you also know that now
(24:20):
you have time because being having a young quarterback, it
gives a justifier for while we struggle someway. But also
since you have that rookie quarterback on a rookie deal,
you can now take that excess cash and go out
and get veteran guys. But when you look at the
Saint situation, they are thirty second in the league as
(24:40):
far as cat space. So now you're telling MacArthur anyone
that takes over that job you ain't cat purgatory right.
You're gonna lose some of your veteran pieces. You're gonna
have a.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
Really young team.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Oh, by the way, this fan base was used to
winning after having paper bags over their heads.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
So you're walking right into that situation.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
And for Mike McCarthy, he's thinking, well, I'm coming out
of Dallas. We had some good quality years. There's a
lot of pressure on me in Dallas. Do I want
to leave Dallas go to the Saints be in this
situation where it could be one or two years and done.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Then after that my coaching career is over.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Yeah, exactly, he's got to pick the right spot for
the next job. Yes, he already just went through that
a little bit with Dak, a great quarterback, but like
maybe he's like, I don't want to adopt another situation
similar to that where you've got a good quarterback who's
already into his career like that, maybe he just didn't
want to do that.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Well, here's the other thing too.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
We were seeing a lot of coaches be a little
more demanding or wanting to be better word, be a
little more in charge.
Speaker 2 (25:51):
And they and what I mean by that is the
fact of okay.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Well you bringing me in, who's my GM me? And
that GM may not get along. Think about what happened
with the Jags when the Jags were like, okay, well
Trip Bocky was gonna be the guy, and then Liam
calms like, well, if you gonna keep him him out,
and then all of a sudden something happened with this
baby was saying next thing, you know, he's he's going.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Due a It's like, what are we doing man? What
are we doing this?
Speaker 3 (26:19):
This is what you have to be careful because all
those things have to line.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Dude, Yeah not.
Speaker 4 (26:31):
No, no.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Laugh, but hell, I gotta lab as funny as hell.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Du Sometimes Nick, I don't know about you, but when
I see something like that, I'm like, does this guy
look like he's gonna be a successful coach in the NFL?
Like a head coach? Like you just see that? Like
how important is it to win that press conference? It
feels like sometimes you're like, right away, You're like, hmm,
(27:02):
I got a weird feeling about this guy right off
the bat.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
It's like you ever see those videos with with with
the with the animals and the dog turns his head
and he's.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
Like, h's he trying to figure out what.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
It was? That type of thing, And you're right, you
you want to somewhat collavigate winning the press conference to
fire up the fan base but also get those players
fired up as well. But I we all have faults,
we all s to stumble. So I'm hoping that that's
the last we're going to see of any video like that.
And I wish coach Coin, you know, a lot of
(27:38):
success down.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah, I mean, he might be a genius coach and
become an amazing head.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Coach's a lot of people socially awkward.
Speaker 1 (27:46):
Yeah, yes, That's why I'm asking you, like, how important
is that? Because like, when I think about some of
those head coaching introductions, do you think about like Adam
Gasee with his huge eyes up there, or like.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Dang cammel by easy turned out?
Speaker 2 (28:02):
You know what it turned out?
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Yes, you know what I think, because that's true to
his personality. And so maybe that's what Coin's like, you know,
like the maybe that's just cool.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Maybe maybe Egg is gonna be on our face for
just making fun of h.
Speaker 1 (28:19):
He's gonna come back and be like, oh, you guys
who are making fun of me, look at me now? Yeah?
Who knows. So we spent you know, a long time
talking about special teams and the coaching situation with the
with the Broncos. Here, one thing they don't have to
worry about is, you know, Sean Payton the offensive side
of the ball. You know, there's gonna be some consistency
(28:41):
there and that's gonna be a big deal for bo Nicks.
You know, sometimes these young quarterbacks in the NFL, their coach,
their position, coach changes and changes and it's hard to
have that consistency, and it's hard to grow. Caleb Williams
dealing with that this offseason now got to restart essentially here.
(29:03):
The good thing for Bo he doesn't have to go
through that, And you know that's gonna be a big help,
right Nick, There's.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Gonna be a tremendous help, because it's very difficult when
you even though you're playing in a professional sport and
everyone expects you to know everything, but when you have
to learn different offensive defensive scheme, the verbiage is different,
those checks are different, so it takes time to kind
of get into somewhat of a groove. But the fact
(29:31):
that the Broncos have found their quarterback, there is somewhat
of a consistency at the quarterback position, the ownership, the
GM position, and the play calling position. It makes life
easy for a lot of individuals. Think about how the
defense played this past season. A historic walho sixty three
sacks Undervans Joseph and you're only doing that because a
(29:54):
lot of those players were in the defense for the
first time and you have some young guys freaking through.
But this is what I'm very optimistic for twenty twenty five.
But as far as bo is concerned, he doesn't have
to worry about that.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Yeah, this is sort of a weird offseason for all
of us here because for the first time in a
long time, there's no ownership conversation here. There's no GM conversation,
there's no coaching conversation, there's no quarterback conversation. It's kind
of slow, Nick, Well.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
I wouldn't say hold on for a sudden. I wouldn't
say it's that slow, because even though we don't have
GM quarterback, head coach owning questions, we do have running
back questions. Yeah, there's no questions wide receiver, linebacker, safety,
stop me when I get to a point.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
But this is still very exciting.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
But that's one area that you don't have to worry
about and fans can be happy about.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Yeah. I'm excited for me. Yeah, what year two is
going to be like for both?
Speaker 3 (30:56):
But it's not going to be highly productive until certain
areas from position to standpoints are addressed.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Now, with Bow in particular, there's sort of this dreaded
sophomore Slump's a sophomore slump? Yeah? Is that a real thing?
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Nick?
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Really?
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Did you see what happened down in Houston, Texas, right,
c J. Stroud was having a sophomore slump. Luckily for him,
he had Joe Mixon to turn around the hand the
ball to yes, which Grant is quite familiar with from
those of Bengal days.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, and you got some swag from the Texans today.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
It looks like on your Instagram.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Yes, we'll say that. We'll say that.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
But the sophomore slump, I mean, it was.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
So bad in Houston that Bobby slog which is which
was crazy that he was let.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Go because that first year, I mean c J. Stroud
was playing out of this world.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
Uh, and we were like, Wow, we're gonna see a
rookie break certain numbers and do certain things, and then
we didn't see it. And then this season we saw
Jane Daniels just take the league by storm.
Speaker 1 (32:05):
Yeah, we never thought we ever see another like rookie
season like that. And then boom, the very next year,
Jaydaen just comes in and does that. We're just getting
started on this bow Nick stuff because we got a
lot too breakdown with his sophomore campaign coming up after
the offseason. But time for a quick break here on
Broncks Country tonight.
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