1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: How difficult is it as the year goes on, you've 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: got so many injuries, how difficult is it to put 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: together you know, functional coverage units, special teams units. You know, 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: with all the all the injuries, and. 5 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 2: You know, I think in general, from especially as perspective, 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 2: you are always trying to create flex for these moments 7 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:21,919 Speaker 2: when injuries happen. You know, sometimes it feels like maybe 8 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 2: there's a season with more injuries than another. But I 9 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 2: think that's always in the back of any special teams 10 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 2: coaches mind, is if something happens, you know, how do 11 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: you position your players to get your best eleven out there? 12 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: So difficult. I don't know if it's necessarily that. It's 13 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 2: just always having a plan beforehand, knowing that something will 14 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 2: arise to what magnitude You never know until you're actually 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 2: in it in the season. But I think there's, like 16 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 2: I said, to mitigate any challenges, you have to do 17 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: a good job in the off season with the guys 18 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 2: that are here of just installing the scheme globally to 19 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,279 Speaker 2: where they can understand big picture different positions. You also 20 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: get a feel for players of who has ability to 21 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: you know, who has the ability to learn multiple positions, 22 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 2: you know, and and when they do, you know, you 23 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: ultimately create flex and you figure out, Okay, if something happened, 24 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 2: it's not necessarily the two on the depth chart that 25 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:16,639 Speaker 2: goes in, it's how do I mix the guys around 26 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: to get the best eleven? 27 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 1: So one of them, you're dealing with so many guys 28 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: who just got here, Yeah, how much? How much more 29 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: difficult does Yeah? 30 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 2: No? I So I got two great assistants, and we 31 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 2: got a great special team staff that will pour all 32 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: all the time that these guys need to get them ready, 33 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: whether they get here, you know, a week before or 34 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 2: day before, you know, our job is to get them ready, 35 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: to make sure they're they're up to speed. I think 36 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: one thing that helps when a guy when you don't 37 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 2: necessarily have a ton of time to get them ready, 38 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 2: is you got to focus on what they played in 39 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 2: the past and try and put them in similar spots, 40 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: you know, because obviously where they ever, wherever they came from, 41 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: they're in those positions for a reason. So it's it. 42 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 2: And then you're figuring out different pieces of moving guys 43 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 2: around in terms of that. 44 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 3: Team looked different when they have a special teams coach, 45 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 3: you know, kind of running the show there and what 46 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 3: do you think of that in general, and what do 47 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 3: you stands out to you? 48 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, when when you look at New Orleans, I think 49 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 2: Rizzy has done a hell of a job his whole 50 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 2: time there, whether he's the interim or whether he's just 51 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 2: solely the special teams coordinator, you can tell that they're 52 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: they're doing the same things. You know, they still play 53 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: very hard, So I got tremendous respect for how he 54 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 2: gets them to play. And they do some thing scheme 55 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: wise that challenges your rules to make sure that you're 56 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: on point in terms of you know who you got. 57 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,960 Speaker 2: But you know, I think Rizzy has done a great 58 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 2: job in terms of making special teams important in that organization, 59 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: whether he was just a special teams coordinator or now 60 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 2: the interim. And you see no drop off with that 61 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 2: style of play that they're playing with in New Orleans. 62 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 4: Is it a tough road for a special teams coach 63 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 4: to become a head coach because it's teams that they 64 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 4: always take a defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator and the 65 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 4: special teams guy is you know, never picked. 66 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I don't necessarily know the numbers of 67 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 2: how many special teams coaches get ops when it comes 68 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: to head coaching opportunities or interview chances for that matter. 69 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 2: But what I will say is, you know, there's a 70 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 2: lot of things that are synonymous as being a head coach, 71 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 2: as there are is just being a special teams coach. 72 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:31,080 Speaker 2: You know, You're you're dealing with the roster globally and 73 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 2: realistically obviously, you're seeing injuries, You're you're figuring out how 74 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: to piece uh you know, a full team together, a 75 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: full unit. You're addressing the team and team meetings. So 76 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: there's a lot of things that prepare you to be 77 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: a head coach. As a special teams coach, I'm not 78 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 2: necessarily uh, I don't know the statistics of how many 79 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: guys get opportunities, but I know there's great coaches in 80 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: our league in terms of special teams that would make 81 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: tremendous head coaches. Rizzy being one of them, become a 82 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: yeah yeah, very versed with special teams before and did 83 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: a great job there, and you know, has obviously had 84 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 2: a good city in yeah, yeah, and and and honestly, 85 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: like I've said it in the past, you know, I 86 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 2: think special teams obviously prepares you for the reason that 87 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: I just gave. But also you know, you're you're coaching 88 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: the most pure form of football. You know, everything you 89 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: do from a special teams perspective is block technique, block destruction, 90 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 2: ball skills in terms of return or play. A lot 91 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: of the return philosophy stem off of offensive run game 92 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 2: or you know certain things that you're doing. So, uh, 93 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 2: you become versed with just coaching football globally offense, defense, 94 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 2: kicking game. When you when you have your hand in. 95 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 3: It, Eric Ray, the fumbles, what do you make of it? 96 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 4: Is it? 97 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 3: Is there something you see there? 98 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 4: Is it something. 99 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: You're concerned about long term? 100 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 4: How do you look at it? 101 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, so there's there's all these studies and you know, 102 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 2: we we we show where guys like when most fumbles happen, 103 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 2: whether it's being in transition when you're losing your feet, 104 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: or whether it's you're in traffic having a double in trouble. 105 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of situations in which different fumbles happen. 106 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 2: The fact of the matter is Eric knows that he 107 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: needs to hold on the football. But we got to 108 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 2: do a better job of coaches of putting them in 109 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 2: those situations where we see those fumbles happen and creating 110 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 2: muscle memory to where you know, if he knows he's 111 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,040 Speaker 2: losing his footing, well, that ball has to be hind 112 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 2: and tight because people come with delivered shots at the 113 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 2: ball and transition when he's going down on the ground 114 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: or if somebody is going through traffic. We got to 115 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 2: put them in positions in practice to where they understand 116 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: it's double in trouble. People are obviously going to try 117 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: and make the tackle but also take shots at the ball. 118 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 2: So from our perspective, we just got to make sure 119 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: we're doing drills throughout the week and stay connected to 120 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 2: it throughout the whole season. 121 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 3: Common right, you see for him like any of those 122 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 3: in specific. 123 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: That or is it a variety of I think it's 124 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: a variety, And like you know, basically what I'm saying 125 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 2: is those fumbles happened from a variety of different positions 126 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: that a ball carriers put in. So it's our job 127 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 2: as coaches to see what is the most common I 128 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 2: guess position that they're in and. 129 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: Create those for him. 130 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 2: That was one common position that you're looking at and 131 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 2: say no, not necessarily just because they all show up, 132 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 2: you know, and it all depends on where the run 133 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 2: alley that he's hitting it in. And then obviously you 134 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 2: know sometimes there's a miss block, So how does that 135 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: affect his run skill in his track? So that may 136 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: create a different weakness or challenge. 137 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 4: But again, like I. 138 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: Said, it's our job as coaches to make sure that 139 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: he's in position in those positions in. 140 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: Practice, our team's targeting him. It seems like almost every 141 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: return opportunity that you've had this year has been Eric. 142 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 2: You know, I can't necessarily speak to you know, the 143 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 2: other teams intent when when they're deciding which way to kick, 144 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 2: but you know, one thing that kickers do is they 145 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 2: usually trust their kicking alley and the part of the 146 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 2: area of the field that they want to hit. Eric 147 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: has done a great job. He has, I know, the 148 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 2: the the fumbles stick out, but you know, he he 149 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 2: has done a good job in terms of, you know, 150 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: creating good drive start positions for our for offense. You know, 151 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: just last week obviously in Dallas that wasn't explosive play. 152 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 2: He just has to hold on the ball. You know, 153 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 2: the the drive start there was pretty close to the 154 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 2: forty yard line, and he's had a couple of those 155 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 2: He's a tough runner. He runs with intent. You could 156 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 2: tell the guys like him. He studies the right way, 157 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 2: but sometimes those fumbles overshadow, you know, the production that 158 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: he is having consistently. But he has he has done 159 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 2: a nice job, and the blockers have done a nice 160 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: job in the past few games in terms of creating 161 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: those run alleys.