1
00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,840
Speaker 1: So Youse, guys feel like you are as special Team

2
00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,560
Speaker 1: Fortis are represented in these meetings that happen when they

3
00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,600
Speaker 1: talk about rule changes and things of that nature.

4
00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:17,599
Speaker 2: I mean, we have our opinions and and that is

5
00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:19,280
Speaker 2: what it is, you know what I mean. It's like

6
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,439
Speaker 2: they see it one way, we see it and you

7
00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,520
Speaker 2: know one way, and at the end of the day,

8
00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:26,800
Speaker 2: they're gonna make a decision, and you know, whatever's best

9
00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:28,960
Speaker 2: for the game, whatever they feel like is best for

10
00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:29,920
Speaker 2: the game, they're gonna go with.

11
00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:33,479
Speaker 3: It is what it is to experiment more in this

12
00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,280
Speaker 3: preseason just to figure out how you want to approach kickoffs, and.

13
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,800
Speaker 2: You know, it's it's something that we're always looking at

14
00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,800
Speaker 2: and something we're always thinking about and talking about because

15
00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,519
Speaker 2: at any point in time, you got to be prepared

16
00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,879
Speaker 2: for you know, you got to expect the unexpected. So

17
00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,160
Speaker 2: you know, they're gonna be certain teams that are gonna

18
00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,520
Speaker 2: do certain things, you know, during the course of the

19
00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,600
Speaker 2: preseason just to try some things out. You know, it's

20
00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,000
Speaker 2: always like that when you're gonna have new rule change.

21
00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:02,800
Speaker 4: Because you.

22
00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,880
Speaker 2: Like O's been great, you know, you know, we have

23
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,600
Speaker 2: a history together coach in Carolina and he was awesome

24
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,200
Speaker 2: as a player. He's great to have in the room,

25
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,080
Speaker 2: great later, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and uh,

26
00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:21,440
Speaker 2: he is. He's been really good so far. And and

27
00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,000
Speaker 2: again it's new to him. It's a new area for

28
00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,000
Speaker 2: him as far as coaching is concerned. But he's doing

29
00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:28,960
Speaker 2: a great job of picking it up and learning at

30
00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:29,480
Speaker 2: the same time.

31
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:31,720
Speaker 4: What are your coaches leaves like that though?

32
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,240
Speaker 3: I mean, do you have a short list available or

33
00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,679
Speaker 3: is that something that GM has to do or how

34
00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:37,880
Speaker 3: does that work out? Well?

35
00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:40,160
Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's something that we all, you know,

36
00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,200
Speaker 2: we're all thinking about all the time because you got

37
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,000
Speaker 2: to be one step ahead of it. You know, a

38
00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:51,640
Speaker 2: guy like Anthony Blevins is always gonna be someone people want.

39
00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,880
Speaker 2: You know, He's a veteran coach that has been around,

40
00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:57,040
Speaker 2: has had a lot of success in the league. He's

41
00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,040
Speaker 2: coached a bunch of Pro Bowl players. So he's interview

42
00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,320
Speaker 2: for coordinators jobs the last two or three years. So

43
00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:05,160
Speaker 2: you knew at some point in time it was gonna happen.

44
00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,400
Speaker 3: I knew you were on a family Like, how much

45
00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:10,440
Speaker 3: do you think he you know, with the work he

46
00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,119
Speaker 3: did here, deserve that opportunity.

47
00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:14,720
Speaker 2: You know, Blessed been doing this for a long time,

48
00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,080
Speaker 2: and it's all about opportunity.

49
00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:18,280
Speaker 3: And I.

50
00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,560
Speaker 2: I told him, I said, when I talked to Mark,

51
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,000
Speaker 2: I sold him like a used fo. You know, he

52
00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,320
Speaker 2: did a great job while he was here. He did

53
00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,839
Speaker 2: a great job in Arizona. Always respected his work. When

54
00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,520
Speaker 2: I was we were in the same division in fifteen

55
00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,320
Speaker 2: and that's where I first met him. And he's done

56
00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,200
Speaker 2: a heck of a job. And I look forward to

57
00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,239
Speaker 2: seeing him as success And exf.

58
00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,240
Speaker 4: What did Jamie do enough of to, you know, have

59
00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:48,440
Speaker 4: this organization.

60
00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:48,560
Speaker 3: Bring him back?

61
00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,160
Speaker 2: Well, I mean you just look at the upside with Jamie.

62
00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:59,880
Speaker 2: He's he has a powerful leg. He's young, he's very

63
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:05,880
Speaker 2: very you know as far as his work ethic and

64
00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,760
Speaker 2: how he goes about his business, he's super mature and

65
00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,120
Speaker 2: he wants to get better and and you know, we

66
00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,200
Speaker 2: just we just have to do a better job of

67
00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,400
Speaker 2: helping him, you know, as far as like coverage and

68
00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:19,720
Speaker 2: those things like he's he's done a really good job

69
00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:23,120
Speaker 2: for us, and he's getting better every week. He's getting better.

70
00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:24,120
Speaker 1: I mean, this whole thing.

71
00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,720
Speaker 2: You don't quit on talent, no, you know, he's super

72
00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:29,640
Speaker 2: super talent. Yeah, and is do you are you confident

73
00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,800
Speaker 2: those rough edges. Yeah, yeah, I mean that's that's you know,

74
00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,080
Speaker 2: time on task, that's gonna you know, he's gonna get

75
00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,280
Speaker 2: better over times like any other player, regardless of the position.

76
00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:40,280
Speaker 2: You know, the longer he does it, the better he'll

77
00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:42,920
Speaker 2: get at it. And he's doing the right thing. So

78
00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,200
Speaker 2: we're just we're trying to just bring him along, you know,

79
00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,160
Speaker 2: and and just get better every day.

80
00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,840
Speaker 3: Did you see areas of improvement as last year progressed

81
00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:53,120
Speaker 3: to you?

82
00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,200
Speaker 2: Oh? Absolutely, just in the plus area. He had better

83
00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:02,080
Speaker 2: control down the stretch, and he really did a good

84
00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,840
Speaker 2: job in the back end of the season, and our

85
00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,800
Speaker 2: gunners obviously helped him, but he did a good job

86
00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,840
Speaker 2: in the plus area, just making sure we get those balls.

87
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,000
Speaker 2: Those balls that were touchbacks early in the season became

88
00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,520
Speaker 2: balls down at the eighth to nine, and I think

89
00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:18,080
Speaker 2: that helped.

90
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:18,320
Speaker 3: Us a lot.

91
00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,800
Speaker 1: How much nuance is there in special teams to where

92
00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,840
Speaker 1: the lay person or the fan may not be able

93
00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:27,520
Speaker 1: to notice, because I feel like people talk as if

94
00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:28,679
Speaker 1: it just doesn't matter.

95
00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,240
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's just hitting yardage all over the

96
00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,400
Speaker 2: place when it comes to special teams, and you know,

97
00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,880
Speaker 2: it's having a really good return game, being able to

98
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,880
Speaker 2: cover kicks and be able to back your your opponent

99
00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,479
Speaker 2: up inside the ten, inside the twenty, being able to

100
00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:48,320
Speaker 2: push the ball out past the thirty, and being able

101
00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,720
Speaker 2: to make field goals and affect kicks through rushing, all

102
00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:55,880
Speaker 2: those different things that come along with it. You know,

103
00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:59,039
Speaker 2: that part of the game. I think people don't really

104
00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,960
Speaker 2: understand to the degree that how important it is to

105
00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,600
Speaker 2: uh to be able to play field position, especially in

106
00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,560
Speaker 2: the Northeast when it gets cold later in the year,

107
00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,359
Speaker 2: we got to run the football. Uh, it makes a

108
00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:11,680
Speaker 2: big difference, really does.

109
00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,120
Speaker 4: Look at Eric Ray's abilities as a returner, see him

110
00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:17,080
Speaker 4: back there with a kicking.

111
00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,160
Speaker 2: You know, Eric, Eric does a good job. He's talented.

112
00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,479
Speaker 2: You know, he did it in college and uh, you

113
00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,760
Speaker 2: know he's he's a he's a work in progress, just

114
00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,920
Speaker 2: like all the rest of him that are back there. Uh,

115
00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,360
Speaker 2: but he's doing a good job. He's working hard, and

116
00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,200
Speaker 2: uh you know, he's a rookie that has a lot

117
00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,240
Speaker 2: to learn, and we're just you know, we're bringing them

118
00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:33,560
Speaker 2: along like all the rest of them.

119
00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:35,800
Speaker 3: Would feel like we're in the same spot every year.

120
00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,000
Speaker 3: But where do you stand there on your returns? Like,

121
00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:39,560
Speaker 3: who do you want to see get out there and

122
00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,479
Speaker 3: get an opportunity in the in the preseason.

123
00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:44,600
Speaker 2: All the guys that are back there, all those guys,

124
00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,480
Speaker 2: you always want to see what you got, you know

125
00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,359
Speaker 2: what I mean? Like you never know until you know,

126
00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:50,480
Speaker 2: you know, So we got to put him out there,

127
00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,599
Speaker 2: give them all opportunities and uh, you know see what

128
00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:54,000
Speaker 2: they got.

129
00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,440
Speaker 4: How do you balance like, uh, let's say Eric's young

130
00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,159
Speaker 4: but explosive, and then maybe you have veterans here you

131
00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,040
Speaker 4: know are going to catch the ball, but might not

132
00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,120
Speaker 4: have that same verse, Like how do you balance that?

133
00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:06,280
Speaker 2: Well, the most important thing is the ball, you know

134
00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:08,560
Speaker 2: what I mean, Like, that's the most important thing. And

135
00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,480
Speaker 2: but again that's that's always something that we're constantly working on.

136
00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:15,160
Speaker 2: And he's done a better job of fielding the ball

137
00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:16,640
Speaker 2: and catching the ball since he's been here.

138
00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:18,280
Speaker 1: M