WEBVTT - Richard Hightower on how new kickoff rules are changing the game | Bears, etc. Podcast 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:06.040 Cut over that DJ Moore zode touchdown touchdown Bears. 0:00:06.080 --> 0:00:08.160 I am Jeff, joniha whitz is on. 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:10.480 Donnie go up. 0:00:12.000 --> 0:00:13.840 What was like playing for coache Good done. 0:00:14.520 --> 0:00:16.040 I don't want to answer any questions like that. 0:00:16.079 --> 0:00:17.680 Pressure coming is a big trouble. 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:30.360 Dottie go motes sweat. 0:00:25.360 --> 0:00:28.440 Yea Bears et Cetera brought to you by Miller Lte 0:00:28.440 --> 0:00:31.440 with the voices of the Bears Jeff Joniac and Tom Thayer. 0:00:32.920 --> 0:00:35.159 Well, it was a big Bears weekend and can't Ohio 0:00:35.200 --> 0:00:37.599 what with the Hall of Fame in Shriman of Steve McMichael, 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:41.159 Devin Hester and Julius Peppers and a Bears rain shortened 0:00:41.159 --> 0:00:44.199 preseason went over the Houston Texans. Hats off to the 0:00:44.400 --> 0:00:46.720 large number of Bears fans who made that trip to 0:00:46.800 --> 0:00:50.120 twenty one twenty one. George Harvis drive there in Canton, Ohio. 0:00:50.560 --> 0:00:52.840 It was a lot of fun. Welcome in everyone. 0:00:52.880 --> 0:00:54.760 I'm the voice of the Bears Jeff Jonahack with Super 0:00:54.800 --> 0:00:57.600 Bowl winning Bears guard Tom Thayer and our special guest 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:01.120 this week is Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower. This 0:01:01.200 --> 0:01:03.680 episode of the Bears et Cetera Podcast is brought to 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:07.520 you by Miller Lte. Richard, how you doing, Welcome and 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:11.200 back home? Nestled in got the first Tom and I 0:01:11.240 --> 0:01:13.520 were talking about get past the Hall of Fame. You 0:01:13.520 --> 0:01:15.080 don't want to just run past the Hall of Fame. 0:01:15.120 --> 0:01:17.560 But now now you get into the preseason and the 0:01:17.600 --> 0:01:19.000 nuts and bolts of what's going on. 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:23.000 Yeah, well, thanks Jeff Tom for having me. Hall of 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:26.080 Fame was definitely exciting. Excited to see all those guys 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:29.319 go in and excited to see our players when Devin 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:32.479 spoke to him, just how they lit up their big 0:01:32.520 --> 0:01:34.720 fans of his. And obviously we show a lot of 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.760 his clips in the meeting room, just to pay homage 0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:40.880 and to make sure they know the ground that's been 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:41.480 laid before. 0:01:42.000 --> 0:01:44.720 Hey, Tommy, one thing I mentioned to you, but I 0:01:44.760 --> 0:01:46.399 want to mention it. Well, Richard's here. 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.360 I was there as well, but I was purposely looking 0:01:49.400 --> 0:01:51.720 at all the players when Devon was speaking, and Jimbo 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:54.800 Covid for that matter too. Jimbo commands the room, He's 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:57.400 got a presence and they were nodding their heads. That 0:01:57.480 --> 0:01:59.520 means you knew they were engaged, right, And a lot 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:03.680 of guys pictures with those guys, Tom, I know you 0:02:03.840 --> 0:02:07.600 called with me every one of those nineteen return touchdowns 0:02:08.240 --> 0:02:10.000 that he had with us. You were as much a 0:02:10.000 --> 0:02:12.239 part of it because your excitement was bleeding through almost 0:02:12.280 --> 0:02:13.440 every one of those play calls. 0:02:13.520 --> 0:02:13.720 Yeah. 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:15.960 You know, I spent my whole career on kickoff return 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:19.360 and every single game I ever played, I was on it. 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:23.399 So I know the appreciation of the performance of their 0:02:23.560 --> 0:02:26.600 role on kickoff return, and I know the difficulty of 0:02:26.639 --> 0:02:30.519 the role in the kickoff return game. So all due 0:02:30.560 --> 0:02:34.320 respect to Devin and all the great returners throughout NFL history, 0:02:34.880 --> 0:02:38.399 I really appreciate the fact that Devin got its due 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:43.400 and his recognition for something that did something really special 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:46.359 in his time as an NFL player. 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:48.359 Richard, Will this open up the door for more? There's 0:02:48.400 --> 0:02:51.080 a lot of returners in this game that have excelled. 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:53.160 I mean, we listed a bunch last week. You know 0:02:53.200 --> 0:02:54.440 who they are? You studied it? 0:02:55.320 --> 0:02:56.680 Yeah, Well, let's just hope. 0:02:56.680 --> 0:02:58.880 So, I know there's a lot of guys that are 0:02:59.240 --> 0:03:03.600 inspired and motivated by what Devin did, So Hope. 0:03:03.639 --> 0:03:05.840 So when do you how long does it take you 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:09.080 to watch the athleticism of some of these players that 0:03:09.160 --> 0:03:11.560 maybe have never played Special Teams because a lot of 0:03:11.600 --> 0:03:14.440 them had a star starring role on their college teams. 0:03:14.880 --> 0:03:17.280 But does it take to the first live action like 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:19.760 the Hall of Fame game, or can you kind of 0:03:19.800 --> 0:03:23.240 get a feel of their athleticism and how they pertain 0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:27.000 to the different job requirements on the different special teams. 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:30.480 Yeah, I tell you what, Tom, that's outstanding way to 0:03:30.520 --> 0:03:33.800 look at it. You can tell a little bit, but 0:03:33.840 --> 0:03:36.600 you never really know until you get them in the game, 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:40.240 and as you know, you played, so you know it's 0:03:40.240 --> 0:03:41.600 different out there's a lot of space. 0:03:42.120 --> 0:03:46.160 It was incredible because I think the whole offseason I've 0:03:46.200 --> 0:03:49.000 been as excited for kickoff and kickoff return because I 0:03:49.160 --> 0:03:51.960 was that disappointed in what would happen to it. And 0:03:52.000 --> 0:03:54.880 I think going forward, it's going to be interesting to 0:03:54.880 --> 0:03:58.840 see how all of you Special Teams coaches approached the design, 0:03:58.920 --> 0:04:03.240 the development of your guys' type of drawing room, of 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:05.520 how you're going to put up the different types of return. 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:08.680 So I got to say that the excitement hasn't faded, 0:04:09.080 --> 0:04:12.760 But did you learn anything from the initial examples? And 0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:15.160 I was thinking behind the scenes, I bet you every 0:04:15.200 --> 0:04:19.160 single Special Teams coordinator is looking at that first Hall 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:22.560 of Fame game, just to whether it's getting the timing 0:04:22.720 --> 0:04:24.440 of contact, the. 0:04:24.520 --> 0:04:26.800 How long you got to hold your block, what. 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:30.120 Can be the results of everything that's going to stand 0:04:30.160 --> 0:04:33.359 behind your guys' development of that one play. 0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:37.080 Yeah, I mean we took away you know, differently. 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:40.120 Definitely, you can use different body types with it, and 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:42.920 then angles are really important. And then we're you know, 0:04:42.920 --> 0:04:46.440 we're going to test an experiment with different blocking schemes 0:04:46.440 --> 0:04:46.960 as we go. 0:04:47.080 --> 0:04:48.320 But yeah, you're right. 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:52.040 Everyone was glued in, got a couple messages after, and 0:04:52.080 --> 0:04:55.279 we'll be glued in here as these preseason games go 0:04:55.400 --> 0:04:58.120 because we're going to watch every kickoff return there is 0:04:59.040 --> 0:04:59.919 this preseason. 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:02.080 I mean, just a yes, no answer. 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:05.279 Do you think we'll ever see offensive alignment on the 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:10.800 kickoff return team? Because that's what they do repetitiously, and 0:05:11.200 --> 0:05:14.400 it's like the distance between a guard and a linebacker. 0:05:14.920 --> 0:05:15.640 No, I don't think so. 0:05:18.520 --> 0:05:21.120 I would be begging you. I would be begging you. 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:23.520 To put me on it unless you come back. I 0:05:23.520 --> 0:05:24.000 don't think so. 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:28.280 A reminder, we are brought to you by our great 0:05:28.279 --> 0:05:31.520 friends at Miller Lite Tastes like Miller Time, Celebrate Responsibly, 0:05:31.600 --> 0:05:34.479 Miller Brewing Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin, ninety six calories and three 0:05:34.480 --> 0:05:36.520 point two carbs per twelve ouncers. 0:05:36.640 --> 0:05:36.839 I know. 0:05:36.880 --> 0:05:38.760 I got a release from the NFL. 0:05:38.839 --> 0:05:41.080 They call it the Dynamic Kickoff, and they have all 0:05:41.120 --> 0:05:45.320 the alignments and designed to explain things. I'm curious on 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:47.920 those text messages you got where they fans or coaches 0:05:48.839 --> 0:05:51.920 are just friends of yours and what were their impressions 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:54.719 if I may ask, in terms of what they saw there? 0:05:54.800 --> 0:05:59.520 Yeah, coaches and coaches just curious about you know, what 0:06:00.040 --> 0:06:03.640 we experienced live, you know, so uh and then just 0:06:03.680 --> 0:06:06.800 giving their take on what they saw, like they see 0:06:06.839 --> 0:06:10.840 it as a big potential for big plays. Although the 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:15.000 kickoff team one I would say last week, but if if. 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:16.799 There's a scene in there now it can go quick 0:06:16.839 --> 0:06:17.440 now jee. 0:06:17.440 --> 0:06:20.240 Well, hey listen, somebody put it on Twitter. They broke 0:06:20.279 --> 0:06:23.040 down and there was just a block away from a big, 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:24.880 big run on one of those right, you know which 0:06:24.880 --> 0:06:25.760 one I'm talking about? 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:30.960 And that that to get you excited though, right, Yeah. 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.280 Yeah, it's that we think it's gonna be. We think 0:06:33.279 --> 0:06:36.479 it's going to be dynamic, you know, and just being 0:06:36.520 --> 0:06:38.760 a part of putting that thing together is so honored 0:06:38.800 --> 0:06:42.640 and grateful to work with the competition Committee, Troy Vincent 0:06:42.880 --> 0:06:47.440 and obviously commissioned a Goodell and Darren Rizzi and John 0:06:47.480 --> 0:06:49.320 Fossil and all the rest of the especially and coach 0:06:49.440 --> 0:06:50.559 participated as well. 0:06:50.960 --> 0:06:52.800 But we just we're excited. 0:06:53.080 --> 0:06:55.440 How did you how did that all come about? 0:06:55.480 --> 0:06:58.200 By the way, was it a reach out to you 0:06:58.279 --> 0:07:00.479 specifically and those other guys or did you put your 0:07:00.480 --> 0:07:01.800 hand up and say, hey, I want to I want 0:07:01.800 --> 0:07:03.880 to help out here and figure out the right plan. 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:05.640 Yeah, it was a it was a reach out, so 0:07:05.680 --> 0:07:09.640 they they basically uh reached out to us, and uh, 0:07:09.920 --> 0:07:12.520 and I'm more than honored and and and I want 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:16.800 to help make the game better for not only our fans, 0:07:17.400 --> 0:07:20.040 our players and and and the game going forward. 0:07:20.120 --> 0:07:22.000 You know, you want to do something good for the game. 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:24.560 When you when this all came about, did you have 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:28.680 to have conversations with Cairo in terms of either hang 0:07:28.840 --> 0:07:32.760 time or lack of hang time, or field positioning or 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:35.800 where you wanted to play some football or was that 0:07:35.960 --> 0:07:38.920 just something that came with the more reps you did, 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:40.320 the more you learned about it. 0:07:40.400 --> 0:07:42.440 Yeah, I think it's a combination of both. Tom. 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:45.480 We talked about it almost every day, you know, when 0:07:45.480 --> 0:07:48.080 we could when he was in the building, and uh uh, 0:07:48.120 --> 0:07:49.320 we're still tinkering with. 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:50.840 It, but it's uh he he. 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:52.880 We're fortunate because he has a lot of tricks in 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:54.600 his bag and he could do a lot of different things. 0:07:54.880 --> 0:07:59.360 A better tackling kicker ever be inserted in the game 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:02.680 through the multiple games that you'll be a part of 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:03.640 throughout your career. 0:08:03.920 --> 0:08:06.480 Yeah, I mean, we'll see, like, we'll see how it 0:08:07.000 --> 0:08:09.400 how it comes about. I know that the tackling rate 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:13.200 was close to what in our studies. The tackling rate 0:08:13.240 --> 0:08:14.840 for the kicker was close to what it was in 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:19.280 the NFL and the studies that we did. So hopefully 0:08:19.320 --> 0:08:21.360 he's not as involved, but if he is, I can 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:23.160 see it going that route in. 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:27.400 The kickoff coverage team. Is it more a defensive personnel 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:32.600 centric because of offensive players just repetitiously in their time 0:08:32.640 --> 0:08:36.360 as a football player, especially achieving this level, that's not 0:08:36.600 --> 0:08:39.320 something they're as familiar with as the guys that have 0:08:39.400 --> 0:08:41.240 a defensive role throughout their career. 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:42.120 Yeah. 0:08:42.160 --> 0:08:43.800 I think you could say that, and then you know, 0:08:43.840 --> 0:08:46.960 you got a few sprinkled offensive guys in there that 0:08:46.960 --> 0:08:48.360 that like to hit, you know. 0:08:48.760 --> 0:08:50.920 Yeah. 0:08:51.000 --> 0:08:54.160 Rich McKay obviously a member of the Competition Committee for 0:08:54.200 --> 0:08:56.720 a long time and sharing that committee. But he said 0:08:56.760 --> 0:08:58.760 by twenty twenty three only twenty one percent of the 0:08:58.840 --> 0:09:02.720 kickoffs return and projected fifty to sixty percent to be 0:09:02.800 --> 0:09:05.680 returned in twenty four, which would add roughly one thousand 0:09:05.720 --> 0:09:08.520 plays to the NFL season. Eighty percent of the drives 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:11.880 last season started around the twenty five, projections this year 0:09:12.280 --> 0:09:14.559 forty percent of the drives at the thirty or higher 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:17.840 and another thirty percent inside the twenty. Certainly you don't 0:09:18.160 --> 0:09:21.520 want that as an offensive team, but from a defensive standpoint, 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:24.800 backing them up, I'm hoping that number rises for our 0:09:24.840 --> 0:09:28.760 guys on the defense obviously, and the remaining thirty percent 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:29.839 between the twenty and thirty. 0:09:29.880 --> 0:09:32.640 Do those Do those all mesh with your thinking as 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:33.680 special team coordinator? 0:09:33.800 --> 0:09:34.319 Uh? They do? 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:34.880 Yeah? 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:35.000 Do. 0:09:35.160 --> 0:09:37.120 Jeff and Rich was awesome to work with. 0:09:37.240 --> 0:09:41.120 He's a he's very bright, and all of those statistics. 0:09:41.200 --> 0:09:43.360 You know that we went through all of that stuff, 0:09:43.400 --> 0:09:46.080 and that's what makes this so exciting for both sides. 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:50.120 I would recommend to fans doing Tommy as well, be patient. 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:53.040 You know, preseason, nobody gonna show anything because I saw 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:56.679 some responses to the first eight kickoffs of our of 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:59.480 our season. I said, you know, what's our game coming 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:03.720 to and blah, nothing's changed. But I know all three 0:10:03.760 --> 0:10:06.640 of us disagree. It's going to make a major major 0:10:06.720 --> 0:10:09.720 impact in your viewing and your excitement for football. 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:13.960 Richard, do you think that the Senior Bowl will adopt 0:10:14.040 --> 0:10:17.480 this type of kickoff kickoff return to get maybe more 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:20.200 reps in the eyes of the special team coordinators on 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:23.240 an NFL level, or else at least letting it get 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:25.720 into the mind of some of these kids that that's 0:10:25.760 --> 0:10:27.040 the way they're going to make teams. 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:29.080 Initially, Yeah, I was sure, hope. 0:10:29.120 --> 0:10:32.160 So I think, you know, the East West game, the 0:10:32.200 --> 0:10:35.040 Senior Bowl, and hopefully it trickles down to some of 0:10:35.040 --> 0:10:38.120 the lower levels and they've seen what we've done reducing 0:10:38.480 --> 0:10:41.400 the speed in the space and helping to get more 0:10:41.440 --> 0:10:42.840 returns in the game, I would hope. 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:44.920 So, you know, I was reading some of your comments 0:10:44.960 --> 0:10:47.160 from the podium and talking a little bit about the 0:10:47.200 --> 0:10:49.680 twelfth man on the field, and I think that caught 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:52.560 some people by surprise because it kind of snuck out 0:10:52.600 --> 0:10:56.040 in the media and not it And so how did 0:10:56.080 --> 0:10:58.360 you guys go about And I see that. 0:10:58.440 --> 0:10:59.920 You said that they are talking about you. 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:03.080 In the sticks that that kickers use, they'll hold the 0:11:03.080 --> 0:11:06.360 ball up. And I like the option that you guys 0:11:06.440 --> 0:11:10.440 came to, letting the actual person hold the football for 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:13.559 the kicker and then just back subtly back out of 0:11:13.600 --> 0:11:15.800 there and not take part in the action. 0:11:17.120 --> 0:11:18.800 Yeah, how did that come about? 0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:19.880 Yeah? Sure, Tom. 0:11:19.920 --> 0:11:23.120 Originally we talked about, you know, having the kick and 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:27.240 stick out there and an official grabbing a stick, you know, 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:31.080 but just you know, after just going through several different 0:11:31.120 --> 0:11:34.160 conversations using a player that was up front and then 0:11:34.200 --> 0:11:36.840 you would be sure the player, we said, well, heck, wana, 0:11:36.840 --> 0:11:38.439 it's gonna be weird, but why don't we just put 0:11:38.440 --> 0:11:41.240 a twelve guy out there and get him right off 0:11:41.280 --> 0:11:44.360 and he can't can't impeat the play or anything like that, 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:46.960 And and it ended up working out pretty good. I'm 0:11:46.960 --> 0:11:48.760 glad we got it on tape so we could see it, 0:11:49.400 --> 0:11:51.840 because this thing is still a working progress. 0:11:51.880 --> 0:11:54.160 It'll be all season, all preseason for sure. 0:11:55.000 --> 0:11:58.600 So and the old kickoff coverage, he used to have 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:01.520 the luxury of having base your fastest guy on team 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:04.720 B some sort of safe, some sort of safety. Do 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:08.000 you have that luxury anymore? Or is it a all 0:12:08.520 --> 0:12:10.080 ten attack plus the kicker. 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:12.840 Yeah. I think it's going to vary, you know. 0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:16.680 I think the one thing about it is you could 0:12:16.760 --> 0:12:19.560 have uh, some of your starters on her that could play, 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:22.920 you know, some safety positions and if you need to, 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:25.840 or you could have some guys go down and go tackle. 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:27.560 It just depends on where you want to kick the ball, 0:12:27.600 --> 0:12:27.800 you know. 0:12:28.760 --> 0:12:30.679 All right, one more question, would you ever have the 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:34.360 kicker get bigger shoulder pads in case they're involved in 0:12:34.400 --> 0:12:35.600 tackling a little bit more. 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:38.959 It's kind of a serious question, it is. 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:39.800 You know, believe it or not. 0:12:39.840 --> 0:12:42.240 We did attack on my circuit two days ago and 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:43.880 all specialists were involved. 0:12:45.200 --> 0:12:48.160 Did you really how'd that go? How'd that go? 0:12:49.280 --> 0:12:51.680 Loved it? Well? 0:12:51.720 --> 0:12:52.720 I know coaches love it. 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:53.720 Did the players love it? 0:12:53.800 --> 0:12:54.520 That's the question? 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:56.959 Yeah, you know they know the importance of it, Jeff, 0:12:57.040 --> 0:12:59.200 and they we do it. You know, we don't do 0:12:59.240 --> 0:13:01.959 it every week, but when we do it, they get 0:13:02.040 --> 0:13:02.880 jacked up about it. 0:13:02.920 --> 0:13:04.520 So there was a good response there. 0:13:04.600 --> 0:13:04.760 Well. 0:13:04.760 --> 0:13:07.440 The funny thing is FLUS has a very specific way 0:13:07.480 --> 0:13:10.880 to tackle, so you know, aiming at those hamstrings. 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:13.680 Right hamstring tackle, baby hamstring tackle? 0:13:14.000 --> 0:13:17.120 Visity, Heart Cells or flavors for every vibe Celebrate Responsibly 0:13:17.160 --> 0:13:19.840 Most Cores Beverage Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 0:13:20.000 --> 0:13:23.240 You know, it's funny, Coach high Towers that how personal 0:13:23.360 --> 0:13:27.200 kickers take when someone breaks beyond the line of defense 0:13:27.320 --> 0:13:30.000 and how much how determined they are to make a tackle, 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:32.760 because you know, Kevin Butler was a great tackler for 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:35.400 the Bears. Robbie Golden made some big hits as well. 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:39.800 And I think you know these kickers and punters that attitude, 0:13:39.840 --> 0:13:42.439 it goes from zero to one hundred as soon as 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:44.200 they see a guy in the open field. 0:13:45.400 --> 0:13:46.360 Yeah, no question. 0:13:46.760 --> 0:13:49.560 You know you name some great ones there, and you 0:13:49.600 --> 0:13:52.320 know we're just trying to make sure if we're called 0:13:52.400 --> 0:13:54.280 up on the tackle that we're ready to do it. 0:13:54.320 --> 0:13:58.520 You know, is there anymore so the you play the 0:13:58.559 --> 0:14:01.319 Texans the second week of the Sea and a vanilla offense, 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.679 defense and special teams? Can you unveil a little bit 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:06.920 more against a team like Buffalo that you won't play 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:11.040 in the regular season or is that more something that 0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:12.959 you work on behind the scenes and then when you 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:16.440 get to the regular season, you know it's the uh, 0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:17.920 you know, open up the playbook. 0:14:19.000 --> 0:14:21.480 Yeah, I think it's a mix of both, especially with 0:14:21.520 --> 0:14:26.400 this new kickoff kickoff return rule. But you know, basically, 0:14:26.560 --> 0:14:29.400 you know that first preseason games, Vanilla is install one 0:14:29.520 --> 0:14:31.640 day one and then I think you just go to 0:14:31.720 --> 0:14:33.880 your nixt install. You know, it's try to keep it 0:14:33.880 --> 0:14:36.440 still simple so the guys can play fast enough, and 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:39.000 then you'll keep some cards flow to your best for 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:39.960 later in the season. 0:14:40.160 --> 0:14:43.120 I would was keeping Tory Taylor out of the first 0:14:43.160 --> 0:14:46.480 Hall of Fame game? Was that just to give the 0:14:46.520 --> 0:14:50.520 other punter an opportunity to get involved in the show 0:14:50.800 --> 0:14:53.920 or are you just holding Tory back a little bit 0:14:54.000 --> 0:14:56.920 before he gets into the seventeen game stretch. 0:14:58.200 --> 0:15:00.360 Yeah, I think it could be looked at both ways. 0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:03.000 You know, we kind of we held out a lot 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:06.840 of guys organizationally, and Tory fill in that bucket just 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:09.920 for because of who he is and where we drafted 0:15:09.960 --> 0:15:10.920 him and all that stuff. 0:15:10.960 --> 0:15:12.960 But I'll tell you what we want. 0:15:13.000 --> 0:15:15.920 We wanted to showcase Corless too, man, because he's earned 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:18.480 those reps. He's done a nice job in practice, He's 0:15:18.480 --> 0:15:18.960 earned them. 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:20.960 You guys have done a great job with both of 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:23.600 those punters. I think some of the punts that I've 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:27.040 seen in training camp, maybe some of the best that 0:15:27.040 --> 0:15:29.240 I've seen since I've been a part of the Bears. 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:31.360 Having a right foot and left footed punter with that 0:15:31.440 --> 0:15:34.800 type of power, it's a nice luxury for you to have. 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.680 Thank you, appreciate you staying that, Tom. We're excited about it. 0:15:38.240 --> 0:15:39.360 Yeah, and it's nice to have that. 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:42.120 I know Bill Belichick always had a left footed punter 0:15:42.240 --> 0:15:44.760 in pre season just to get guys ready for the 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:48.080 different spin. But this guy's legitimate. I mean, people been 0:15:48.080 --> 0:15:50.800 asking me who is this guy? Well, his name is Corless. Waitman, 0:15:50.840 --> 0:15:52.800 he's got a name. He's not just the other punter, 0:15:52.880 --> 0:15:56.560 right because everybody you know, I asked Santos, Well, we 0:15:56.560 --> 0:15:58.360 had him last week. Actually we had him last week 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:01.000 on the podcast aro on Bear's Weekly Pardon Me, and 0:16:01.320 --> 0:16:04.440 Tom asked him what your impression of Tory and he 0:16:04.480 --> 0:16:07.880 goes alien that that that's what he said about it. 0:16:07.920 --> 0:16:11.360 But great punters are hard to find. There's plenty of 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:14.160 good punters, and then some punters, you know, have to 0:16:14.200 --> 0:16:17.040 work their way around the league to get an opportunity 0:16:17.040 --> 0:16:20.280 and maybe it connects some way. But do you find 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:23.920 it more challenging to find a really great punter versus 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:25.520 a great kicker, a field goal kicker. 0:16:25.880 --> 0:16:27.200 Oh yeah, I would say. 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:27.320 So. 0:16:27.880 --> 0:16:31.560 You know, that's a good point. I mean, it's you're right, 0:16:31.680 --> 0:16:33.840 it's very hard to find a great one. You know, 0:16:34.920 --> 0:16:36.560 a lot of guys can do it and do it 0:16:36.600 --> 0:16:39.640 for a while, but that position is always in flux, 0:16:39.880 --> 0:16:43.040 you know, because you have such limited opportunities. 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:45.359 So you got to make the most of your opportunities. 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:47.760 Before we let you go, just a little review of 0:16:47.880 --> 0:16:49.800 some of the guys that made plays in that game. 0:16:50.320 --> 0:16:53.840 Colin Johnson in on a tackle that was awesome to 0:16:53.840 --> 0:16:56.760 see because and I know you brought it up on 0:16:57.600 --> 0:17:01.280 excuse me Sunday that you know, you say, maybe maybe 0:17:01.320 --> 0:17:02.920 you don't want to be on you know, he wants 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:03.920 to stay on the kick. 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:06.000 He knows this is a path a pathway. 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:08.399 And if you don't have to convince guys that it's 0:17:08.440 --> 0:17:10.439 a pathway, you know you got something good going. 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:13.280 On, no doubt about it. He Uh. I can't say 0:17:13.400 --> 0:17:15.160 enough good things about Colin Johnson. 0:17:15.160 --> 0:17:15.360 Man. 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:17.960 He's a really good person. Uh. 0:17:18.000 --> 0:17:19.720 And he's a good football player, but he's a even 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:22.679 better person. And I'm just so happy for him and 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:24.280 happy that he's a part of history. 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:25.120 Tigh tower. 0:17:25.200 --> 0:17:27.199 So you know, when you bring in a new holder 0:17:27.240 --> 0:17:30.240 to a football program and a kicker, how do you 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.399 make sure that he has an understanding of where the 0:17:33.400 --> 0:17:36.600 ball wants to be the lean to it in certain distances, 0:17:36.920 --> 0:17:39.400 and how do you how do you evaluate a holder 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:42.600 to That's that's you know, new on, new on the 0:17:42.640 --> 0:17:45.040 scene as far as the Bears are are concerned. 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.640 Yeah, well, you just you look at all the college 0:17:48.640 --> 0:17:51.320 for sure, and then you look at all the combine tape, 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:53.960 and then once you get him in, you do various 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:56.679 different drills with him, and then you let your kicker 0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:00.600 kind of talk to him and try to educate him 0:18:00.600 --> 0:18:03.720 on different win patterns and when he needs the ball 0:18:03.800 --> 0:18:04.840 leaned a certain. 0:18:04.520 --> 0:18:07.320 Way or not. But Cairo has been phenomenal. 0:18:06.720 --> 0:18:09.760 With Tory, and Tory has really good hands, So that's 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:11.080 number one for being a holder. 0:18:11.119 --> 0:18:12.119 He has really good hands. 0:18:12.240 --> 0:18:14.280 You know, you talked about coach Flus and how he 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:18.080 gravitates towards the special teams. When you become a head coach, 0:18:18.200 --> 0:18:21.920 are you always going to gravitate towards the special teams 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:23.800