WEBVTT - Vikings Xs and Os with Mike Zimmer | Week 15 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:06.040 Two hundred dollars. So we now out of the shotgun 0:00:06.160 --> 0:00:09.119 play action Cousins on a deep drum. Here's a deep 0:00:09.160 --> 0:00:12.079 shot to step on Diggs and it's hot to the 0:00:12.240 --> 0:00:23.239 twenty fifteen ten seventy five yard strike Cousins digs twenty 0:00:23.320 --> 0:00:27.120 three twenty. It's time for xs and os with Vikings 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:30.680 head coach Mike Zimmer on the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network 0:00:31.320 --> 0:00:34.600 now from the TCO studios in Egan. Here is the 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:38.680 voice of the Vikings Paul Allen. XS and o's on 0:00:38.760 --> 0:00:43.520 the KFA and Minnesota Vikings Radio Network is underway. That's 0:00:43.560 --> 0:00:46.680 the voice of Vikings at coach Mike Zimmer. Um this um, 0:00:47.040 --> 0:00:48.920 This jacket that I'm wearing that they'll be able to 0:00:48.960 --> 0:00:53.040 see at Vikings dot com was a Kentucky Derby jacket 0:00:53.200 --> 0:00:55.880 that I wore a Canterbury for a big Kentucky Derby day. 0:00:55.960 --> 0:00:57.640 Do you like it? How do I like it? Thank 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:00.320 you very much, coach, and I liked as I would 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:03.360 imagine you did. How your run defense played against the 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.320 Detroit Lions at What were some of the keys to 0:01:07.080 --> 0:01:09.920 the run defense against the Lions compared to the previous game? 0:01:09.959 --> 0:01:12.760 And happy Holidays? Well, I think the biggest thing was 0:01:13.520 --> 0:01:16.000 you know, I thought number one, our defensive line played 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:19.400 very well. Our premier run force was much better this 0:01:19.600 --> 0:01:21.760 last week. I thought we did a good job and 0:01:23.160 --> 0:01:25.920 being in the right place, being in right gaps making tackles. 0:01:26.840 --> 0:01:29.639 So and we played hard with the With the next question, 0:01:29.880 --> 0:01:32.360 before you get mad at me, let me finish the question. Okay, 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:35.440 with all due respect, since you've been here, the only 0:01:35.680 --> 0:01:39.480 games teams have run for two hundred plus have been 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:45.200 run pass option operations. Now is that a challenging Is 0:01:45.240 --> 0:01:47.680 that a challenging offense to try to slow the run game? 0:01:49.000 --> 0:01:51.920 I don't think that. I'm confused right now. Well, it's 0:01:51.960 --> 0:01:54.640 a run pass option team. Yeah, and Philip Rivers has 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:57.200 no run pass option to him, so obviously it doesn't 0:01:57.200 --> 0:01:58.760 tie into this game. But like you know, the way 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:02.200 Russell Wilson does it, or Cam Newton or you know, 0:02:02.400 --> 0:02:09.640 are those difficult offenses to scheme against. All offenses are 0:02:09.639 --> 0:02:13.679 difficult to scheme against. Philip Rivers? How much do you 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:17.600 respect his game? Philip is really really good. He's a 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:20.480 good player, gets the ball out quick, very smart, can 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:24.840 make all the throws. He's very competitive. We've had them 0:02:25.720 --> 0:02:28.040 the opportunity to compete against him many times, and it's 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:30.880 always been a battle. What about wide receiver Keenan Allen 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:33.120 like compared to what you just saw on Kenny Golladay 0:02:33.200 --> 0:02:35.760 and some of these nice receivers you've seen this year. Yeah, 0:02:36.560 --> 0:02:39.880 he's really a good player. Uh. They have a lot 0:02:39.919 --> 0:02:43.079 of trust with one another. He does a great job 0:02:43.120 --> 0:02:47.160 of getting open, really understands how to set up defensive 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:50.600 backs and being and find holes and zones and run 0:02:50.680 --> 0:02:53.880 away from me and coverage. So he's really a good player. 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:56.920 This third year, running back Austin Eckler has become one 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:00.239 of the game's best pass catching running backs. What what 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:03.680 are some keys to slowing Austin Eckler? Yeah, he does 0:03:03.760 --> 0:03:05.320 a really nice job. We're gonna have to make sure 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:10.200 that we're really on top of the scats that he's 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:13.320 trying to do and get get people extra people over 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:16.160 there to that side. A lot of times, your quarterback, 0:03:16.240 --> 0:03:19.200 Kirk Cousins has been sacked at zero or one time 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:22.760 nine of thirteen games. What you through throughout the course 0:03:22.840 --> 0:03:25.040 of the season would have been some keys that have 0:03:25.160 --> 0:03:27.760 led to that. Well, I think the offensive line has 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:30.200 done a good job. Kirk has done a good job 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:32.880 of getting rid of the football. He's not sitting back 0:03:32.919 --> 0:03:35.520 there holding it. I think the movement passes that we 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:39.840 do don't allow the defense to tea often know that 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:41.440 he's going to be in one spot all the time. 0:03:41.520 --> 0:03:44.720 Sometimes he's outside of pockets, sometimes he's over the tackles. 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:47.880 Sometimes he's straight dropped back. So I think all those 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:49.920 things help. And then you know, along with the play 0:03:49.960 --> 0:03:52.640 action where you're getting the line slide in one way 0:03:52.680 --> 0:03:54.360 and you're getting a couple of other guys blocking the 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:56.360 defensive end on the other side, I think that helps 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:59.240 as well. What about rookie center Garrett Bradberry through the 0:03:59.280 --> 0:04:02.040 course of thirteen games, where what what part of his 0:04:02.200 --> 0:04:05.080 development has most stuck out, say the last month month 0:04:05.120 --> 0:04:08.040 and a half. You know, he's always been a really 0:04:08.120 --> 0:04:11.880 athletic guy. He's been very sharp. Um, I think he's 0:04:11.920 --> 0:04:14.680 getting better at pass protection. Uh, he looks like he's 0:04:14.880 --> 0:04:18.160 he's doing a much better job. They're understanding that, you know, 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:20.920 the player that he's playing against a little bit more 0:04:20.960 --> 0:04:24.080 now as opposed to just scheme. Now I have to know, uh, 0:04:24.400 --> 0:04:26.680 you know, as it snacks Harrison that I'm playing against, 0:04:26.760 --> 0:04:28.720 or is it Uh you know, a smaller guy or 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:30.719 a little quicker guy. I think he's starting to understand 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:32.320 that a lot better. Yeah, I mean for him, it 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:34.880 starts with Grady Jarrett and then you know, move through 0:04:34.920 --> 0:04:37.360 all these good three techniques and those tackles he's seen 0:04:37.440 --> 0:04:40.240 all year. Brandon Mebane, he's a big guy who gets 0:04:40.320 --> 0:04:43.840 him this weekend. It's um, it's incredibly challenging with these 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:46.440 tackles these days. Right. Yeah, they're really good, all of them. 0:04:46.800 --> 0:04:49.000 You know, they got Joey Bosa on the outside, they 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:52.280 got Melvin Ingram on the outside. So those two guys 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:56.039 are really, uh, the keys to what they what they're 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:58.640 trying to do, along with Derwin James. James the safety, 0:04:58.680 --> 0:05:00.560 he's he's an in the box this guy, but he 0:05:00.600 --> 0:05:03.400 can he can really do everything. Uh. The Dalvin Cook 0:05:03.440 --> 0:05:08.240 and Alexander Madison is having the Cook Madison tandem going 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.000 full throttle this time of the season. Is that a 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:13.680 big advantage when when you have two backs like that. Oh, 0:05:13.760 --> 0:05:15.680 I think it is important. You know, they're a little 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:17.280 bit of a change of pace, but they run a 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:19.000 lot of the same plays. They just have a little 0:05:19.080 --> 0:05:22.440 different style, you know. Uh, they both run physically and hard. 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:25.040 They both catch the ball well out of the backfield. Um, 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:29.040 I would say Alexander's a little bit more try to 0:05:29.080 --> 0:05:31.719 get it straight downhill. And obviously you saw the hurdles 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:34.720 the other day. But uh, but Cookie's a guy that can, 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:38.120 uh you know, accelerate through small little creases and make 0:05:38.200 --> 0:05:40.919 big plays with his legs. Madison had caught four passes 0:05:41.000 --> 0:05:43.600 into the Seattle game. He caught four in the Seattle 0:05:43.680 --> 0:05:46.279 game and a couple of last games. So just another 0:05:46.520 --> 0:05:49.400 another nice threat from another player, right, yeah, and and 0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:52.080 again it's Kirk getting the ball to the right place, 0:05:52.160 --> 0:05:54.520 you know, check checking it down if he has to 0:05:54.680 --> 0:05:56.359 depend on on the coverage that he's getting. We got 0:05:56.400 --> 0:05:59.960 a lot of shell coverage last week, so um, you know, 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:03.839 I think that added to the reason for the Backs 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:05.839 to get a few more catches. So it's Wednesday evening. 0:06:05.920 --> 0:06:08.120 You practice today, you got your You're going to practice 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:10.440 the rest of the week. Dude, do you feel you're 0:06:10.600 --> 0:06:14.200 edging closer to an Adam feeling return? Uh? Yeah, I do. 0:06:14.600 --> 0:06:16.320 We'll see, you know, we'll see how the week goes. 0:06:16.400 --> 0:06:19.680 But uh, you know, all systems seem to go and uh, 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:21.920 we'll try to try to get him on the field. 0:06:22.000 --> 0:06:24.960 You well, you you guys screen to rookie tight end 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:29.039 or Smith junior early against Detroit? Is that an indicator 0:06:29.360 --> 0:06:32.480 that he's really absorbing and taking in all facets of 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:35.720 the offense. Now, Yeah, and he's another playmaker, trying to 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:38.120 get him the ball, get him the ball. You know, 0:06:38.200 --> 0:06:40.080 that's first play of the game, and we hadn't run 0:06:40.120 --> 0:06:41.520 a screen on the first play of the game. So 0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:46.000 it's a little tendency breaker as well. The secondary specifically 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:49.159 against Detroit. Dude, how do you feel the secondary played 0:06:49.279 --> 0:06:51.239 off the Seattle game where I thought it played pretty 0:06:51.279 --> 0:06:55.040 well into this Detroit game. Yeah, much better. Uh, you know, 0:06:55.160 --> 0:06:58.040 we're starting to move in the right direction. We're starting 0:06:58.080 --> 0:06:59.960 to get in the right positions that I'm trying to 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:02.920 get to get these guys into, getting the ride alignments, 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:06.120 make sure that we're disciplined and really everything that we're doing. 0:07:06.520 --> 0:07:08.840 We'll have to grind really hard again this week. You know, 0:07:08.920 --> 0:07:11.160 they're they're very good in a passing game. They take 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:12.680 a lot of big shots, and we're gonna have to 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.679 do a great job and being in their correct position 0:07:16.800 --> 0:07:18.600 so that we can go make some place when when 0:07:18.680 --> 0:07:22.000 teams rotate running backs or wide receivers offensively or whatever. 0:07:22.160 --> 0:07:23.840 You know, a lot of people notice that because it 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:27.840 happens frequently when when you rotate corners, whether it's Xavier 0:07:27.880 --> 0:07:31.200 Er Mike Trey Waynes is. How does that factor into 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:35.120 what you think the offense is seen, like against specific 0:07:35.240 --> 0:07:38.840 corners doesn't matter? Well, yeah, I think you know they're 0:07:38.840 --> 0:07:41.120 gonna say, hey, you know, so and so's in the 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:43.400 game here, we're going to try to work this, or 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:45.760 so and So's not in the game, so we might 0:07:46.080 --> 0:07:48.360 might want to go the other way, or you know whatever. 0:07:48.480 --> 0:07:51.760 I mean. We do that with defensive linemen, pass rushers, 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:55.440 all kinds of people. The Chargers tied end hunter Henry. 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:58.320 What makes him challenging, Well, he's he's got good speed. 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:00.400 I think he runs good routes, do a lot of 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:03.680 single uh isolation plays for him on the back side 0:08:03.680 --> 0:08:06.240 of a lot of routes. Um, they work middle of 0:08:06.280 --> 0:08:08.640 the field some and he's he's a good seven route runner. 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:12.360 With everything we've mentioned here, from Melvin Ingram through Joey Boza, 0:08:12.520 --> 0:08:15.160 Derwin James just came back, Keenan Allen, Philip Rivers as 0:08:15.160 --> 0:08:17.640 a Hall of Famer. They got Eckler who catches it, 0:08:17.760 --> 0:08:21.080 Gordon runs it. The team's five and eight. I mean, like, 0:08:21.160 --> 0:08:23.000 what are some things that have led to that five 0:08:23.080 --> 0:08:24.800 and eight during the course of the year. Well, they've 0:08:24.840 --> 0:08:27.200 been really beat up and they're healthy now. Um, so 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:30.400 they struggled a little bit with the offensive line because 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:34.199 they you know, they've had a lot of guys out there. Um. Uh, 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:36.079 you know, they've turned the ball over. I think they're 0:08:36.120 --> 0:08:40.360 minus eight and turnovers, but uh, they're they're two. I 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:42.760 think they're you know, one and seven or something in 0:08:42.840 --> 0:08:46.240 games decided by seven points or less. And uh, you know, 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:48.400 a lot of that is because of the turnovers or 0:08:48.520 --> 0:08:51.960 fumbles and interceptions those types of things. But they're very 0:08:52.040 --> 0:08:54.520 solid defensively. They're number four in the league offensively, their 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:56.760 number ten in the league. Um, you know, and they've 0:08:56.800 --> 0:08:58.679 got some great players. And it's it's gonna be a 0:08:58.760 --> 0:09:01.840 tough ball game. These Vikings fans at road games, they 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:04.760 truly love the team all over the country. It's it's 0:09:04.840 --> 0:09:06.199 I'm not gonna say it's going to be a home 0:09:06.280 --> 0:09:08.000 game for you, but it's going to be loud. Yeah, 0:09:08.040 --> 0:09:09.880 I hope it is. You know, that'd be great for 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:13.199 us to get get our fans there in LA. You know, 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:14.920 they were great last time we were out in LA, 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:18.600 so it should be a It should be a great game, 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:20.959 and hopefully we can come out there with win. For 0:09:21.040 --> 0:09:23.920 that run pass option question, I kind of bungled my 0:09:24.000 --> 0:09:25.800 way through or I'm still trying to figure. I'd like 0:09:25.880 --> 0:09:27.680 to either give you this jacket or one hundred dollars 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:30.720 at your choice. I'm fine either way. Thanks my good luck. 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:32.959 Mike's emmer head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, and I'm 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:36.240 Paul Allen. Vikings fans. It's the Friday Football Feast this 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.880 Friday at Buffalo Wild Wings, Lakeville. Stop buying, enjoy game 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:42.480 day specials, and grab a Coors Light, the official beer 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:46.560 of drinking beer on Friday mornings. More x's and o's 0:09:46.640 --> 0:09:49.760 around the Corner on the kfa N Minnesota Vikings Radio 0:09:50.960 --> 0:09:54.720 XS and os on the kfa N Minnesota Vikings Radio 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:58.560 Network continues now and you know now is the perfect 0:09:58.640 --> 0:10:03.000 shop opportunity to visit twin cities premium outlets and egan 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:07.520 tackle your holiday shopping list while scoring savings galore at 0:10:07.559 --> 0:10:11.520 the largest outlet mall in the Upper Midwest. Visit Eganman 0:10:11.600 --> 0:10:15.760 dot com for details and also join mus with punter 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:20.880 Britton coal Quit for Vikings Country. It's Tuesday, December seventeenth, 0:10:21.000 --> 0:10:24.040 from five to thirty, Day thirty at Lowo Grill and Egan, 0:10:24.160 --> 0:10:27.600 presented by Miller Lite. Chance to win great prizes including 0:10:27.679 --> 0:10:30.640 tickets in the Miller Lite Lounge at US Bank Stadium 0:10:30.960 --> 0:10:35.360 and Vikings Salute to Service apparel. Visit Vikings dot com 0:10:35.480 --> 0:10:39.520 slash Vikings Country for information and a full schedule. Speaking 0:10:39.559 --> 0:10:43.280 of a Brittain coal Quit, his position coach is mar 0:10:43.360 --> 0:10:47.119 Juan Mulu, first time special first year Special Teams coordinator 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:50.560 for the Minnesota Vikings, and he joins US now via 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:54.199 exes and ohs. Have you enjoyed your first year in 0:10:54.320 --> 0:10:58.240 Minnesota and welcome to the show. Thanks love being here, Pa, 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:00.719 And so far it's been sent to stick. We've my 0:11:00.720 --> 0:11:03.120 family that I've really enjoyed being here. Well, why I 0:11:03.280 --> 0:11:06.520 ask is because this time last year, Marwan, you were 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:09.839 in Miami. Yeah. So about this Minnesota weather this week, 0:11:09.880 --> 0:11:12.080 I mean it's been called you know, over the course 0:11:12.160 --> 0:11:14.840 of the last couple of weeks, but this week though, 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:17.839 Holy cal I had to get a snowblower and a 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:20.160 shovel and everything. So I'm ready to go, though. We're 0:11:20.200 --> 0:11:22.600 good so late a second. As a coach, I mean 0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:24.959 that's eighty two hundred hours a week. Maybe if it's 0:11:25.000 --> 0:11:27.480 a Jamal lag New week, it's probably one oh five. 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:31.160 Thank heaven's Devin Hester and Dante Hall are not on 0:11:31.280 --> 0:11:33.800 the schedule, that'd be about one twenty. How do you 0:11:33.880 --> 0:11:36.520 have time to snowblow and shovel? My wife makes me 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:39.040 get up at four thirty and because she's got to 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:40.959 take the kids to work. And by the look, we 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:42.920 got a guy that comes in and you know, tries 0:11:42.960 --> 0:11:45.079 to help out or whatever, but he didn't come till 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:48.040 nine o'clock and by then we're the family's already moving. Man. 0:11:48.200 --> 0:11:49.920 So I gotta get up. I gotta I gotta work. 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:52.480 I gotta work. Well, tell me, I mean too bad 0:11:52.679 --> 0:11:55.120 I didn't have more blue collar to me because I 0:11:55.240 --> 0:11:57.320 want to be your I want to be your snow 0:11:57.440 --> 0:12:00.560 removal guy, hanger Christmas lights. I mean, it's like, if 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:02.800 you're gonna pay the money to do that, yet you're 0:12:02.880 --> 0:12:04.760 going to do it at four thirty in the morning, man, 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:07.440 that's free money. I'm with you. I'm with you. Marjuan Malouf, 0:12:07.520 --> 0:12:10.840 Special Teams Coordinator, x's and ohs and here we go. Uh, 0:12:11.000 --> 0:12:14.400 Mike Hugh's returning punts? What what do you when healthy? 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:16.800 What do you like about mic returning punts? You know, 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:19.680 he's a really athletic guy, and you know, we've we've 0:12:19.720 --> 0:12:23.880 been practicing situations with him in practice of you know, 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:25.959 making sure there's a lot of guys around him to 0:12:26.080 --> 0:12:28.199 you know, keep them focused on that ball looking it in, 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:30.160 you know. And he's had a history of doing it, 0:12:30.280 --> 0:12:32.240 you know, in college two pa, So you know that 0:12:32.559 --> 0:12:35.000 I like that part of it. And um, you know, 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:37.520 I like the I like the ability that he gives 0:12:37.600 --> 0:12:39.520 us once he gets that ball in his hand, once 0:12:39.559 --> 0:12:42.720 he secures it, and now I've got a legitimate threat, 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:44.200 you know. And I thought we saw a little bit 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:46.120 of that the last game well, I think it was 0:12:46.160 --> 0:12:50.880 twenty seventeen Central Florida East Carolina University pop one for 0:12:51.000 --> 0:12:54.240 sixty eight. That that's his last punt return touchdown. It 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:57.160 was a thing of beauty. I mean East Carolina, with 0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.480 all due respect, compared to these creatures you based in 0:12:59.559 --> 0:13:04.040 the NFL, it's obviously dramatically different, but like, what's an 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:07.640 adjustment he needs to make to maybe pop a long run. Yeah. 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:09.199 You know, you know, I think I think what he 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:12.200 did this previous game just getting north and south because 0:13:12.280 --> 0:13:15.280 he's got such explosiveness. And then once he gets that, 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.559 once he gets past that first level, you know, the 0:13:18.679 --> 0:13:21.000 guys that are just flying by him because he's got 0:13:21.080 --> 0:13:24.920 that stretching cut ability, I got a feeling that the 0:13:25.040 --> 0:13:26.679 thing's going to open up for him. And that's what 0:13:26.800 --> 0:13:29.520 we have to keep doing as a return unit, is 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:32.320 just keep giving him those opportunities and give him those 0:13:32.400 --> 0:13:34.400 chance you know. And it starts with the outside guys. 0:13:34.440 --> 0:13:37.200 It starts with uh, you know, thirty eight Chris Boyd 0:13:37.280 --> 0:13:40.120 and twenty four Holton Hill and those guys have really 0:13:40.200 --> 0:13:42.480 started to kind of get into their own when it 0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:45.199 comes to that phase. So um, you know, as long 0:13:45.240 --> 0:13:47.280 as they're playing well and we have the opportunity to 0:13:47.440 --> 0:13:50.000 feel the ball and then get north and south, you know, 0:13:50.080 --> 0:13:52.439 I'm hoping for good things after that. I'm glad you 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:55.959 mentioned Chris Boyd because more so off the microphone when 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:57.920 you know and I chat. You know, I think you 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:01.520 and your assistant Ryan Fick have done a fantastic job 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:03.760 this season, and you know it's it's it's because you 0:14:03.800 --> 0:14:05.400 guys are good at what you do, and you've had 0:14:05.400 --> 0:14:08.000 a lot of moving parts. And it also I think 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:11.839 plays into just how quirky and weird the preseason was, 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:14.920 where really we didn't know what was going to happen 0:14:15.000 --> 0:14:17.520 into that that Atlanta game. Then you blocked upon it's 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:20.840 been good. And you mentioned Chris Boyd, the rookie, just 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:25.040 one of three seventh round rookies along with BC Johnson 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:28.320 and Austin Cutting, who have contributed mightily to this nine 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:33.200 win presentation. His progress as a gunner, I think is 0:14:33.280 --> 0:14:37.520 so impressive. And also Marwan, he was a penalty machine 0:14:37.560 --> 0:14:39.800 early in the season. Knock on Wood because I know 0:14:39.880 --> 0:14:43.480 you're superstitious he and he's toned that down too. Yeah. 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:45.400 You know, we've we've been working with him a lot, 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:47.760 you know, as far as I think, just calming him 0:14:47.840 --> 0:14:51.560 down and really keeping him in his own game. Um, 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:53.560 you know when it comes to his technique, you know, 0:14:53.880 --> 0:14:56.560 making sure that you know, when when the bullets are 0:14:56.600 --> 0:14:59.480 flaying on game day, he's just concentrating on what he's 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:01.760 supposed to to do. And I think once we narrow 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:03.840 that down to him, and you know, it's as as 0:15:03.880 --> 0:15:06.400 simple as beating the man over you you know, block 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:09.000 that gunner, you know, and doing it with our technique 0:15:09.200 --> 0:15:12.200 and keeping our footwork and staying physical at the line 0:15:12.240 --> 0:15:14.560 of scrimmage, getting your work done at the line of 0:15:14.600 --> 0:15:17.280 scrimmage more than anything, because then it gives our returner, 0:15:17.640 --> 0:15:20.760 you know, Mike use that cushion that he may need. Yeah, 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:22.360 you know, and then all of a sudden, you know, 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:24.200 we start to have a play. But he's he's done 0:15:24.240 --> 0:15:26.520 a really good job as a as a gunner as well, 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:28.320 and you know, we've moved him around a little bit 0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:31.000 on kickoff and and like you said, Ryan Ficken has 0:15:31.040 --> 0:15:34.120 done a really good job too of helping to develop him. 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:36.480 And you know, Marwan, I mean, there was just so 0:15:36.640 --> 0:15:38.640 much new in the off season with you as the 0:15:38.680 --> 0:15:41.840 new special team's coordinator. Preefer had been here forever and 0:15:42.040 --> 0:15:44.520 and you settle in on Bailey and coal Quit coal 0:15:44.600 --> 0:15:47.840 quit holds and Austin cutting snapping. Another new thing in 0:15:47.920 --> 0:15:51.640 the preseason was Boone and Ameer Abdullah were battling for 0:15:52.000 --> 0:15:54.520 what we thought was one running backspot, but they both 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:58.400 were so needed. Uh Spielman, Zimmer and everybody kept both guys, 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:02.280 Mike Boone on actual teams. It's It's almost like he 0:16:02.480 --> 0:16:05.560 feeds off of mir Abdullah, who also is very good 0:16:05.600 --> 0:16:07.960 at special teams. Absolutely, you know, he's done a really 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:11.200 good job of being detailed. And you know, one thing 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:13.120 we always talk about in our special teams are in 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:16.080 pa Is is everybody must embrace their role. And I 0:16:16.160 --> 0:16:18.240 think that's what he's really done. Him and a Mere 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:21.480 You know, both of them have have gotten reps at gunner. 0:16:21.600 --> 0:16:24.480 Both of them can block um. You know, those those 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:27.640 two guys are probably some of our best open field blockers. 0:16:27.720 --> 0:16:29.640 I mean, it's it's such a hard thing to do, yea, 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:32.280 to block somebody in the open field, but those guys 0:16:32.320 --> 0:16:35.560 are so athletic and aggressive um and and they've done 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:37.880 a really good job of embracing the technique that we 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:40.000 teach to kind of put him in a good position. 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:43.000 And it's been fun watching those guys. And I'm telling you, 0:16:43.040 --> 0:16:45.800 they play with a high level of energy every single game. 0:16:45.880 --> 0:16:48.920 In practice, they challenge each other and and that's that's 0:16:49.000 --> 0:16:52.400 fun to watch. Detroit tried an onside kick in the 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:56.600 most recent game. Is seriously Marjan Malous, special teams coordinator, 0:16:56.640 --> 0:16:59.560 our guest, uh, is it possible to catch one of 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:02.440 those these days with mandatory five guys on each side. 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:05.040 You know, it's it's it's harder to become harder with 0:17:05.080 --> 0:17:08.120 the rules um as you know. Um, I think it's 0:17:08.640 --> 0:17:11.560 it's something that that has to be practiced a lot, 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:13.919 you know, and and it has to be geared towards 0:17:14.040 --> 0:17:16.880 every single team you play. One kick is not gonna 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:18.680 work for every single team. That's just the bottom line. 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:22.440 You have to have different variations of it, um, you know. 0:17:22.560 --> 0:17:24.760 And I'm glad us being on the receiving in this 0:17:24.840 --> 0:17:26.919 past week. I'd rather be on the receiving than than 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:29.560 obviously on the on the on side team. But um, 0:17:29.880 --> 0:17:31.680 you know, Rudy does such a good job. Kyle of 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:34.200 Rudolph Is is such a great person to have in 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:36.920 that spot. I mean people don't realize, you know, you 0:17:37.080 --> 0:17:40.359 you've seen other teams, um, you know, have have had 0:17:40.600 --> 0:17:43.159 problems with with guys in that position being able to 0:17:43.240 --> 0:17:46.040 feel the ball and knowing what's around them and all 0:17:46.040 --> 0:17:48.880 the rules that pertained to it. Um. But having Kyle 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:51.359 there is is a is a luxury for us. Marwan. 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:54.560 How how does a special teams coordinator know when it's 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:57.720 good to fake a kick or a punch? Sure, you 0:17:57.800 --> 0:18:00.359 know we Uh, I think it's it's it's a lot 0:18:00.359 --> 0:18:03.200 of film study. You know. Um, we we do a 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:05.720 lot of that. We do. We do obviously as much 0:18:05.760 --> 0:18:07.879 film study as as anybody. And then some you know, 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:11.560 I go back to even uh two seasons, um, you know, 0:18:12.240 --> 0:18:16.159 twenty eighteen season and in tendencies, Um, you know, it 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:19.240 all really I think it all really uh lies with 0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:21.280 the head coach. I think, what what what coach Zimmer 0:18:21.359 --> 0:18:24.160 feels in the middle of the game, during the game beginning, 0:18:24.280 --> 0:18:27.520 and um, you know, I think his feel is he's 0:18:27.560 --> 0:18:29.439 really the guy that that ends up pulling the trigger 0:18:29.520 --> 0:18:31.600 on it. And uh, you know, we just have to 0:18:31.640 --> 0:18:34.560 be ready, you know either way. How how much has 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:38.520 Britain call quits dabilizes the punting game, especially given the 0:18:38.600 --> 0:18:41.080 preseason you guys had. Yeah, no, he's he's done a 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:43.560 really good job, you know. Um, I think he just 0:18:43.720 --> 0:18:47.440 brings a calm of veteran calm and presence to it. Um. 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:51.200 You know, he's got different kicks, which we like. Um, 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:54.080 he's been in those situations too. I think it's hard 0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:57.119 to find, you know, season punters that uh you know, 0:18:57.160 --> 0:18:58.840 there's just there's just so many rookies out there the 0:18:59.040 --> 0:19:03.000 rookie specialists, especially this year, it's it's tremendous um. But 0:19:03.160 --> 0:19:06.240 he's he brings a good calming presence and and just 0:19:06.400 --> 0:19:09.320 a just a an experience to it, and he knows 0:19:09.359 --> 0:19:10.879 what he wants to do. You know, I talked to 0:19:11.000 --> 0:19:13.639 him before every single punt um and he tells me 0:19:13.760 --> 0:19:15.960 we kind of bounce things off each other in certain 0:19:16.040 --> 0:19:18.600 situations if we're inside, if we're playing outside. We're gonna 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:20.800 be outside this week and in LA, so you know, 0:19:20.880 --> 0:19:23.600 things are gonna change a little bit. Austin cutting his 0:19:23.760 --> 0:19:26.359 rookie season, seventh round or two hundred and fifty, a 0:19:26.440 --> 0:19:29.480 pick in the draft, wins the long snapper job. How's 0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:31.200 he doing? And what do you like about him? He's 0:19:31.240 --> 0:19:33.879 doing well. You know, he's got a great mentality to him. Um, 0:19:34.320 --> 0:19:38.080 you know, he's he's a consistent guy, very regimented. I 0:19:38.160 --> 0:19:40.600 think I think the thing that you know, any any 0:19:40.760 --> 0:19:42.760