73-minute video is linked below; here is a recap of it if you don't have the time to watch it all
- The biggest reason UGA improved from 8-5 in 2016 to 13-2 last season was the buy-in on special teams and that starts at top (i.e., head coach) on down
- Special Teams Analyst Scott Fountain brought an infusion of energy to the program (and Kirby brought him back and promoted him to Special Teams Coach in January)
- Last season UGA's special teams went from worst to first in the SEC in composite special teams rankings
- UGA put their best players (e.g., Lorenzo Carter and Roquan Smith) on special teams (i.e., 12 out of 17 offensive and defensive starters [not including OL] played on the main 4 special teams units in 2017) and these plays matter; everyone, except for your starting QB, should play on special teams; don't make any exceptions or you will lose your team b/c they'll know you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth
-- You'll know when you have buy-in when your best players are giving maximum effort all through practice
-- On Mondays UGA worked on special teams technique and fundamentals (e.g., punt blocks), not schemes
-- Former UGA WR Fred Gibson was cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005, despite being a 4th-round pick in the NFL Draft, b/c he didn't know how to play on special teams; Miami then signed him and cut him b/c he couldn't play on special teams (even though he was 1 of the Dolphins top 6 WRs); thus it's my job to teach them to play there; nobody is too good not to be able to play on special teams
- UGA changed things up on special teams b/c if you continue to do what you've always done, then nothing will change; in a competitive league like the SEC, if you stay the same then you'll get passed by
- UGA uses GPS so they don't play players that are leg weary
- It's important to create competition every day so each player thinks he has a chance to play; the more pads-on-pads, the better
- Each week UGA dressed out players for games that performed the best on scout teams
- Reward your players by calling them out before the team when they do something good
- It's important to make practice harder than the games so that it's easier in the game; simulate trouble in practice; don't use cones in your drills...get your players used to feeling pressure from opponents
- On punts you want the hangtime to match the distance (e.g., 5.5 seconds hangtime on a 55-yd punt)
- In the SEC last season, only 12% of situations did teams try to rush the punter; unlike most teams, philosophically we want to be aggressive, get behind the wedge, and block kicks; sell demeanor (look at the ball like you want to block it 100% of the time; be aggressive)
-- 80% of games where a team gets one of their punts blocked, they lose
- If you get beat on special teams, don't stand around and watch your teammate get tackled; find someone else to block (since the returner's job is to make at least one guy miss [perhaps the guy you failed to block], you still have a chance to positively impact the play)
-- If one of your guys just stands around after getting beat, then call him out on it
- Since gunners stop returns about 80% of the time, put your best guy out there to block him (i.e., win a 1-on-1 block by getting hands on and staying w/ him) and open things up for your returner
- UGA's best special teams player is walk-on RB Prather Hudson, 5'10", 195 lbs. from Brookstone School (a private school) in Columbus, GA; he has the heart of a lion, gets in there every time and fights, blocks, etc.
- Be smart w/ your practice time and have a purpose
- Work on special teams spacing (distance b/w players) and timing as they are critical
- Ball security is job security; if you don't want to get fired, then don't lose the ball (RBs fundamentally need to keep the ball tight, esp. when you feel the defenders closing on you)
-- Defenders should practice chasing, hooking, and swatting away the ball from ball carriers
- Practice what actually happens the most in games (by the % they actually happen over a season as you chart them)
-- Football is a contact sport, so ensure your players are experiencing it in practice as that's what happens in games
-- Your defenders need to practice mid-line tackling by being aggressive (i.e., making the ball carrier feel the pressure and knowing they need to secure the ball), breaking down (don't be top heavy), maintaining leverage, focusing on the inside-out, and driving through ball carriers
-- If you know your defender is going to get stiff-armed by the ball carrier, then have your defenders practice tackling while getting stiff-armed (btw, a lot of fumbles occur in this situation)
-- Practice buddy tackling; first defender locks up while the second defender rips through to swat the ball away
(note: this drill helps RBs and WRs stay tough and gives them practice securing the ball when being tackled by two players)
-- Keep your defenders honest; if they are cheating on a drill (e.g., overplaying a bubble screen), then mix it up and run a bubble and go so the offensive player is running by them
- Coaches, you are the protectors of this game as it's under attack; so you need to be smart about the way you do things, the way you conduct yourselves, and the way you practice; everything you do should be smart and focused on what's next
https://www.facebook.com/AOCFootball/videos/1725980824116235/
- The biggest reason UGA improved from 8-5 in 2016 to 13-2 last season was the buy-in on special teams and that starts at top (i.e., head coach) on down
- Special Teams Analyst Scott Fountain brought an infusion of energy to the program (and Kirby brought him back and promoted him to Special Teams Coach in January)
- Last season UGA's special teams went from worst to first in the SEC in composite special teams rankings
- UGA put their best players (e.g., Lorenzo Carter and Roquan Smith) on special teams (i.e., 12 out of 17 offensive and defensive starters [not including OL] played on the main 4 special teams units in 2017) and these plays matter; everyone, except for your starting QB, should play on special teams; don't make any exceptions or you will lose your team b/c they'll know you're speaking out of both sides of your mouth
-- You'll know when you have buy-in when your best players are giving maximum effort all through practice
-- On Mondays UGA worked on special teams technique and fundamentals (e.g., punt blocks), not schemes
-- Former UGA WR Fred Gibson was cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005, despite being a 4th-round pick in the NFL Draft, b/c he didn't know how to play on special teams; Miami then signed him and cut him b/c he couldn't play on special teams (even though he was 1 of the Dolphins top 6 WRs); thus it's my job to teach them to play there; nobody is too good not to be able to play on special teams
- UGA changed things up on special teams b/c if you continue to do what you've always done, then nothing will change; in a competitive league like the SEC, if you stay the same then you'll get passed by
- UGA uses GPS so they don't play players that are leg weary
- It's important to create competition every day so each player thinks he has a chance to play; the more pads-on-pads, the better
- Each week UGA dressed out players for games that performed the best on scout teams
- Reward your players by calling them out before the team when they do something good
- It's important to make practice harder than the games so that it's easier in the game; simulate trouble in practice; don't use cones in your drills...get your players used to feeling pressure from opponents
- On punts you want the hangtime to match the distance (e.g., 5.5 seconds hangtime on a 55-yd punt)
- In the SEC last season, only 12% of situations did teams try to rush the punter; unlike most teams, philosophically we want to be aggressive, get behind the wedge, and block kicks; sell demeanor (look at the ball like you want to block it 100% of the time; be aggressive)
-- 80% of games where a team gets one of their punts blocked, they lose
- If you get beat on special teams, don't stand around and watch your teammate get tackled; find someone else to block (since the returner's job is to make at least one guy miss [perhaps the guy you failed to block], you still have a chance to positively impact the play)
-- If one of your guys just stands around after getting beat, then call him out on it
- Since gunners stop returns about 80% of the time, put your best guy out there to block him (i.e., win a 1-on-1 block by getting hands on and staying w/ him) and open things up for your returner
- UGA's best special teams player is walk-on RB Prather Hudson, 5'10", 195 lbs. from Brookstone School (a private school) in Columbus, GA; he has the heart of a lion, gets in there every time and fights, blocks, etc.
- Be smart w/ your practice time and have a purpose
- Work on special teams spacing (distance b/w players) and timing as they are critical
- Ball security is job security; if you don't want to get fired, then don't lose the ball (RBs fundamentally need to keep the ball tight, esp. when you feel the defenders closing on you)
-- Defenders should practice chasing, hooking, and swatting away the ball from ball carriers
- Practice what actually happens the most in games (by the % they actually happen over a season as you chart them)
-- Football is a contact sport, so ensure your players are experiencing it in practice as that's what happens in games
-- Your defenders need to practice mid-line tackling by being aggressive (i.e., making the ball carrier feel the pressure and knowing they need to secure the ball), breaking down (don't be top heavy), maintaining leverage, focusing on the inside-out, and driving through ball carriers
-- If you know your defender is going to get stiff-armed by the ball carrier, then have your defenders practice tackling while getting stiff-armed (btw, a lot of fumbles occur in this situation)
-- Practice buddy tackling; first defender locks up while the second defender rips through to swat the ball away
(note: this drill helps RBs and WRs stay tough and gives them practice securing the ball when being tackled by two players)
-- Keep your defenders honest; if they are cheating on a drill (e.g., overplaying a bubble screen), then mix it up and run a bubble and go so the offensive player is running by them
- Coaches, you are the protectors of this game as it's under attack; so you need to be smart about the way you do things, the way you conduct yourselves, and the way you practice; everything you do should be smart and focused on what's next
https://www.facebook.com/AOCFootball/videos/1725980824116235/