From OnlineAthens.com
April 6th, 2016 12:44 PM
Talent ran deep through Alabama’s defense during Kirby Smart’s time as defensive coordinator.
Players like Dre Kirkpatrick, Dee Milliner, Dont’a Hightower and Mark Barron also contributed on special teams on their way to becoming top 25 overall NFL draft picks.
Now at Georgia, Smart is looking at frontline players to make their mark on the kicking teams as well.
“We’re saying, `Hey, all the good players have got to play on special teams if we’re going to be great,'” the Bulldogs' first-year head coach said. “We show them a picture of at one time it was Alabama’s punt team and it had four first-rounders on that punt team. So if you want to be a first-rounder, go learn how to be on the punt team. Go out there and cover kicks on the kickoff team. …You’re going to be asked to do it on the next level, you might as well learn how to do it now.”
Georgia may have had uneven special teams under Mark Richt but the Bulldogs also relied on some of its top players to chip in whether on coverage units or as a returner (see Todd Gurley).
Back in 2014, tailbacks Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Keith Marshall joined inside linebackers Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera on the kickoff coverage team. All on hands deck was the mantra. Leonard Floyd, now a likely NFL first-round pick, played on the punt coverage team.
Now under first-year special teams coordinator Shane Beamer, Georgia is trying to get quality vs. quality on kicking teams in practice.
“The best thing we’ve done is make competitive situations where it’s not a team against a scout team where a kid feels like he has no role,” Smart said. “We’ve got good players going against good players and I think that makes you better.”
There’s not quite as much gloom and doom about special teams like there was entering the spring. The worry for Smart was because Georgia needs to find a new kicker after Marshall Morgan departed, a new punter (unless quarterback Brice Ramsey continues to hold the job) and a new snapper.
“At the beginning of the spring, I was scared to death,” Smart said. “Now I’m just scared. I’m not scared to death. I’m just very worried. We’ve got to improve in that area.”
Walk-on Rodrigo Blankenship kicked in last Saturday’s scrimmage and Smart was pleased with how his field goals went.
“We got it off, we got the snap, held and off so that’s the first goal for the field goal team,” Smart said. “We’ve got to get through the uprights now. That’s the next step. I guess I was being a pessimist and a little worried about the field goal thing, but those guys kicked it well.”
On social media, Blankenship gave a “shotout to the holder Mr. Eason for a week of smooth operations.”
That would be five-star quarterback Jacob Eason.
“We’re getting good reps, quality reps out of it,” Smart said of special teams. “I’ll be honest these kids are working hard during that period. They don’t take that period off. They go out there and compete.”
Beamer, son of former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, doubles as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. Bobby Williams had those same roles at Alabama when Smart was there.
“I think it’s easier for one guy to do all of them to criss-cross them,” Smart said. “I think when you start criss-crossing it’s hard because the time demands when one guy is centered and focused on that, it’s a lot easier for him to center and focus on all four. He can put the whole plan together so you’re not having to interact with two or three people to do that. That’s just kind of what I’ve always done with coach Saban. I’ve always felt the best about it and I knew I was going to be involved with it and I knew I was going to be a piece of the puzzle, too.”
Beamer also can lean on quality control assistant James Vollono who is heavily involved in special teams.
“There has been progress made, don’t get me wrong,” Smart said. “We’ve got a good set-up. I think Shane has doing a good job with drills and different things to simulate things for them. And we’re challenging the guys out there.”
...READ MORE HERE...
April 6th, 2016 12:44 PM
Talent ran deep through Alabama’s defense during Kirby Smart’s time as defensive coordinator.
Players like Dre Kirkpatrick, Dee Milliner, Dont’a Hightower and Mark Barron also contributed on special teams on their way to becoming top 25 overall NFL draft picks.
Now at Georgia, Smart is looking at frontline players to make their mark on the kicking teams as well.
“We’re saying, `Hey, all the good players have got to play on special teams if we’re going to be great,'” the Bulldogs' first-year head coach said. “We show them a picture of at one time it was Alabama’s punt team and it had four first-rounders on that punt team. So if you want to be a first-rounder, go learn how to be on the punt team. Go out there and cover kicks on the kickoff team. …You’re going to be asked to do it on the next level, you might as well learn how to do it now.”
Georgia may have had uneven special teams under Mark Richt but the Bulldogs also relied on some of its top players to chip in whether on coverage units or as a returner (see Todd Gurley).
Back in 2014, tailbacks Sony Michel, Nick Chubb and Keith Marshall joined inside linebackers Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera on the kickoff coverage team. All on hands deck was the mantra. Leonard Floyd, now a likely NFL first-round pick, played on the punt coverage team.
Now under first-year special teams coordinator Shane Beamer, Georgia is trying to get quality vs. quality on kicking teams in practice.
“The best thing we’ve done is make competitive situations where it’s not a team against a scout team where a kid feels like he has no role,” Smart said. “We’ve got good players going against good players and I think that makes you better.”
There’s not quite as much gloom and doom about special teams like there was entering the spring. The worry for Smart was because Georgia needs to find a new kicker after Marshall Morgan departed, a new punter (unless quarterback Brice Ramsey continues to hold the job) and a new snapper.
“At the beginning of the spring, I was scared to death,” Smart said. “Now I’m just scared. I’m not scared to death. I’m just very worried. We’ve got to improve in that area.”
Walk-on Rodrigo Blankenship kicked in last Saturday’s scrimmage and Smart was pleased with how his field goals went.
“We got it off, we got the snap, held and off so that’s the first goal for the field goal team,” Smart said. “We’ve got to get through the uprights now. That’s the next step. I guess I was being a pessimist and a little worried about the field goal thing, but those guys kicked it well.”
On social media, Blankenship gave a “shotout to the holder Mr. Eason for a week of smooth operations.”
That would be five-star quarterback Jacob Eason.
“We’re getting good reps, quality reps out of it,” Smart said of special teams. “I’ll be honest these kids are working hard during that period. They don’t take that period off. They go out there and compete.”
Beamer, son of former Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, doubles as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. Bobby Williams had those same roles at Alabama when Smart was there.
“I think it’s easier for one guy to do all of them to criss-cross them,” Smart said. “I think when you start criss-crossing it’s hard because the time demands when one guy is centered and focused on that, it’s a lot easier for him to center and focus on all four. He can put the whole plan together so you’re not having to interact with two or three people to do that. That’s just kind of what I’ve always done with coach Saban. I’ve always felt the best about it and I knew I was going to be involved with it and I knew I was going to be a piece of the puzzle, too.”
Beamer also can lean on quality control assistant James Vollono who is heavily involved in special teams.
“There has been progress made, don’t get me wrong,” Smart said. “We’ve got a good set-up. I think Shane has doing a good job with drills and different things to simulate things for them. And we’re challenging the guys out there.”
...READ MORE HERE...
