Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone (9.28.23)
Were you surprised to see Justin Tucker missed that field goal last week? And just how good is he?
“Tucker’s, he’s an elite kicker that has had ridiculous results in his career. There was definitely some weather in that game. Not sure if he got all of the ball there. It looked like just about a yard short. But when you rewatch it seems like both sides feel like it’s going in and it just comes up just a little bit short. But he’s definitely had success from over 60 in his career.”
Is he the best kicker you’ve seen?
“It’d be hard to say no. I think I coached arguably the best guy as well in (Adam) Vinatieri. So, I think Adam has had the most clutch kicks in his career, but as far as accuracy and being able to hit from distance, I would say Tucker probably has him, edges him there. But Vinny, I don’t know if you can ever discount his ability to connect on big kicks and probably the biggest kick in NFL history in the game against the Raiders. So, Bill (Belichick) used to show that quite a bit.”
How much time did you spend talking to Vinatieri about that kick? When you were coaching him, how much time did you spend just talking about that kick that he made against the Raiders?
“Not often. I mean, we definitely reminisced on it, I guess you would say. I mean, he talked through a bunch of kicks in his career, especially the ones that were in elements that were tough kicks. But no, I learned a lot from Adam, both as a player, but more as a coach.”
Is this defense wearing out your punt return team too early in the year?
“Defense is on fire for sure. Hopefully, we can continue to play at a high level and give us opportunities to get the ball back.”
DHop (Dustin Hopkins) with two for 50 plus, so that’s got to feel pretty good?
“Yeah. Dustin came into my office the other day. It was actually a funny story. So, comes into my office the other day and we’re talking through a few things. And I had Adele playing on my whatever you want to call it, my iTunes. And he goes, ‘You know, Adele’s a Browns fan.’ I’m like, ‘No she’s not.’ He’s like, ‘Yes, she is. She actually said it in the media the other day,’ so it’s pretty funny. But back to your question, I guess no, he’s been phenomenal. Those guys have done a great job with the operation, the timing, the consistency. Yeah, he’s been great.”
First, the viral Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, now what with Adele?
“Adele, I think she dates somebody from Cleveland? Yeah, I think that’s why she’s a Browns fan. So hopefully we can continue to play well.”
Hopkins making the long ones, did you know he had that kind of leg in him when you guys went and got him?
“Yes, he’s got a big leg, and we knew that, and that was attractive to us, for sure. Dustin has had a great career. He’s hit a high percentage. I don’t know what his career over 50 is, to be honest, but he’s done well in both games and practice settings for us. So we’re confident in his ability to hit from distance.”
Did you guys know when you guys got him that he was 15 for 30 on 50 plus?
“Not sure that I really did. I know that – I mean, look, statistically, I want to say, kicks over 50, it’s almost about 50% regardless. So playing in elements, playing outside, everything factors into it. He’s hit the ball well for us, so I’m confident in his ability.”
How do you assess your return game? I know it’s real early, only a three-week sample size, but have you seen some opportunities there or just how do you feel the return game is going for you right now?
“I’d say we’re off to a little bit of a slow start in the return game, specifically the punt return. We got to do a better job of setting up on the ball and getting the ball downhill, taking what they’re going to give us, not trying to make too many – not trying to get too much, take what they’re going to give you and then those big plays will happen. I think we’re kind of almost you want to say, forcing it a little bit at this point. But I think Donovan (Peoples-Jones) will improve this week and going moving forward.”
The explosiveness in the return game doesn’t seem to be there like it used to be. We used to have those prolific returners that you had to worry about week in and week out. What do you think has changed in the league? Why don’t we see as many of those explosive returns anymore?
“I think there’s – to refute you a little bit, I think there’s actually been quite a bit of explosive returns throughout the league through the first three weeks. If you go back and look at the plays that have happened, there’s been a handful of touchdowns already. There are some longer returns. I would say the punters have definitely given some returners fits at times. I think the punters have improved, but I don’t think there’s a lack of talent or speed or dynamic ability at the returner position. If you really go down through the entire NFL, every team has some type of weapon back there in some capacity, whether it’s the kickoff returner or punt returner. And that’s my opinion.”
What do you think of Andrew Beck’s kick return, the fullback from the Texans?
“I actually had talked to their coordinator [who] was my assistant Indy for three years, Frank Ross, and he said it was – because I hadn’t seen it at that point. I called him after the game and said, ‘Hey, I heard you guys returned a kickoff for a touchdown.’ He’s like, ‘Dude, you’re never going to believe what happened.’ It is pretty wild, it is pretty wild. I’ll show my guys that clip tomorrow. I do like a little NFL teach thing on Fridays where we can learn from other team’s mistakes and good plays. So, it kind of heightens everyone’s awareness on how to correct or be proactive in those types of situations. So pretty rare play, I would say.”
Why do you think (Devin) Duvernay is such a dangerous punt returner?
“Speed. He’s got speed. I mean, he can outrun anyone on the field. So, we’ll have to do a good job with our leverage in this game on him being disciplined with our lanes and our leveraging coverage, that’s going to be extremely important versus him. He’s got speed. He’s a really good returner.”
The clips, are they from the previous week that you’re showing, or how do you go about picking those?
“Yeah, most times from the previous week. I’ll look through just about every play that’s been run on teams throughout the league. Our video guys do a great job of categorizing them so I can get to them easily and just looking for good things to teach off of leverage, good tackling, things like that. And then I’ll show a good bit of penalties like that’s poor decision making, good decision making, things like that. So, yeah, most times it’s from the previous week of ball.”
Bye week coming up, do you have the opportunity to kind of try to jump start the return game a little, figure something out in terms of personnel, give some guys new tryouts or anything?
“Yeah, I think Andrew (Berry) and his crew, they do a really good job of always having a list of players available, and that’s throughout the entire year. But I would say at this point right now, I don’t feel like a change is imminent. I feel like we can get going there. I think we just have to take a little bit more detail into our approach and understand how we really have to attack and how we really have to – I would say, how we really have to have the mentality to be able to get the ball downhill once we secure it. We’re just not doing a great job of that at this point.”
Going back to kind of some mistakes around the league. (John) Harbaugh was talking about, they made that fair catch after the safety and kind of gave the Colts a free time out there with a two-minute warning. He said it was just a lack of communication. Do you guys, as a coaching staff, kind of go over clock things like that? And, I mean, how much time does Kevin (Stefanski) kind of spend with you guys on making sure that stuff is right?
“We did a handful of exercises, I think I told you guys in the offseason, exploring a lot of those situations in games that could arise. Dave does a good job for us with the communication in-game, leading up to the game throughout the week. Coach does a good job on Saturdays; he covers a handful of situations amongst the entire team so that everyone can see it. I try to do a good job on Fridays of showing similar situations, ‘Hey, we would use a fair catch here, we would force a kick here, we would try to kick a touchback here.’ There are so many situations that can arise throughout a game. You just want to be able to be prepared for when it does happen. It’s like that and you’re not even thinking about it. Unfortunately for Baltimore, they had a mishap. Fortunately for us, they lost the game.”
Dustin getting here, how have you just seen like, Corey (Bojorquez) and Charlie (Hughlett) and those three working together to get everything down since he got here?
“Those guys have gotten along great. Great relationship on this early part of the season for them, they all get along well. They all work hard, they’re all professionals. I trust those guys to do their job even when we’re not together and they’re on their own during practice, in the weight room, whatever it is. They all have a great approach and hopefully we can keep producing well.”
A couple of the guys on the defense, defensive veterans this offseason said that when this team really clicks, it’ll because special teams has clicked. With the defense performing the way it has in this first couple of games, do you feel that kind of motivation to play at that same level as them?
“Definitely. And I think for us in the kicking game, how we’re built, we use a lot of defensive players and a lot of those guys that are playing defensive snaps are contributing on our units. You see JOK (Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah) last week with the tackle on kickoff, Anthony Walker with the tackle on the punt. He and Taki (Sione Takitaki), those guys have done a really good job for us, you know, the defense has been almost like infectious to the rest of our team to play at a high level. So, I think that everyone has to hold up their end of the bargain. The best way to win a football game is to play complementary football with your offense, your defense and your kicking game, being able to control field position. So, I think that moving forward, that’s our goal. Protect the football control field position, play good defense and then plays will happen on offense, special teams throughout the game.”
We’re starting to see teams use that new fair catch rule. Just now that you’ve gotten to see it, see a couple of weeks of football, has your view changed? I know in the offseason you just say we really value the return game and that’s what we focus on. But just what’s your take on that rule change now for a few weeks deep?
“Same thing. I feel like to your point, I value the return game. I’m confident in our players, situational football could dictate a fair catch or not. I think that if you’re going to use a fair catch, it could be more in those situations late in the game, whether you play your hands, unit, whatever it may be. But I would know playing in Cleveland, when you have weather and there are elements, there are times where the ball is going to be short. When the ball is short, I want to return it. I don’t want to fair catch it.”
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