Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone (12.14.23)
How’s this latest wave of injuries impacting you and your guys, your groups?
“Next man up. Next man up. Our team has done a good job of responding whenever we’ve suffered one of those injuries, especially when a guy goes to IR. Guys need to now take on bigger responsibility and step up. So, I think those guys have done a good job, the entire roster.”
You’ve been in the league a long time. Have you ever seen something quite like this? Not just injuries, but season-ending injuries to such kind of key players, starters?
“I don’t know if I remember a year where you’ve had that many guys go to IR, but to our player’s credit, we’ve done a good job of rallying around each other and playing complimentary ball. And next man up. Our guys have responded pretty well I feel.”
We’ve talked about Corey (Bojorquez) just the season he’s having, but how about that one punt last week where he really flipped the field from back in your end to inside their 20?
“Great play in the game. Changed the entire field position for us. We covered it well. We need to be a little bit more consistent with our hangs and our distances. He’s done a great job. All three of the specialists have done a tremendous job for us so far.”
Does he get off 80 yarders like that every once in a while? I know you guys film everything.
“He’s got a powerful leg. He really does. His ability to hit for distances, it really is truly remarkable. And we need to continue to improve on hitting with good hang and distance and direction is going to be important, especially in these next few games.”
Speaking of distance, Dustin (Hopkins) gets another one beyond 50. Was 55 right about the margin of what you were comfortable with going in?
“It was close. Yeah, I know Kevin (Stefanski) and I talked about it quickly. I mean, we talked about a pregame and then circled back at halftime. And then obviously on that last drive, we had a quick conversation about can we hit it? So we both agreed yes. Obviously, you have the confidence in the player at that point to follow through for us in the operation. The protection is great on it and he answers with the kick. So credit to him, he’s done an incredible job the entire year. Love the kid, love the work ethic, the consistency every day. So he’s had a special year.”
What do you say about the fact that he’s gone eight for eight on 50 plus. How remarkable is that? Especially considering that he didn’t really have that track record coming in.
“Yeah, I think that it goes back to practice execution equal game reality, and that’s what’s happened. He’s done a good job in practice, the practice reps, the week in, week out, the consistency. He’s really been the best kicker in football in my opinion. He really has. I mean, we play in conditions that are not easy. Our stadium is not easy to kick in. We play games outside in weather. And he’s done a great job. He’s been the best in the league in my opinion.”
Is he a Pro Bowler in your mind?
“It’s not even a question to me.”
He broke a Browns record with that field goal on Sunday, Dustin. Just kind of going off that, though, how important is that for him? Just as he’s gotten recognized on the team this season and even had the success he’s had for him to come in and just be so successful.
“I think that whenever you can lean on your kicker to put points on the board, it helps the team obviously, because you just have the confidence in him to do so. And everyone on the roster, everyone in the building, trusts him to come through. And it really starts with – it starts with Charley (Hughlett), then it’s to Corey, then it’s to him on their work and their preparation and then our protection. So that whole unit’s done a nice job and embraced their role and hopefully we can continue to do positive things on that unit moving forward in the next few games.”
With Corey hitting the ball the way he has and that distance, how have you guys had to work with the coverage to play off of that and know he’s going to hit a far ball, but maybe he doesn’t have that hang time yet or something like that?
“Yeah, I mean, ideally you don’t want to have a 60 yard punt at 43 hang time. You want to match the distance with the hang. And the better that we can do that, the better off our coverage will be. So I think that here and there, when you hit a big ball like that – a lot of time if you hit a ball at 70 yards, there’s times you’re probably not going to be able to catch the ball. So we need to be consistent at placing the ball that direction and hang.”
How important has James Proche been to this punt return unit? I mean, it seems like every time he gets the ball, he’s going forward for positive yards never backwards and putting him the offense in the best position possible.
“Yeah, I mean, that’s what we want to do. We want to be able to get as many yards for our offense as possible. If we can get a first down and then whatever else comes on top of that is great. And to his credit, he did a great job on our hands unit at the end of the game to secure that win. I like the kid. He works extremely hard as well. You can see him anytime Corey’s hitting live balls, he’s out there catching. A lot of times we’ll have a period in the early part of practice and rather than him in the stretch line, he’s catching the punts. So he’s put in a lot of work. I would say even before the Ravens game where he had the muff, the mishap there, it’s heightened even since then.”
You’ve had Ronnie Hickman and D’Anthony Bell on your units all year long, and now it seems like they’re going to be counted on more on defense. So just what have you seen from them being in your meetings, being in your groups all season?
“I think, you know, when you have, when guys go down, opportunities arise at other positions. It’s been like that in the NFL forever. So I think for them, just understanding that it’s their opportunity to get more defensive time and more defensive reps, they have all done a really good job of embracing whatever role they’ve had for me. D Bell has been really like a four-phase guy for me. His role will lessen and then it’s the other guys that are going to step up in those spots. So they’ve been great contributors for me and they’re going to help our defense out as well.”
Can you tell when you’re working with them that it’s going to translate to defense when they have to take on a bigger role?
“Yeah, I think so. You can see the thing that I like about, for instance, D Bell. I think he’s a pretty instinctive kid, and when he’s playing fast and aggressive on defense, you see him making plays. It showed up in preseason, and I think you guys will see that the more opportunities he gets on that side of the ball.”
We’ve asked you about Pierre (Strong Jr.) before, I think, but it seems like every week we see him make a play in coverage, and he did against Jacksonville, obviously. How has he been for you? I know he’s doing kick return, but in punt coverage, how good has he been?
“Yeah, Pierre has been great. I mean, Pierre can fly, too. He ran like 4.37 at the combine. He’s fast. He gave me a lot of crap this past week. South Dakota State beat Villanova in the playoffs, so I’m not happy about that. I’ll have to wear a South Dakota State jersey tomorrow to my meeting, which is unfortunate. No, but he’s been great for our unit. He really has been. And his coverage impact has been great for our unit. He’s done a good job not only on punt, he’s done a great job on kickoff, too. He’s made a number of tackles on that unit, but no, he’s definitely been a positive for us and I’m really glad that AB (Andrew Berry) made that move to get him at the end of camp.”
Hey, the NFL is going to reexamine kickoffs again. I think Troy Vincent called it like a dead ceremonial play yesterday. I mean, I know they changed a lot of the rules for player safety. What would be your hope that they or what adjustment do you think they could make that would please everybody?
“Yeah, I don’t know. I saw, I’ve seen some things written about like adopting the XFL style of kick and I don’t know. I mean, I feel like in my opinion – you guys know how I feel about the kickoff and my feelings about it and returning kicks and forcing kicks. And me personally, I don’t like the game to not have a kickoff. I think it’s just gimmicky whenever you don’t. To me, if you want to fair catch it, fair catch it. If you want to return it, return it. But I don’t think taking the kick out of the game, taking the kickoff out of the game is the solution. Me personally, I’d be content if we just kept it how it is. If you want a fair catch. If you don’t, then don’t. So I’m content [with] how it is honestly. I wasn’t sure how I would initially take on the fair catch rule. To me, first off, it’s definitely not an unsafe play. If you watch the film and you watch offensive and defensive clips, the kickoff is not an unsafe play.”
Has it gotten better because of that?
“Yeah, this is obviously clearly my opinion, but because of how you can’t have wedge in the back end, only double teams can be formed by those guys that are in the setup zone. The play is much safer to me. It really is. That’s my opinion. Yeah, that’s how I feel.”
The Bears kicker (Cairo Santos) is another guy who’s booming the 50 yarders and has a really nice field goal percentage. So what are you most worried about with him and the Bears special teams?
“He’s been a good, consistent kicker since he’s been in the league. I remember I had coaching against him. I’m not sure when his first year in the league was. I remember, I want to say ’15 we were against him and I remember charting his kicks whenever I was in New England. And he’s just been a consistent player since he’s been in the league. When he was in Kansas City, now he’s in Chicago. Obviously had a really good year a couple of years ago and hitting the high percentage now. Overall, their group, I think it’s a solid group overall, Santos has done a great job. Travis Homer is a good player for them. They got good returners. Trent Taylor is a good punt returner, sure handed guy. Velus Jones, I really liked him coming out of school. Explosive, can get to the field, really good speed and toughness in him, but they have a good group overall. And like every week we’re excited for the challenge to go against them. Really familiar with this head coach, obviously had been with Flus (Matt Eberflus) here when he was in Cleveland. He coached me and then obviously was on the staff with him in Indy. So I know one thing, I know that this is a football team that plays with high effort and they are attacking the football. So it’ll be an important thing for our entire team, not just in the kicking game, but on offense to protect the football because those guys, they run to the football and they punch at the ball and they swipe at the ball. So that’ll be a huge priority for our team this week.”
We talk about how the team has been able to rally around each other despite all the injuries. How does Kevin go about setting that message and setting that time?
“Well, I think whenever you have, like when you sustain injuries you’re really using – you obviously are acquiring players. When those injuries happen, guys go to IR, but you’re using the practice squad as like an extension of the roster. So he’s at least communicating with the coaches like that. We need to develop those players that are on the practice squad because they’re really an extension of the roster. Those are the next guys that we’re looking to play and elevate. So his communication to the coaching staff at the beginning of the season, and obviously the players understand that you got to be ready to go, you got to prepare every week like you’re playing in the game. I think our coaching staff has done a really good job of rallying and preparing those players that are having more opportunities now due to injury. And our guys seem to me like they’re prepared and ready to compete.”
What’s the story behind the shirt today?
“Which one? This one. The best defensive player in the world.”
No, the one with your name on it.
“No, that’s just my work shirt. Going to work. Coaches adopted the theme of we have to work, and I end up getting these for the coaches and players. So it’s kind of like, almost like a camaraderie thing.”
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