Assistant Head Coach/ Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone (12.24.25)
The snap, was it a snap issue on the field goal right before halftime?
“Yeah. Kind of short on the ball, but I do think that obviously both of those guys own it. We need to be able to execute that. I think Corey (Bojorquez) can still get the ball down. He would tell you the same thing. So just gotta eliminate bad football like that.”
On the brighter side, how about (Malachi) Corley’s kickoff returns? Were you happy with the effort and production?
“Yeah. I thought we had a good week of prep, a good week of practice. I thought we had a good plan up. I thought the players executed well, sustained blocks with good leverage. I thought he did a good job setting up his tracks for the returns. So, he’s definitely improving the more reps he gets back there.”
What’s that like, Bubba, catching that ball in really bad weather? I mean, it must feel like a rock or whatever.
“The weather definitely affects the ball. You know, the last two weeks, obviously, the weather’s been a lot colder than we’ve seen in recent weeks, I guess, but it definitely affects how the ball feels. So that’s why – I mean, that’s why it’s so beneficial to be able to get the practice in the elements and practice outside, like we do.”
With Grant (Delpit) being named an alternate special teamer in the Pro Bowl, what have you seen from him this year in production in your unit?
“Yeah. So I think two things to know from that is, obviously, he’s a starter that’s willing to do whatever it takes for our team. So he’s played on two units, you know, most of the season for us. We’ve created two turnovers, and he’s been a part of both of them. So obviously the fumble against Miami and then the recovered fumble against Baltimore here at home. So, he’s…look, he does everything I ask him to do, and he’s a great teammate, a great player.”
Did he volunteer to play special teams? Did you guys ask him to play special teams? Because I know some starters do, some don’t.
“Yeah, I’d say it’s probably a combination of both. Obviously, if there’s a need that we that we have, I’ll go to a guy and approach him, I guess you would say the appropriate way. So, he’s a great teammate and willing to do whatever it takes. He loves football, that kid.”
Bubba, were you pleased with the job you did in kick coverage? You know, we talked so much about the (Buffalo) Bills’ return ability heading into that game. And was it just a matter of cleaning up the stuff we’ve been talking about for a while?
“I thought we had a good week of preparation. I thought we prepared well for that team. We studied them, we studied their personnel. I thought we did a nice job with our leverage to the ball and shedding blocks and obviously tackling the running back who has had a ton of production leading up to that game. I thought we bottled them up pretty well. So that was good. We have a big challenge this week too. You know, Pittsburgh has a really good core group.”
Speaking of that, just (Kenneth) Gainwell, I mean, him as a return guy – him specifically.
“So, it’s really he and (Jaylen) Warren back there on kickoff return. I would say, you know, both of those guys do a really nice job. Aggressive downhill runners with good vision. Typically running backs have that, you know, so I think Gainwell’s done a really good job throughout his entire career. I thought he did a nice job last year in Philly as well. So gonna have to do the same thing. Just doing a really good job with our fundamentals and our techniques to be able to get those guys down.”
We’ve talked about running backs, you know, being return guys, but to see a team put both of their, you know, pretty much their one and two running backs out there, I mean, is that as common as…
“I mean you can see that the play is like we’ve talked about, like I’ve said all season long, you know, it’s an important play and it’s a game-changing play. So, you know, to value the play like that, to be able to put those types of guys back there, they understand that it’s an important play. So, you know, you’re seeing these returns at the end of games that are setting up short fields for the offense, it’s important. So, both the coverage and the return aspect of it, we knew that it was going to be another… We said that the percentage of the return were going to be at a high rate. It’s another offensive play that you have an opportunity to get a ball in a playmaker’s hands, so.”
I usually save this question for defensive coordinators, but how do you practice tackling when you don’t tackle in practice?
“Yeah, to actually get somebody on the ground? Yeah, it’s hard to simulate. It’s hard to simulate. I know (Jonathon) Gannon had some stuff to say about that a couple weeks ago, but you try to just put the guys in the best position possible to simulate it without actually going to the ground, working angles and entry and things like that.”
When you played, did you guys tackle in practice?
“To the ground? (Yeah). We didn’t do a lot of live periods like that. I remember in training camp there used to be some live periods, especially with younger players. You know, whenever I was in New England and Indy, we did lot of tackling drills relative to like space tackling and things like that and angles and entry and things like that.”
It seems these guys who are making 50-plus yarders, like nothing field goals are missing the shorter ones. (Chris) Boswell did it last week. And (Brandon) Aubrey’s done it. Why do you think that is?
“Honestly, I could not tell you. I don’t think there’s a direct correlation between like a short kick and a long one, like in the miss rate…”
You think they take it relaxed too much?
“I think it’s per player, I would say. And to piggyback the Boswell comment, I mean, he’s been super accurate, especially over the last, like three years, four years. Like, he’s done a really good job. He’s a talented kicker. He’s done a nice job for them.”
So how much are you preaching, just clean game from, you know, from the kicking teams, you know, so that you guys can just really finish out strong. It seems like every week we’re asking you about, you know, one little thing here, one little thing there.
“Yeah, that’s a big…I mean, that’s a big thing is we want to play clean every week. So, to be able to finish up the season on a clean slate would be great. We just want to be able to do a good job of controlling the field for our offense and our defense and putting us in a position to be successful and have positive plays.”
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