Assistant Head Coach/ Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone (9.4.25)
First, just address the kicker situation, what went into that thinking and how you feel about it when you’re going into this game?
“I think Andre (Szmyt) did a nice job since he’s been here, took advantage of every opportunity that we gave him. And just made a decision, felt like it was the right thing to do for our team.”
Kevin (Stefanski) talked about how it was not just on the kicking in the preseason game, but his whole body of work since he first got here last year. So, what have you seen from him and how he kicks the ball?
“I honestly think it was more just the consistency overall, and we felt that that was the best way to go. The consistency with the practice, the consistency with the results in the game. And at the end of the day, we felt it was the best thing to do.”
He kicked a 56-yarder, I think, in the UFL. Do you think that’s his limit?
“No, I think he actually hit a 64 maybe? I think that’s what it was. I’d have to check, honestly. No, I mean, he can hit it. He has a good leg, so he’s hit balls over 60 for us in practice.”
What was that conversation with Dustin (Hopkins) like?
“I mean, I would say this, we had a lot of really good times with Dust. I love the guy. You know, things happen in sports, and it was time to just go a different direction.”
And how do you feel about the return game?
“Yeah, love the options that we have back there. I feel like we have a few more ball handlers more suited to do what we’re asking. So, feel confident in that group. Had a really good training camp. I feel like the guys are bought into what we’re doing and feel like we’ve had kind of like a shift in culture in that regard.”
Do you think you can have a stable set of returners, or do you plan to rotate guys in and out, both on punt as well as the kickoff?
“I think the kickoff stuff you could see a handful of guys back there. And then the punt returner, obviously, DeAndre’s (Carter) our guy back there, so feel good about him. He’s had a lot of production in his career. Very smart, communicates well, good leader. I think those things stand out whenever you’re acquiring a veteran player that has experience, especially whenever you’re playing in conditions like we do. I think that that’s important to be able to have a guy that knows and has experience back there.”
How important is that? I mean, I know that the last several years you guys tried Nyheim (Hines), Jakeem Grant. How important is it to have a guy back there that has been here and been productive in the league?
“Yeah, and I think with some of the guys you mentioned, it was unfortunate that we had some injuries to those positions. You know, Jakeem gets injured in the first play of the last preseason game. Nyheim didn’t come back, obviously, as we expected, it was a little bit longer for him and wasn’t available for us. So, I think now it’s good to have a healthy veteran back there that plays with, I would say he’s got some savvy to him, and excited to be able to block for a guy that can make some yards.”
How did that game-winning kick by Andre (Szmyt) impact the decision with what to do at kicker?
“I mean, I’m sure it impacted it a little bit. I do think overall just the consistency with the body of work from when he started here. I would say he hits a clean ball. He’s got good up time. The elevation’s good. He’s just been a consistent person overall, and we like that about him.”
I know it’s just the preseason, but it seemed like you guys were able to make some really strong tackles on special teams and in the return game. How important is it to start the year off with that preseason body of work, even though it might be a little bit vanilla in terms of your unit?
“Yeah, I think it’s important. I do. I think it’s important to be able to set the standard for how you want it to look and that was a big point of emphasis for us. We gave up way too many yards last year. We were not sound in a lot of areas. I think our players have definitely bought in. Like I said, we put a priority on it with how we practice. So, it really comes down to the players policing themselves on how the style of football is going to be. You know, us as coaches, we can only do so much and say so much. I think it really comes from within the unit and pretty much put it on our guys. Like, look, if you want to be good, and this is what you want it to look like, then hold yourselves accountable and let’s go do it. So, I think that they’ve all done that.”
A couple of questions back, you said there’s a shift in culture. Is that your entire unit or how have you seen that?
“I see it amongst the whole building for our team in general, I think that everyone’s holding everyone more accountable. I definitely see it in my unit as well. I think we’ve had better leadership amongst our core group. Guys like Winston Reid, you know, DC (DeAndre Carter), adding him to the unit. He’s been vocal in meetings. Corey’s (Bojorquez) done a better job with that stuff. Obviously was voted captain. He’s had a really good off season and training camp. So, I think that we’ve definitely…we’ve grown in that area. So, I’m really excited for our group.”
Is that something that you’ve held them to a higher standard, or has that been the players you mentioned elevating their leadership?
“I’m trying to. The onus ends up…it’s coming on the players. I mean obviously I’m going to hold them accountable. I’m going to do as best I can to get it out of them. But I think at the end of the day, the best teams that I’ve been a part of, the best special teams units that I’ve been a part of have been player led and player driven units and teams. It’s being able to call out a guy when he’s not doing his job. Like the other day I came out of a meeting with Kevin (Stefanski) and Winston Reid is leading a player led special teams meeting before we even start our meeting in the morning. So, when you see things like that that are happening, I feel like you have a better chance to be good.”
How many teams is (Carson) Schwesinger on?
“Carson? I mean Carson, he’s repped really in pretty much every phase for us. Whether he plays for us in the game is TBD (to be determined).”
And how many players from your Senior Bowl team did you acquire?
“We acquired a few after the cuts. We signed a handful of guys to practice squad. We did not draft any players that I had coached in Senior Bowl, but we have a few now on the roster, a few of the offensive lineman.”
Charlie Jones obviously had the huge return the last time they were up here. Just the impact of him and how have you seen him, even since then, what he provides for them?
“Yeah, I think that Darrin’s (Simmons) done a really good job with their group. I mean Darrin Simmons, their coordinator, coached against me whenever I was here. He’s been there for over 20 some years. So, they have a lot of consistency with that group. Charlie Jones has done an incredible job since he’s been in the league. Talented returner that obviously has very good top end speed. They have a number of ball handlers. Him, (Jermaine) Burton, (Isaiah) Williams, all those guys can do it pretty well. So big emphasis for us in coverage this week.”
You mentioned the entire culture seems to have changed. Why do you think that is? Because of the disappointment that last year was or do you think it’s the influx of new players?
“Probably a combination of both. You know, I think that no one likes to have a season like we had, and if things are going to change, you have to change some things that you’re doing and in your approach to those things. And honestly, I think a lot of it was and Coach did a great job of this, of addressing this to our players is like, own what we put out there. Own as coaches, what we put out there, own as players what we put out there on the field and on what we put on tape. Like we don’t want to watch bad, you don’t want to come in after a game and watch bad stuff on tape. So, like what do you want to see as a coach? What do you want to see as a player, and do something about it. So, I think that — and not to say that like we weren’t trying before, but I think that, yeah, I think there’s been more of an emphasis on it.”
Hey Bubba, you mentioned Carson before. What are your general impressions about him? It was a pretty unique situation to step in and take on such an impactful role as a rookie.
“I mean, I can’t say enough good things about him. I mean, when we evaluated him, when I evaluated him, the first thing I saw on tape was instinctive, always around the football, right? Really good tackler, super smart, great kid, good communicator. I mean he’s got leadership traits out the you know what. So, I mean this kid is high, high, high level to me. I mean we got lucky to be able to get him where we got him, honestly.”
I know you don’t like to compare guys like that, but does he remind you of anyone you played with or have been around?
“I don’t like to compare guys like that. I mean he’s super instinctive. I mean to me a guy that stands out, and maybe this is too much, is like Luke Kuechly. A guy like that, just an instinctive player. Not to stereotype them, but you know.”
Year two of the new kickoff, it obviously has its tweaks, what can we expect to see?
“Yeah, so they made a change with the formation. You’re able to have another guy off the 35-yard line. So, you can have a guy outside the hash off the 35, a guy inside the hash off the 35, and then a guy outside the hash on the other 35. So, you’re allowed to have three players that are not on the 35-yard line, but they each have to be in a separate zone. You could see a little bit more variation there. I think that, like I said before, I think there’s going to be a high, high, high percentage of kicks that are returned.”
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