Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone (10.17.24)
Starting off with something good, can you talk about Myles’ (Garrett) amazing block and just how cool it was to see another one of those?
“Yeah, it was well executed by everyone on the unit. Myles in the interior and then obviously we get the scoop and score from Rodney (McLeod), and then the effort to finish the blocks down the field by a number of guys; Mohamoud (Diabate), Devin Bush. So, yeah, really, really good effort.”
Bubba, I know we talked about it last year, with what Myles did in Indy (Indianapolis). Is the counter to that, if you’re the offense, you stand up quicker? Is that why you can’t do it a lot because there’s just a counter to that?
“Yeah, and then there’s like a happy medium there because if you raise up, then you don’t have as much, I would say, anchor to be able to sustain, like straight bull-rush there in that sense. So that’s why you’re coached to stay low.”
I know last year you said the play call was Indy. Did you change the name of it this year?
“Yeah, we called it Aggie. Texas A&M, yeah.”
I’m sure you have a fake field goal in your playbook. I wondered why at the end of the game that wasn’t a good situation for it? Because Kevin (Stefanski) said yesterday that he didn’t consider a fake with three minutes to go.
“Yeah, I think in that situation, I feel like if you’re the field blocking in that spot, I would say you’re probably playing against something like that. You’re looking for something like that in that situation because the field goal can’t get you beat at that point because you’re still up four, right? So, the thing that can get you beat is a fake to get six.”
Do you ever wonder if the competition committee would look at that play at all? I mean, obviously, it’s a great play, but do you ever wonder if that’s something they would ever look at?
“No, I don’t think that they would look at that play. I think that everything in the play is legal, and I think that there’s no risk of injury with the play or anything like that. Look, credit to those guys and credit to 95 (Myles Garrett). I mean, to be able to execute that at a high level two years in a row was remarkable. And I will say this, those guys put in the time and there’s a lot of detail that goes into that play.”
What’s it like to watch him practice that? Because he said after the game he will jump over people in practice. He said it was Zak Zinter last week.
“Yeah. Practice execution equals game reality. That’s what (Bill) Belichick used to say. It’s true.”
Nyheim Hines, I mean, back in Greenbrier, he looked ready. So here we are, and he looks ready. What can he add to your return team?
“Nyheim’s had really good production in his career. I had him for a number of years with the (Indianapolis) Colts, and then obviously he goes to Buffalo and does a tremendous job there as their returner. The thing with him is he’s explosive, and he is fast and he’s hard to catch. So, he’s an aggressive downhill runner, even despite his size. He’s not really like a cutback, stretching…he’s more of a stretch and cut, get downhill type of guy and he’s definitely a tough guy to tackle. So, explosive guy that gives you a shot every time he touches the ball.”
You liked him on kickoffs and punt?
“Yeah, he’s done both and he’s done them both at a high level.”
Some of the guys have been relaying that you talked to them about the 2018 Colts and how the Colts started that season and how they finished that season. So, can you share with us the message and just what that must have been like that year?
“Yeah, I mean, I think there’s some parallels to that team and to this team. I think that we started out that year, obviously, was a new staff. We have a new offensive staff here. Just trying to find an identity and I think that at one point it just kind of clicked. And Frank (Reich) did a really good job that year of, and I think Kevin’s doing a good job with our team of trying to go 1-0. Just figuring out a way to go 1-0 and just worrying about the game at hand and the task at hand. And I think that if you start to worry about and think down the road or think about the past, it doesn’t put you in a good spot. I think if you just put all your focus on that week and that current week, and I mean typically it’s like that every week, but really emphasizing how can we go 1-0? What do we need to do to win this game? And then we’ll worry about the next game the next week, but just trying to go 1-0 and just get that one win to get a spark and to create some momentum.”
I knew you did this last year and got all the guys work shirts, right? That was you with their names on them? Did you do that again this year? Because some of them had them on yesterday.
“Yeah, I did, and I ordered those a few weeks ago. And just the message is, and Coach (Jim) Harbaugh, when he coached me in San Francisco, he did that with our team. The message is like, and for me in the kicking game is like, ‘We’re going to work and we’re going to outwork our opponent, and we’re going to finish, and we’re going to play with high effort.’ And I think our guys have done a good job with that and just the emphasis on the results will come, you just got to keep working hard. So, I think that our team will continue to do that and fight and try to get back on track.”
What clicked? Was it everything or was it an offensive spark, a defensive spark, special teams spark back in 2018?
“Yeah, I think it was just playing complimentary football. You need all three phases of the game; offense, defense, special teams, being able to control the field, put our defense and our offense in a good spot, and then create opportunities for our guys. And your best players have to make plays in all three phases. So, once you get production from your best players, I mean, the guys that are supposed to make plays need to make plays.”
Was that (Andrew) Luck’s first year?
“No, that was his last full season. First year with Frank, though.”
Did that help, having Andrew Luck?
“For sure, yep.”
Having new members on the staff, does that take a while to get used to when you have, whatever it is, four or five new guys on a staff. Does it take a while just to connect?
“Yeah, I’m sure it does. I mean, I haven’t been involved, like, I mean, look, on the staff that I’m on, the special teams staff, there’s two of us. But I would think that it takes a little bit of time to figure everybody out. And especially, like when you’re planning and thinking of runs or passes that you like or plays, whatever it is, I’m sure that it takes a little bit of time.”
How did Rex (Sunahara) do his first game out there?
“I thought Rex did a good job. I thought he did a good job and just going to continue to keep getting him work. And he’s done a good job. He recognizes his looks well, so he’s done a good job and he’s practiced well, so it’s been good.”