7/30 PM Special Teams

[SoCalBronco]

The special teams practice was short and uneventful, so there is not really a report, just some tidbits here and there.

Just some tidbits:
1. Hixon was running with the first team on punt returns. On his first couple oppurtunities he was fairly impressive, some nice cuts but you cannot really duplicate a real special teams play because there was much less contact in these practices. Hixon did drop a punt and on one of his oppurtunities, instead of trying to cut and slash while running forward when he encountered a potential tackler he sorta tried to juke him while holding still. Other guys who tried their hand at PR were Kircus, Morgan and Martinez. No one really stood out, Kircus kinda lacks burst too.

2. Most of the work today was in getting the lane assignments down and making sure the positioning was in order.

3. I thought Webster really played with alot of passion, he got down there quick and did well eluding his assigned blockers. Hall also played with some good passion and got around the two defenders assigned to him when he lined up wide.

4. There was alot of work on "scoop and score" drills after punt blocks, with constant coaching by Scott O'Brien.

5. Coach O'Brien also installed some punt block schemes where they would bring over one of the two defenders assigned to the wider guy at the last second to come after the punter off the edge.

Coach Shanahan conducted a very short impromptu press conference after the session, but it was limited to discussing Coach Walsh's passing. He mentioned how much he admired Coach Walsh and how he has taken many aspects of his system and tried to use it here. Just talked about some personal things and how he had talked to him recently etc.

[SoDak Bronco]

Thanks SoCal...did Elam and Sauerbrun get much work in?

[Inkana7]

Thanks SoCal!

[SoCalBronco]

Thanks SoCal...did Elam and Sauerbrun get much work in?

Nope. They had Sauerbrun acting as the mock kickoff guy with the coverage team but I think the balls were actually kicked off using some kind of machine. Sauerbrun got in alot of work yesterday in actual punts and Elam worked on kicks this morning.

[Kaylore]

Yeah it was pretty ho-hum.

[OrangeShadow]

nothing, special Ha! Ha!

[Broncoman13]

They're probably using a Jugs machine for the punts... not sure what they use for kickoffs. You can get a spiral out of the jugs but not an end over end like a kickoff.

I only got to see one practice (this am) but I have to admit that I wasn't overly impressed with Hixon. Again, it was only one practice and he really didn't have too many opportunities.

Did he look pretty good yesterday SoCal? How 'bout this afternoon? Compared to this morning I mean...

[Paladin]

But I hope it all sinks in and is drilled to perfection because this part of the Broncos' game was bad last year.......

[SoCalBronco]

They're probably using a Jugs machine for the punts... not sure what they use for kickoffs. You can get a spiral out of the jugs but not an end over end like a kickoff.

I only got to see one practice (this am) but I have to admit that I wasn't overly impressed with Hixon. Again, it was only one practice and he really didn't have too many opportunities.

Did he look pretty good yesterday SoCal? How 'bout this afternoon? Compared to this morning I mean...

Eh, it is hard to tell. These Special Teams practices are not really full speed (more like 3/4 speed) because they slow up at the end because they know they cant hit the punt returner so it is hard to guage just how effective guys are on returns, but Hixon was ok (not great, not horrible), he did drop one ball on a return.

Gotta give him a break though, he just got back last night from Baghdad where he was working on a peace deal with Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

:)

[KansasBronco]

Nice job guys. Nobody keeps us updated like you two.

[JCMElway]

Hey SoCal, who does it look like is going to take over for Burns as captain of the Special Teams Unit?

[Kaylore]

They're probably using a Jugs machine for the punts... not sure what they use for kickoffs. You can get a spiral out of the jugs but not an end over end like a kickoff.
Actually there is some kind of lever on the jugs machine because they were able to get end over end on a few of them.

I think O'Brien is reteaching the special teams unit from the ground up. They worked on a lot of little drills like blocking kicks, how to gun down field and so on Lots of teaching and not as much playing - just repeating those little skills. My thoughts are that he's going to do work them from the beginning until they are where he'd like them to be.

Hey SoCal, who does it look like is going to take over for Burns as captain of the Special Teams Unit?

Quentin Harris or Paul Smith.

[SoCalBronco]

Hey SoCal, who does it look like is going to take over for Burns as captain of the Special Teams Unit?

I dont really know who the captain is. Khan thought it might be Quentin Harris but I dunno.

[telluride]

I truly wish we had drafted Devin Hester.

[Requiem]

We would have had Hester, but the fuggin' bears stole him. Bear fuggers!

[Atwater His Ass]

Does Paul Smith seem like a good leader out there? Isn't he supposed to be a ST stud? I hope so. Outside of Elam, ST could use a good kick in pants.

[OrangeShadow]

Gotta give him a break though, he just got back last night from Baghdad where he was working on a peace deal with Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

:)

lol i was just watching a bit on the daily show about crocker

[RkyMtnThunder]

They're probably using a Jugs machine for the punts... not sure what they use for kickoffs. You can get a spiral out of the jugs but not an end over end like a kickoff.

I only got to see one practice (this am) but I have to admit that I wasn't overly impressed with Hixon. Again, it was only one practice and he really didn't have too many opportunities.

Did he look pretty good yesterday SoCal? How 'bout this afternoon? Compared to this morning I mean...

he may just be toning things down out of fairness to the rest of the team - and unleash his amazing football talents against our hapless opponents..

it could happen!

[Jens1893]

We would have had Hester, but the fuggin' bears stole him. Bear fuggers!

and i am damn happy we didnt waste a second rounder on a guy who can only return kicks. returners dont last long.

[Atwater His Ass]

what, you aren't impressed with teh mad receiving skillz of Dante one dimension Hall?

[ward63]

Any info on Ernster? I want Sauerbrun to beat him out, but I was just wondering how he was doing.

[Requiem]

and i am damn happy we didnt waste a second rounder on a guy who can only return kicks. returners dont last long.

Considering that's what our thoughts were with Darrent Williams, (initially) and seeing how abysmal our special teams was last year, I think Hester, given our situation would have been a fantastic addition to our team.

So the guy is moving around on the Bears trying to find a true position, so what? He'd of found a niche here somewhere.

He changes games, and probably won the Bears a couple of games based on his returning skills alone considering how abysmal their offense was with the flux of players moving in and out of the starting line-up.

I'm perfectly happy with Tony Scheffler, and I think he'll be a real receiving threat for the team, but it'd of been nice to have some sort of spark on special teams. Hopefully Hixon can be that guy. I see your point, but I do think you undervalue the importance of guys like Hester to their team, and respectively, their teams' success.

Piss poor special teams play probably cost us a game or two last year. Hopefully Mr. O'Brien can clean house and get things back to a satisfactory level around here. Our return game was atrocious last year. However I was excited to see Brian Clark get in there for some returns.

[akaspaz]

SoCal & Kaylore thanks for these reports. One question...Who is holding for Elam now that Plummer is gone?

[Jens1893]

Considering that's what our thoughts were with Darrent Williams, (initially) and seeing how abysmal our special teams was last year, I think Hester, given our situation would have been a fantastic addition to our team.

So the guy is moving around on the Bears trying to find a true position, so what? He'd of found a niche here somewhere.

He changes games, and probably won the Bears a couple of games based on his returning skills alone considering how abysmal their offense was with the flux of players moving in and out of the starting line-up.

I'm perfectly happy with Tony Scheffler, and I think he'll be a real receiving threat for the team, but it'd of been nice to have some sort of spark on special teams. Hopefully Hixon can be that guy. I see your point, but I do think you undervalue the importance of guys like Hester to their team, and respectively, their teams' success.

Piss poor special teams play probably cost us a game or two last year. Hopefully Mr. O'Brien can clean house and get things back to a satisfactory level around here. Our return game was atrocious last year. However I was excited to see Brian Clark get in there for some returns.

that is all true and i probably do undervalue hester a little (not special teams per sé, as i think those guys, especially the kickers and punters, get too little credit most of the time but thats a different topic), but as of right now hester is a returner only and people who can only return kicks don´t last long and are shown the door pretty quickly once they fail to produce at an elite level unless they manage to contribute at another position. nobody knows how long hester will be able to keep this up, but most returners are usually one or two season wonders and i expect more from a second rounder than 1-2 years as a returner. im not unhappy we didnt draft hester. you can take a flyer on a return guy on the second day, but not in the second round.

[TheReverend]

that is all true and i probably do undervalue hester a little (not special teams per sé, as i think those guys, especially the kickers and punters, get too little credit most of the time but thats a different topic), but as of right now hester is a returner only and people who can only return kicks don´t last long and are shown the door pretty quickly once they fail to produce at an elite level unless they manage to contribute at another position. nobody knows how long hester will be able to keep this up, but most returners are usually one or two season wonders and i expect more from a second rounder than 1-2 years as a returner. im not unhappy we didnt draft hester. you can take a flyer on a return guy on the second day, but not in the second round.

1128 yards and 5 touchdowns in the regular season alone.

Good production

...but he's ONLY a returner, right?

[SoCalBronco]

SoCal & Kaylore thanks for these reports. One question...Who is holding for Elam now that Plummer is gone?

Sauerbrun was holding for Elam in the morning session when they devoted a part of it to end of game FG scenarios.

[Requiem]

that is all true and i probably do undervalue hester a little (not special teams per sé, as i think those guys, especially the kickers and punters, get too little credit most of the time but thats a different topic), but as of right now hester is a returner only and people who can only return kicks don´t last long and are shown the door pretty quickly once they fail to produce at an elite level unless they manage to contribute at another position. nobody knows how long hester will be able to keep this up, but most returners are usually one or two season wonders and i expect more from a second rounder than 1-2 years as a returner. im not unhappy we didnt draft hester. you can take a flyer on a return guy on the second day, but not in the second round.

Which is what we essentially did with Hixon, but he did offer some versatility playing both ways in college, and he has the ability to be a vertical threat in this offense, which is something we really lacked last season on a consistent basis.

Believe me, I'm not "pissed" that we didn't get Hester, but he would have been extremely nice to have last year. He never really got a chance (in my mind) to settle at a spot in Miami, and he hasn't got to do that with the Bears yet either.

Then again, what do I know? Speaking of "role players". . .

People got on my ass for saying that Maurice Jones-Drew would have been a nice selection for the Broncos, and that I had heard from the same source who told me the Broncos loved Scheffler (not the guy who came here and posted, whom most of you all drilled after he said the Broncos were looking to trade up for a signal caller) that they liked him, but there was "No ****ing way the Broncos would be interested in that douchebag midget from UCLA who will be nothing more than a C.O.P back in the NFL."

Little did they know, he would go on to finish second in the ROY balloting (personally, should have one over Vince Young) with 941 yards on 166 carries, 13 touchdowns, 46 receptions for over 430 yards, two receiving touchdowns and over 800 return yards with a score in that aspect of the game.

He'd of been nice to have too, but the Broncos opted to take Scheffler instead of him at #56. Oh well. . . I got my prayers answered with all four of our picks this year, so yeah!

[Broncos_OTM]

and i am damn happy we didnt waste a second rounder on a guy who can only return kicks. returners dont last long.

There is a little truth to that. but when you have potential like this guy to play offense defense. Denver is solid on offense defense but this man would have lit up our special teams .. like someone said it takes O D ST and coaching

[ward63]

It wasn't all Hester, they're blocking was really good too. Sure he did a lot, no doubt, but the Bears return team was well set up.

[Man-Goblin]

Hester has moved to offense with the Bears; a move that should have been made a long, long time ago. Apparently, the Bears think he can make an impact, ya know, if Grossman can get him the ball.

[Jens1893]

Hester has moved to offense with the Bears; a move that should have been made a long, long time ago. Apparently, the Bears think he can make an impact, ya know, if Grossman can get him the ball.

how dare you forget about brian griese?

[Watchthemiddle]

Thanks for this report. Our special teams needs to come up HUGE this year. :thumbs:

[Man-Goblin]

how dare you forget about brian griese?

You think Griese could hit that small of a moving target?

[Jens1893]

You think Griese could hit that small of a moving target?

depends how far away it is

[Merlin]

You think Griese could hit that small of a moving target?
Griese has extremely good accuracy, he just lacks arm strength, and speed, and...

[Vegas_Bronco]

Actually Elam has been working on completing the ultimate perfection of his kicking skills which included complete verbal mastery of the ball. By the end of camp he will verbally command the ball to 'hold' itself - very impressive to see him practicing that this morning before ST practice.

[Man-Goblin]

Griese has extremely good accuracy, he just lacks arm strength, and speed, and...

I was kidding. Actually, I would wager you'll seem him starting for the Bears at some point next year. Of course, I said the same thing last year.

[theAPAOps5]

Well, they can only rely on Grossman to fold so many times. When Grieser looks like a better prospect to start than you, you know your in trouble.

[no-pseudo-fan]

Special Team Practice seems lame. Unless you are the guy who is going to make the team as a special teams guy.

[Crushaholic]

Special teams play can turn a game around in a hurry. Just ask the Bears how valuable special teams can be. Hopefully, we'll finally find "the one"...

[cmhargrove]

Hester obviously has a killer instinct and a "returner's mindset." However, I watched several Bears games last year and although I thought Hester was special, the blocking and teamwork was even better. On his homerun returns, he was barely touched. His blockers sealed off an entire sideline and they took would be tacklers all the way off their feet. They also kept running and blocking all the way past the 50 yard line and Hester would just burn the last one or two.

ST was a team failure for us. All our returners will look better if we can block like the Bears did.

[Hotrod]

Griese has extremely good accuracy, he just lacks arm strength, and speed, and...balls

;D