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Rams’ kicking game still in good hands with Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide
The punter/holder and long-snapper, who teamed with John Fassel and Greg Zuerlein for eight years, like what they see of the Rams’ new special-teams coordinator and kicking candidates.
www.ocregister.com
THOUSAND OAKS — They were together for eight years. As long as the Dodgers’ infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey. Almost as long as the special team of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Then, for the Rams’ kicking game, the band broke up.
Special-teams coordinator John Fassel left for the Cowboys in January, and placekicker Greg Zuerlein followed his coach to Dallas as a free agent. Left behind in L.A. were punter and holder Johnny Hekker and long snapper Jake McQuaide.
In training camp, Hekker, 30, and McQuaide, 32, find themselves breaking in a new coordinator, NFL coaching veteran John Bonamego, and three candidates to be the team’s kicker.
“It’s been, actually, kind of cool,” McQuaide, whose phrasing suggests he’s surprised too, told reporters Tuesday, noting he began working with Fassel in St. Louis in 2012, as did Hekker and Zuerlein.
“Those relationships and those friendships and that trust isn’t something that happens overnight. We’ve been working since we started getting together on these Zoom (meetings), to start building towards that.”
They miss Zuerlein. The kicker and his holder and snapper made the Pro Bowl together in 2017, and combined on the biggest single moment in the Rams’ new L.A. era: the 57-yard field goal that won the 2018 NFC championship game. But Hekker pointed out that, coincidentally, Zuerlein and the Cowboys will be at SoFi Stadium for both teams’ season opener Sept. 13.
“The weird part about this is I’m going to get to see him – he’s just going to be on the other sideline. So, that’s kind of a great way to open up the season and just a cool way to see an old friend,” said Hekker, who is still in a texting group with Zuerlein and McQuaide.
Hekker and McQuaide welcomed Bonamego, based on what they’d seen of the special teams he coached for the Detroit Lions and four previous NFL teams.
“I was obviously sad when Bones (Fassel) moved on — he’s a great friend of mine and a great coach,” McQuaide said. “But I was excited to get a new coach that I have a lot of respect for. Anytime you get a new set of eyes on you, it’s a great opportunity as a player to grow.”
Two questions face the Rams kicking team – one silly, one serious.
First, can Hekker hit SoFi Stadium’s Oculus video board with a punt?
He tried before the scrimmage there Saturday.
“I connected on one pretty good, and it was still pretty short,” Hekker said Monday. “So, I’m not sure. I just have to keep working, keep grinding, and I’m going to get one off the Oculus one of these days.”
Second, but not least, who will be the Rams’ new kicker?
Free agents Lirim Hajrullahu (from the CFL) and Austin MacGinnis (AAF, XFL) and seventh-round draft pick Sam Sloman (Miami of Ohio) have been tested since training camp opened Aug. 3, including game-situation field-goal tries from as long as 50 yards in the SoFi Stadium scrimmage.
“I think you would be comfortable with any of the three going into the season,” McQuaide said. “It’s competition, and each one of them is handling it, and we will see how it pans out.
“You can have talent as a kicker and not be the best kicker. They all have the physical abilities to kick it as far as you need it. And (on) the mental side of it, they all have done very well so far.”
McVay said the coaches are in no hurry to choose. They’d like to have one man handle field goals and kickoffs.
Whoever kicks, McVay said, he’ll be in good hands with McQuaide snapping and Hekker holding.
“Everybody already attributes the misses or the makes to the kicker, but it truly is a reflection of the entire operation of the snap, the hold and the kick,” McVay said.
“That’s why you feel so good about two of those three parts being reflective of true consistency over the years.”
Notes
• Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey pledged to donate $1 million to Purpose Preparatory Academy in his home town of Nashville, allowing the school to expand its programming, according to the Athletes First sports agency. Ramsey said he wants “to help level the playing field” in education.
• Sean McVay said the Rams and Ramsey’s agent continue to work on a contract extension. The coach said he wouldn’t worry if it weren’t agreed to before the season. “You know this guy’s not going to be distracted by whether it is or isn’t done,” McVay said Wednesday.
• Injured running back Darrell Henderson (hamstring) and safety Taylor Rapp (knee) weren’t on the practice field, but they did rehab drills on the sideline. McVay, who hopes they’ll be OK for the opener, called it a “step in the right direction.”
• All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald had a “veteran’s day off” from practice. “We had to give some of those interior (offensive) linemen a breather,” McVay joked.
• McVay said the Rams’ scrimmage at SoFi Stadium on Saturday afternoon will be more like a game run-through than the first one Saturday. They’ll mimic the routine right down to staying at a team hotel the night before.
• Rookie defensive back Terrell Burgess, who is from the San Diego area, is disappointed that the Rams’ plan to have no fans at SoFi Stadium to start the season could mean his family can’t attend games. “My mom called me last night, and she wasn’t too happy about that,” Burgess said.
