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Rams Head Coach Jeff Fisher – Post-Practice – December 27, 2013
(On the week of practice)
“Great week of practice getting through Christmas the way we did. The guys came back really focused and we’re going to go out and take care of business now. They’re looking forward to playing. As (Special Teams Coordinator) Coach (John) Fassel alluded to, great matchup this week with our special teams units. It’s going to be fun to watch them play.”
(On if S T.J. McDonald practiced today)
“He was not back. He’s feeling better, but we kept him out of the building so he’d be alright.”
(On WR Tavon Austin’s status)
“Tavon was limited in practice today and he’ll be questionable for the game.”
(On if they will just see how Austin is on Sunday)
“Yes. We’re encouraged, however. He’s encouraged.”
(On what he wants to get out of Sunday’s game against the Seahawks)
“The obvious is to go up there and have a chance to win it and close it out. There’s challenges all over, both sides of the ball – running the football, stopping their run, (Seahawks QB) Russell (Wilson) scrambling. So, it’s going to be an exciting ball game.”
Rams Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel – Post-Practice – December 27, 2013
(On if he is happy how the special teams unit has performed this season)
“Yeah, one game to go, so happiness will be reserved until the end. There’s always one game. But I think the special teams guys, with all the youth, made a lot of improvement and that was something that we talked about before the season is let’s be better in the last eight games than the first eight games. I think we’ve probably done that. You look back on it at the end of the season and see, but it feels like it.”
(On if the young special teams units tested his patience)
“No, never. The only thing I had to do was when you’ve got a group of guys where you have to kind of try to wrangle them and put them in order is a lot better than having to kind of crack the whip and get them going. But no, it’s been a very passionate group of guys, a very feisty group of guys. I try to keep things pretty simple so they can just go play. It’s been a good young group. I feel really optimistic about their future doing what they’re doing.”
(On if this year’s special teams unit is one of the best he’s coached in his career)
“It’s a different group probably than I’ve ever coached because of the amount of youth. Every year and every team, I approach a little bit different and this one definitely was a different approach because of the youth. In Oakland, I had a couple good groups that were a little bit more experienced, especially the specialists included, but this is a special group. The fun thing about it is to think of these guys being together for quite a few years coming up and continuing to see strides made and improvements that we can make.”
(On K Greg Zuerlein and P Johnny Hekker’s improvement this year)
“I’ll start with Greg. I’m happy for him because he started out hot, then he had two misses back-to-back and he hasn’t missed since. His rookie year, all was said was ‘Greg the Leg’ and all these nicknames and a lot of fanfare, but this year he’s been better, more consistent. His leg strength has actually improved as the season’s gone on compared to last year where the cumulative reps from the combines and all the that caught up to him at the end of the year, so I’ve been real proud of Greg. And then with Johnny, the thing with him is we keep preaching consistency and I probably can’t ask for any more consistency out of him. I think he’s been dynamite. He has also continued to improve, so again like the rest of the core guys, I think we’ve got young guys that we can really build around.”
(On the kickoff and punt return game)
“The kickoff return game, I think there’s still a lot to be desired. I think, for me, I’m still trying to find the right schematics based on the returner, so it’s been a little bit experimental on some things. So, I’ve got to really put together a package next year for, whether it’s (RB) Isaiah (Pead), who I think has been really an outstanding performer on special teams not only returning the football, but covering punts, covering kickoffs. We’ve had him on some punt return. We’ve had him returning kickoffs, so he’s one guy in the last eight weeks that has really made a great impact for us. And then in the punt return game, we had the early season penalty issue, which I think we’ve cleaned up, which took away a lot of great yardage and a touchdown. So, going into next year, if we can just really focus on that again and keep all the return yardage for (WR/PR) Tavon (Austin) I think we’ve got some special guys back there.”
(On if the number of touchbacks complicates getting kickoff returns going)
“It doesn’t complicate it. What it focuses you on is let’s just pick one or two returns a game, knowing that if they kick it off four or five times we’re only going to take two out. So, it doesn’t complicate it. It just doesn’t give you as many chances. So, you talk about the chances we get, ‘Guys, we have to hit pay dirt. We’ve got to for sure get past the 25 (-yard line). Then, we’ve got to get more than that.’ That’ll be something that’ll be a big focus for us next year and continue to make improvements in the return game, which I think you look statistically it’s about average.”
(On if there is something to Zuerlein’s touchbacks increasing this season)
“A lot of it started this past offseason, give him a little bit of rest. He really studies himself on film. The camera angles we’ve got really zoom in on his footwork, his foot placement. So, he’s taken to that and part of his growth is becoming a professional and studying himself. He found a few things, especially on kickoffs that has given him – you look at the last couple games – great consistency and great power. I’m happy for him because last year, the last four weeks he started to lose a little bit of his power because he was tired. It seems like these last four weeks he’s almost improved his power compared to even early in the season.”
(On the kickoff and punt coverage units)
“It’s done a really, really nice job. The punters and kickers have put it in good spots and the young guys…you look at (LB) Ray Ray (Armstrong) and (LB) Daren (Bates) and (RB) Chase (Reynolds) and (S) Cody (Davis) and ‘Sted’ (WR Stedman Bailey) and (CB) Brandon (McGee) and ‘Gio’ (S Matt Giordano). That’s a good core group of guys that take a lot of pride in fulfilling their role and we’ve done a good job covering. (Seattle WR/PR) Golden Taint’s a heck of a punt returner. They have a host of kickoff returners. So, we’ve got one game to go and see if we can finish off and if we do it’ll be a pretty good season covering the football.”
(On the week of practice)
“Great week of practice getting through Christmas the way we did. The guys came back really focused and we’re going to go out and take care of business now. They’re looking forward to playing. As (Special Teams Coordinator) Coach (John) Fassel alluded to, great matchup this week with our special teams units. It’s going to be fun to watch them play.”
(On if S T.J. McDonald practiced today)
“He was not back. He’s feeling better, but we kept him out of the building so he’d be alright.”
(On WR Tavon Austin’s status)
“Tavon was limited in practice today and he’ll be questionable for the game.”
(On if they will just see how Austin is on Sunday)
“Yes. We’re encouraged, however. He’s encouraged.”
(On what he wants to get out of Sunday’s game against the Seahawks)
“The obvious is to go up there and have a chance to win it and close it out. There’s challenges all over, both sides of the ball – running the football, stopping their run, (Seahawks QB) Russell (Wilson) scrambling. So, it’s going to be an exciting ball game.”
Rams Special Teams Coordinator John Fassel – Post-Practice – December 27, 2013
(On if he is happy how the special teams unit has performed this season)
“Yeah, one game to go, so happiness will be reserved until the end. There’s always one game. But I think the special teams guys, with all the youth, made a lot of improvement and that was something that we talked about before the season is let’s be better in the last eight games than the first eight games. I think we’ve probably done that. You look back on it at the end of the season and see, but it feels like it.”
(On if the young special teams units tested his patience)
“No, never. The only thing I had to do was when you’ve got a group of guys where you have to kind of try to wrangle them and put them in order is a lot better than having to kind of crack the whip and get them going. But no, it’s been a very passionate group of guys, a very feisty group of guys. I try to keep things pretty simple so they can just go play. It’s been a good young group. I feel really optimistic about their future doing what they’re doing.”
(On if this year’s special teams unit is one of the best he’s coached in his career)
“It’s a different group probably than I’ve ever coached because of the amount of youth. Every year and every team, I approach a little bit different and this one definitely was a different approach because of the youth. In Oakland, I had a couple good groups that were a little bit more experienced, especially the specialists included, but this is a special group. The fun thing about it is to think of these guys being together for quite a few years coming up and continuing to see strides made and improvements that we can make.”
(On K Greg Zuerlein and P Johnny Hekker’s improvement this year)
“I’ll start with Greg. I’m happy for him because he started out hot, then he had two misses back-to-back and he hasn’t missed since. His rookie year, all was said was ‘Greg the Leg’ and all these nicknames and a lot of fanfare, but this year he’s been better, more consistent. His leg strength has actually improved as the season’s gone on compared to last year where the cumulative reps from the combines and all the that caught up to him at the end of the year, so I’ve been real proud of Greg. And then with Johnny, the thing with him is we keep preaching consistency and I probably can’t ask for any more consistency out of him. I think he’s been dynamite. He has also continued to improve, so again like the rest of the core guys, I think we’ve got young guys that we can really build around.”
(On the kickoff and punt return game)
“The kickoff return game, I think there’s still a lot to be desired. I think, for me, I’m still trying to find the right schematics based on the returner, so it’s been a little bit experimental on some things. So, I’ve got to really put together a package next year for, whether it’s (RB) Isaiah (Pead), who I think has been really an outstanding performer on special teams not only returning the football, but covering punts, covering kickoffs. We’ve had him on some punt return. We’ve had him returning kickoffs, so he’s one guy in the last eight weeks that has really made a great impact for us. And then in the punt return game, we had the early season penalty issue, which I think we’ve cleaned up, which took away a lot of great yardage and a touchdown. So, going into next year, if we can just really focus on that again and keep all the return yardage for (WR/PR) Tavon (Austin) I think we’ve got some special guys back there.”
(On if the number of touchbacks complicates getting kickoff returns going)
“It doesn’t complicate it. What it focuses you on is let’s just pick one or two returns a game, knowing that if they kick it off four or five times we’re only going to take two out. So, it doesn’t complicate it. It just doesn’t give you as many chances. So, you talk about the chances we get, ‘Guys, we have to hit pay dirt. We’ve got to for sure get past the 25 (-yard line). Then, we’ve got to get more than that.’ That’ll be something that’ll be a big focus for us next year and continue to make improvements in the return game, which I think you look statistically it’s about average.”
(On if there is something to Zuerlein’s touchbacks increasing this season)
“A lot of it started this past offseason, give him a little bit of rest. He really studies himself on film. The camera angles we’ve got really zoom in on his footwork, his foot placement. So, he’s taken to that and part of his growth is becoming a professional and studying himself. He found a few things, especially on kickoffs that has given him – you look at the last couple games – great consistency and great power. I’m happy for him because last year, the last four weeks he started to lose a little bit of his power because he was tired. It seems like these last four weeks he’s almost improved his power compared to even early in the season.”
(On the kickoff and punt coverage units)
“It’s done a really, really nice job. The punters and kickers have put it in good spots and the young guys…you look at (LB) Ray Ray (Armstrong) and (LB) Daren (Bates) and (RB) Chase (Reynolds) and (S) Cody (Davis) and ‘Sted’ (WR Stedman Bailey) and (CB) Brandon (McGee) and ‘Gio’ (S Matt Giordano). That’s a good core group of guys that take a lot of pride in fulfilling their role and we’ve done a good job covering. (Seattle WR/PR) Golden Taint’s a heck of a punt returner. They have a host of kickoff returners. So, we’ve got one game to go and see if we can finish off and if we do it’ll be a pretty good season covering the football.”
