“AND he’s a nice Italian kid!” ~ Den’s Mom
Rams Hire Ray "Bubba" Ventrone as ST Coordinator
- Thread starter KombuchaTea
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Whether it's a good or bad hire, we can all agree that Special Teams Coordinator IS an important role.
Maybe the thread title should be corrected to Raymond or Bubba, since Bobby is Not his name.
Maybe the thread title should be corrected to Raymond or Bubba, since Bobby is Not his name.
"How about some accuracy around here!" ~@Alan2McVeigh
SteezyEndo
The Immaculate Exception
To be sure, I honestly believe the kids to the 'Hawks may have been a blessing in disguise. This loss essentially is forcing Sean to stop treating special teams as a second class unit and be more up proactive in fielding success - not just in talent but with coaching as well. I have always wanted to see the Horns field three units - offense, defense, and special teams - that are among the NFL's Top Five.
Similarly, he is also going to have to address the secondary defensive unit and get it up to snuff. We just might end up steamrolling every opponent in sight next season.
Similarly, he is also going to have to address the secondary defensive unit and get it up to snuff. We just might end up steamrolling every opponent in sight next season.
No they won that in what 2010 Adams came in 5 years after that, Rodgers has been around a while.
Very true and in fairness as much as some feel the unit did improve under Ben Kotwica, Rams had a punt blocked against Carolina and a muffed punt against Seattle. So in essence, it makes sense to bring in a new Special Teams coordinator and assistant.
Now did Bubba Ventrone blow McVay away in the interview or did McVay like in previous years just settle on who was available. He did that in 2020 with John Bonamego as there not many available seasoned ST Coaches at that time and McVay hired the one that was. Then the following year Joe DeCamillis became available and his record as a ST Coordinator was much better so McVay pivoted quickly firing Bonamego and hiring DeCamillis, which was a huge upgrade and the unit was much better for it.
However, after the poor 2022 season, McVay made many changes on the staff and special teams was one of them. IMO, McVay wanted to get younger and had his eye on Blackburn back in 2018, but Blackburn chose to stay in Carolina under Ron Rivera. So now McVay had the guy he originally wanted, but Blackburn was just not very good and a bad hire.
So now is Bubba Ventrone Joe DeCamillis or Chase Blackburn? Let's hope he is more of a Joe DeCamillis as Ventrone has coached some upper tier units like DeCamillis because IMO, this unit must take steps forward because it cost the Rams a Super Bowl IMHO.
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Like a hitting coach, I think the players are 95% of it. Changing the kicker and long-snapper was paramount.
Smith was never very impressive and the use of Rivers for returns was mind-boggling. The only blocked punt was in the playoffs. I think continuing to augment personnel will do a lot more than anew ST coach.
Smith was never very impressive and the use of Rivers for returns was mind-boggling. The only blocked punt was in the playoffs. I think continuing to augment personnel will do a lot more than anew ST coach.
Special Teams are so very interesting to me ... Complicated and Diverse.
Kicking ... Returns ... Coverage ... It ain't that simple.
Kicking
Place-kicker ... requires a strong and accurate leg ... PLUS ... the ability to kick in different types of weather and settings ... PLUS ... perform under extreme pressure ... just one miss at the wrong time, and the PK is a Bum ... Hello Tyler Loop!
Punter ... requires a strong leg ... PLUS ... the ability to place the ball is specific spots ... PLUS ... bad weather, different settings ... clutch/pressure situations.
PLUS ... the timing ... snapper-and-holder for XPs and FGs' and snapper for punts.
PLUS ... blocking schemes ... usually 8 guys on the line for both specialists ... everyone has a job ... just one guy fails to execute his block, not block the right man or let the rusher go a second too early ... blocked kick
Returns
Different skill-set for kick-off and punt returners ... Need Reliable Hands (100% of the time ... for both catching the ball and running with it) ... PLUS, also Need speed and quickness and open-field moves ... and those returners better be able to take a hit.
PLUS ... none of the above means shit without proper blocking structure ... that can be ten players knowing AND executing their assignments, which in turn need to be soundly formulated ... PLUS ... no penalties.
Coverage
It ain't as simple as "run down the field as fast as you can and tackle the guy with the ball"
It's assignment specific ... the structure needs to be properly formulated and well executed ... PLUS ...
the men in coverage need to be able to tackle. If just one player screws-up; and is not where he is supposed to be, when he is supposed to be, or misses a tackle ... the entire unit looks like it has failed.
Oh, and the Special Teams players are mostly back-ups and less experienced players.
One Coordinator with one Assistant, working with 20-25 players every game; and, often not the same players week-in and week-out.
I think of Special Teams as the most diverse part of pro football.
Effort and attitude are huge but far from the whole thing. Coaching, game-planning, structure, motivation, execution and roster construction are all huge factors; and many of the aspects described above are totally different from one another but fall under the broad term "Special Teams"
Kicking ... Returns ... Coverage ... It ain't that simple.
Kicking
Place-kicker ... requires a strong and accurate leg ... PLUS ... the ability to kick in different types of weather and settings ... PLUS ... perform under extreme pressure ... just one miss at the wrong time, and the PK is a Bum ... Hello Tyler Loop!
Punter ... requires a strong leg ... PLUS ... the ability to place the ball is specific spots ... PLUS ... bad weather, different settings ... clutch/pressure situations.
PLUS ... the timing ... snapper-and-holder for XPs and FGs' and snapper for punts.
PLUS ... blocking schemes ... usually 8 guys on the line for both specialists ... everyone has a job ... just one guy fails to execute his block, not block the right man or let the rusher go a second too early ... blocked kick
Returns
Different skill-set for kick-off and punt returners ... Need Reliable Hands (100% of the time ... for both catching the ball and running with it) ... PLUS, also Need speed and quickness and open-field moves ... and those returners better be able to take a hit.
PLUS ... none of the above means shit without proper blocking structure ... that can be ten players knowing AND executing their assignments, which in turn need to be soundly formulated ... PLUS ... no penalties.
Coverage
It ain't as simple as "run down the field as fast as you can and tackle the guy with the ball"
It's assignment specific ... the structure needs to be properly formulated and well executed ... PLUS ...
the men in coverage need to be able to tackle. If just one player screws-up; and is not where he is supposed to be, when he is supposed to be, or misses a tackle ... the entire unit looks like it has failed.
Oh, and the Special Teams players are mostly back-ups and less experienced players.
One Coordinator with one Assistant, working with 20-25 players every game; and, often not the same players week-in and week-out.
I think of Special Teams as the most diverse part of pro football.
Effort and attitude are huge but far from the whole thing. Coaching, game-planning, structure, motivation, execution and roster construction are all huge factors; and many of the aspects described above are totally different from one another but fall under the broad term "Special Teams"
Holding the staff accountable is good. Now just bump the units with some better teams centric players.
Hopefully a VETERAN ST coach will pound the table in the draft, free agency and udfa signings to get some players who can actually play special teams. You’re only as good as the talent out there and the Rams special teams lacked the speed and special teams mentality needed to succeed. Time to move on from some of these guys who have been around for years and continue to make the same mistakes. Ventrone will only be as good as the talent he has to work with. If McVay’s tired of having to fix special teams he needs to make it a priority just like offense and defense.
I believe that’s a priority but there’s a lot to fix. I’d be happy with 0 kick returns for TDs, 0 blocked kicks and 0 fumbles on returns. Good kick coverage, better punt hang time and decent kick returns would be a bonus.
Nate, from his mailbag:
www.nytimes.com
“The Rams are trusting the retooling of their special teams to Ventrone and assistant Kyle Hoke, who last year oversaw a Browns unit that ranked dead last in special teams by DVOA, a measurement of teams against the league average. On its face, it’s a bold bet to address an array of issues.
“I covered Ventrone during the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and those were the years McVay cited as motivation behind the hire when I asked him about Ventrone on Monday. McVay said Ventrone has been on his radar for some time, which aligns with how the league viewed him during those Colts years and explains why he was able to find a landing spot with the Browns in a single day when he chose to leave Indianapolis after a coaching change.
“I think Ventrone has the potential to offer the Rams three key areas they could really use right now:
“The first is splash plays on special teams. That’s what his units in Indianapolis were known for, from blocked kicks to an explosive return game. The Rams got basically one of those plays all of last season, when Verse took his blocked field goal back for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Before the return game became destructive in the NFC Championship Game, it lacked the confidence and poise to be much of a threat.
“The second is how Ventrone can fit a franchise’s draft-and-development strategy. In Indianapolis, he held a stronger role than other coaches in draft scouting and would almost always get a Day 3 pick or undrafted free-agent signing that was purely about what he could do with a player. That led to names such as Kenny Moore II and Zaire Franklin, who rose from UDFA and seventh-round status to become strong special-teamers and then Pro Bowl defenders. The Rams are such a draft-and-develop franchise in their effort to maintain a low-paid defense, and if the process can add a boost to the special teams, that’d be a major win.
“The third is game management. Ventrone was a coach the Colts leaned on situationally. It’s a trait he learned from Bill Belichick during his time in New England, applied as a special-teamer in cold-weather climates and then adjusted as a coordinator for a dome team. He took on a much bigger load when the Colts brought in interim coach Jeff Saturday from a broadcasting role. Despite Cleveland’s struggles, game management wasn’t one of them. And it’s something McVay needs to get better at.
“Now, the Browns’ tenure showed that Ventrone is not going to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what if the personnel is lacking as much as it was there. The consistency and technique issues are worthy concerns, as are the two punts the Browns had blocked last season.
“But I’ve always found Ventrone to be a different force when he isn’t as stressed about his kicking game, and that’s where re-signing Harrison Mevis should be a priority. It’ll mean a larger focus on special teams on Day 3 of the draft rather than these stash-and-wait players, but that’s an approach the Rams need to embrace right now.”
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Plus, what caused the Rams' defense to drop off late in the season? And will the hiring of Bubba Ventrone help improve the special teams?
www.nytimes.com
“The Rams are trusting the retooling of their special teams to Ventrone and assistant Kyle Hoke, who last year oversaw a Browns unit that ranked dead last in special teams by DVOA, a measurement of teams against the league average. On its face, it’s a bold bet to address an array of issues.
“I covered Ventrone during the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and those were the years McVay cited as motivation behind the hire when I asked him about Ventrone on Monday. McVay said Ventrone has been on his radar for some time, which aligns with how the league viewed him during those Colts years and explains why he was able to find a landing spot with the Browns in a single day when he chose to leave Indianapolis after a coaching change.
“I think Ventrone has the potential to offer the Rams three key areas they could really use right now:
“The first is splash plays on special teams. That’s what his units in Indianapolis were known for, from blocked kicks to an explosive return game. The Rams got basically one of those plays all of last season, when Verse took his blocked field goal back for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Before the return game became destructive in the NFC Championship Game, it lacked the confidence and poise to be much of a threat.
“The second is how Ventrone can fit a franchise’s draft-and-development strategy. In Indianapolis, he held a stronger role than other coaches in draft scouting and would almost always get a Day 3 pick or undrafted free-agent signing that was purely about what he could do with a player. That led to names such as Kenny Moore II and Zaire Franklin, who rose from UDFA and seventh-round status to become strong special-teamers and then Pro Bowl defenders. The Rams are such a draft-and-develop franchise in their effort to maintain a low-paid defense, and if the process can add a boost to the special teams, that’d be a major win.
“The third is game management. Ventrone was a coach the Colts leaned on situationally. It’s a trait he learned from Bill Belichick during his time in New England, applied as a special-teamer in cold-weather climates and then adjusted as a coordinator for a dome team. He took on a much bigger load when the Colts brought in interim coach Jeff Saturday from a broadcasting role. Despite Cleveland’s struggles, game management wasn’t one of them. And it’s something McVay needs to get better at.
“Now, the Browns’ tenure showed that Ventrone is not going to make chicken salad out of chicken you-know-what if the personnel is lacking as much as it was there. The consistency and technique issues are worthy concerns, as are the two punts the Browns had blocked last season.
“But I’ve always found Ventrone to be a different force when he isn’t as stressed about his kicking game, and that’s where re-signing Harrison Mevis should be a priority. It’ll mean a larger focus on special teams on Day 3 of the draft rather than these stash-and-wait players, but that’s an approach the Rams need to embrace right now.”
duanevalle22
Pro Bowler
Ya the ST's have been comical, but it wasn't the only reason why the Rams were 5 points short of reaching the Super Bowl. I think the Rams coaching staff need to revisit other aspects of the game, because in spite of our terrible ST's, there were some poor execution on offense that should have kept out ST's and defense on the sideline.