"Meet The New Coaches" Part VII

          The earth is covered by 2/3 water and the other 1/3 is covered by land. As in football, 2/3 of the team is offense and defense, and the other 1/3 is Special Teams. Why on earth any coach could ever think he could be successful with a solid offense, a solid defense and have a mediocre Special Teams is flat out nonsense. Special Teams is a vital part of any teams success as stated here by coach Shacklesford in his school of Special Teams. The Denver Broncos Special Teams ranked 31th in the national football league last year, not only being the laughing stock of the nfl, but creating very large holes for the offense and defense to dig itself out of. The chart below will give you an idea of just how bad we were on Special Teams and I copied the whole chart to give you an idea of what is needed on our team to make extra points and win more games, just with the S/T.

Revised as of 6/30/2009

This page lists an estimate of how many points, compared to league average, each team receives from the five elements of special teams: field goals/extra points, kickoffs, kick returns, punts, punt returns.  The total is then converted into a DVOA percentage so that it can be added in to offense and defense to create total team DVOA. 

Field goal rating compares each field goal to the league-average percentage of field goals from that distance.  Yards of field position from the other four elements of special teams are translated into points using a method that gives each yard line a point value based on the average next score an NFL offense is worth from that point on the field.  Kickoffs and punts are based on net yardage.  Kickoff returns and punt returns are judged on return yardage only. These numbers are then adjusted for weather and altitude based on stadium type (cold, warm, dome, Denver) and week. The system is explained here.  Two-point conversions and onside kicks are not included.

LAST YEAR represents last year's rank.  The top number in each category is in bold type.

The final five columns represent elements not found in the standard special teams ratings.

• HIDDEN represents the advantage teams have received from elements of special teams generally out of their control: opposing field goals, kickoff distance, and punt distance. It is listed as points worth of estimated field position, and is ranked from the team with the biggest advantage to the team with the biggest disadvantage.
• WEATHER represents the estimated effect of weather, altitude, and domes on each team's special teams performance. It is listed as points worth of estimated field position, and is ranked from the team with the biggest advantage to the team with the biggest disadvantage.
• NON-ADJ VOA shows special teams DVOA without the adjustments for weather and altitude.

 "Special Teams greatest asset is the ability to give your team better field positions!" 

How important is field position???

          Offense starts on...                                                    Chances of scoring...                            Percentage

Special teams are units that are on the field during kickoffs, free kicks, punts, field goal and extra point attempts. Most special teams players are second- and third-string players from other positions.

Special teams are unique in that they can serve as offensive or defensive units and that they are only seen sporadically throughout a game.

Special teams include a kickoff team, a kick return team, a punting team, a punt blocking/return team, a field goal team and a field goal block team.

There are also specialized players on these teams, including:

• Kicker (K) — Handles kickoffs and field goal attempts, and in some leagues, punts as well.
• Holder (H) — Usually positioned 7-8 yards from the line of scrimmage, he holds the ball for the placekicker to kick. The holder is often a backup quarterback or a punter.
• Long snapper (LS) — A specialized center who snaps the ball directly to the holder or punter. The long snapper is often an offensive linemen or backup Tight End; rarely a center.
• Kick returner (KR)— Returns kickoffs, generally is also a wide receiver or cornerback.
• Punter (P) — Kicks punts. In leagues other than the NFL, the kicker often doubles as the punter.
• Upback— A blocking back that lines up approximately 1-3 yards behind the line of scrimmage in punting and kneel situations. His primary job is to act as a second line of defense for the punter. Upbacks can receive a direct snap in fake punt situations.
• Punt returner (PR) — Returns punts. Often the same player as the kick returner, although not necessarily so.
• Gunner — A player on kickoffs and punts who specializes in running down the field very quickly in an attempt to tackle the kick returner or the punt returner.
• Wedge Buster — A player whose goal is to sprint down the middle of the field on kickoffs. While ideally, their goal is to reach the kick returner, their immediate goal is to disrupt the wall of blockers (the wedge) on kickoffs, preventing the returner from having a lane in which to get a substantial return. Being a wedge buster is a very dangerous position since he may often be running at full speed when coming into contact with a blocker. No longer an option in the NFL, only 2 can couple hands as of this year 2009.
• Hands Team — Used only during onside kicks, the members of a hands team are responsible for preventing the kicking team from recovering a kick, usually by recovering the ball themselves.

Because these aspects of the game can be so different from general offensive and defensive play, a specific group of players is drilled in executing them. Though fewer points are scored on special teams than on offense, special teams play determines where the offense will begin each drive, and thus it has a dramatic impact on how easy or difficult it is for the offense to score.

The Denver Broncos S/T's had more wrinkles in it than a hot tub at an old folks home and it was one of Coach McDaniels' main goals and focus to make sure it got some special attention..

Field position is a very important element of the game and should be used to benefit the teams overall out come to win, one point can make a difference between victory and defeat. The goals of the Special Teams is outlined here  and coach McDaniels when taking over the head coaching responsibilities of the team saw a need for some changes, releasing long snapper/tight end Mike Leach and replacing him with Lonnie Paxton who is a 3 time Super Bowl winner.

Eddie Royal handled most of the kick and punt returns last year as the chart here will show you, and will probably share the duty with McKinley and A.Smith.

Brett Kern is the projected punter although he has competition from Britton Colquit a rookie out of Tennessee. Kern 46 times for a 46.7 yd average, see his stats here at NFL.com'

Matt Prater is the kicker, a 3rd year player out of Central Florida has no competition thus far in training camp and is the projected kicker. Matt has some work to do to become a better kicker and some have displayed their displeasure in his performance so far, check out his stats here.

Scott O'Brien who was our Special Teams Coordinator the past 2 seasons was hired by New England to take over the same duties there. Coach McDaniels would have find himself a new coach to handle the S/T.

Meet the new Special Teams Coordinator and Special Teams assistant; Mike Priefer and Keith Burns.

Mike Priefer comes to Denver as the new S/T Coordinator after serving in the same capacity the last 3 years for KC Chiefs. Mike was born Aug. 21, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio another Ohio product. Priefer was a Naval Academy graduate and served 6 (89-94) years as a helicopter pilot aboard the USS America in the Persian Gulf. Priefer played quarterback and wide receiver for Navy and in 1994 work as a graduate assistant, working with its special teams that season before coaching its linebackers and defensive line from 1995-96. He also coached special teams and served as defensive coordinator for Navy's junior varsity team from 1995-96.

In 1997-98 Mike worked at Youngstown with the special teams, tackles and tight ends at Youngstown State and was part of its Division I-AA National Championship squad in 1997.

Mike spent one season at Virginia Military Institute in 1999, coaching its special teams and inside linebackers before pulling a 2 year (2000-01) stint with Northern Illinois University where he helped wide receiver Justin McCareins earn Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors in his first year at the school in 2000. In addition to instructing the Huskies' special teams, Priefer coached their defensive tackles during his two seasons at NIU.

Priefer entered the NFL coaching ranks with the Jaguars in 2002 as their assistant special teams coach. That season, punter Chris Hanson earned the first Pro Bowl selection of his career after leading the AFC in both gross (44.2 yds.) and net (37.6 yds.) punting average. Jacksonville also posted one punt return touchdown (Bobby Shaw, 69 yds.) and two blocked kicks (1 punt, 1 field goal).

In 2003 with the Giants Priefer helped their S/T tie for second in the NFL withfour blocked kicks (2 punts, 1 field goal, 1 extra point) during that season as an assistant S/T coach. With his 3 years there he help the Giants special teams unit place sixth-best kickoff return average (22.9 yds.) in the NFL while tying for third in the league withthree kickoff return touchdowns and adding one punt return touchdown during that period. The Giants blocked seven kicks (3 punts, 3 field goals and 1 extra point) with Prieferon staff, and the coach worked with David Tyree during the 2005 season in which the wide receiver earned Pro Bowl honors for his play on special teams coverage units.

In 2006 Prieferhired on with the Chiefs where his punter Dustin Colquitt registered the third-best net punting average (39.2 yds.) and the sixth-best gross punting average (44.8 yds.) in the NFL for that period. Colquitt's net punting averages for each of his three seasons under Prieferrank as the top three single-year performances in Chiefs history. Kansas City also placed fifth in the AFC in opponent punt return average (8.2 yds.) in Priefer's three years as special teams coach and blocked a total of four kicks (3 punts, 1 field goal) during that period. In 2008, Colquitt ranked seventh in the NFL in net punting average (39.2 yds.) under Priefer'sguidance with the Chiefs, who also scored a touchdown that year on a botched opponent fake field goal attempt. Priefer's kickoff coverage unit was one of the league's best a year earlier with Kansas City finishing the 2007 season fifth in the NFL in opponent average drive start after kickoffs (26.1-yd. line). Colquitt also excelled under Priefer that year, posting a 45.5-yard gross average that represented the second-highest season mark in Chiefs history.

In Mike Priefer's seven-year NFL coaching career, Prieferhas worked withspecial teams units that have accounted for a total of nine scores other than field goals/extra points withthree kickoff return touchdowns, three punt return touchdowns, one blocked punt touchdown, one touchdown on a botched fake field goal attempt and one safety on a blocked punt. His units also have accounted for 13 blocked kicks (7 punts, 5 field goals, 1 extra point). Mike earned his Masters Degree form Maryland University in 1997 and should be an added influence on how the Broncos perform on Special Teams this year and maybe for years to come. I like this move and with his coaching prowess of aggressive style special team play we should have points to work with this year.

Meet Assistant S/T coach; Keith Burns.

Keithwas born on May 12, 1972 in Greeley, SC and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the 7th rd (210th) out of Oklahoma St University as a LB. Burns played with the Broncos from 1994-98, 2000-03 and 2005-06, he led the team or tied for its season high in special-teams tackles seven times and totaled 186 special-teams stops in 166 career games (3 starts) with the club. The 37-year-old, whose 166 career games played with Denver tie for the 14th most by a player in club history, also added 70 defensive tackles (47 solo), 1.5 sacks (9 yds.), two pass breakups and one forced fumble as a Bronco. As a key member of the Broncos'teams that won Super Bowl XXXII in 1997 and XXXIII in 1998 and helped Denver earn three AFC West titles (1996, '98, 2005) along with six playoff berths (1996-98, 2000, '03, '05). Burns' 12 career post season games with Denver tie for the 10th most by a player in team history. In addition to playing for the Broncos, he spent the 1999 season with the Chicago Bears and competed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2004 season.

Burns started his coaching career in Denver as S/T Assistant in 2007 where kicker Jason Elam became the first player since the 1970 NFL merger to convert four walk-off, game-winning field goals in the same season (2 in regulation, 2 in overtime).

Since there is no wedge of three players hand in hand any more, teams will have to design new schemes for the return teams. How these new schemes will be implemented is unknown by this author and will only be known when preseason begins.

Our kicking team need to have a kicker that will place the ball in the endzone as much as possible, with the ten (10) player sprinting with an all out effort to stop the receiver from gaining ground. Ideal field position is below the 30 uard line. The 10 players in pursuit need to give 100% effort keeping the returner on the inside shoulder, making good solid tackles. Field position is of the utmost importance.

As with the punting team, they need to be aware of on rushing defenders tryngto block the punt withplayers in position to pick the ball up and return it down the field. Do not get tangled with defenders after the ball is kicked and away, to make an all out effort to make the receiver call for a fair catch. These players also holler out "peter' to let players know to be on the look out for the ball hitting a receiving team player, if that occurs then the ball is live to repossess it.

PAT/Field Goals should have high jumping players who will attempt to block the kick and save a point or 3 points. Remember every point is critical in a win lose situation, nothing is to be left for granted. The Long Snapper has to make sure he gets the ball to the holder in the exact location it needs to be so he can place for the kick in a timed motion. Every move on the kicking team is timed and should be in a fluid motion without any miscues. Remember points are critical.

On-side kickers will say where he is going to kick the ball and should make a one bounce kick high enough and far enough (10 yards min.) so the hands players have time to get to the ball before it reaches the receiving team. When the offense has just scored and you need the offense back out on the field right away you will employ the on-side kick. How successful it is relies on a good kick and good hands with no off sides penalty. If it is done correctly it can get you back into a ball game in a hurry.

Penalties are very critical and can make the difference between making extra points and not. Every point is critical.

John Madden always said, don't never leave the Red Zone without scoring some points, it's fruitless to drive the ball all the way down the field and come away empty. Never let that happen, always play smart football with aggression and with an attitude to score points.

There are so many things for the S/T to do in a right sequence that it is very important that these players practice as much as they can. I want to thank everyone for your MHR support and hope you have enjoyed the New Coaches as much as I did writing them. Who's going to laugh now?