Egan — After every practice at the TCO Performance Center, some players stand about 50 yards from a machine that fires footballs into the air like cannons. Players take turns scrambling under a ball in the air and eventually settle under it. Grabbing the ball off the machine is something Minnesota’s Vikings returner has struggled with making actual punts since the departure of veteran Marcus Sherrells in 2018 (and he briefly returned in 2019). It is quite different from catching.
Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels said it all starts with getting the ball safely.
“At the end of the day, I’m looking at ball-tracking skills and the ability to catch it,” Daniels said. “What does your ball catch look like and how comfortable are you back in it?”
Veteran receiver Albert Wilson doesn’t think getting the ball into a punt is too difficult and seemed a little perplexed by the series of questions related to catching a punt.
“Oh, we have an equipment guy out there to catch punts,” he said somewhat jokingly.
However, since 2019, the Vikings have had the second most punt return fumbles in the NFL, ranking 16th, 20th, and 31st in total punt return yards from 2019-2021. I’m here.
Wilson, one of a group that includes Ihmir Smith-Marsette, KJ Osborn and Jalen Nailor, is looking to change those numbers. And Daniels is doing everything he can to simulate real-life game conditions at camp practice, preparing for a traffic accident that will bring the punt back.
“We try to create specific scenarios as punt returners, but we try to put our faces in their faces, feel the traffic under their feet, how quickly they can make decisions, and the practice environment. Some things they can’t control in their decision-making,” Daniels said. “It is important to make decisions from a punt return perspective.”
The new Special Teams Coordinator also understands that there are limits to what they can do on the practice field. Pre-season action will go a long way in determining who will return the punt this year.
“There are some aspects of that game that you can’t control and you have to see that in the game,” Daniels said.
So why have the Vikings struggled so much since Sherrell? Their returning legend was an undrafted free agent who walked in college. not found in Brandon Zylstra, Mike Hughes, Chad Beebe, Bisi Johnson, KJ Osborn and Dede Westbrook are all he’s been trying since 2018, and Westbook is the only player averaging just over 8.0 yards per return. Sherrells’ career average is his 10.3 yards, and in 2013 he had 15.2 yards per return.
For some reason, Sherels had nerves of steel and an odd ability to make quick decisions that most players don’t.
” [small] “It’s a very difficult time when you have to find out what’s really going on and diagnose it,” Daniels says. So the time and the ability to track it, the ability to catch it, the ability to straighten your legs and be quick, to miss someone in the same instance that the gunner is shooting you in the foot. How quickly you can get around and go vertical. There are a lot of variables that come into play to actually do that, which makes it really hard.”
Osborne was a successful punt returner in college, but found there was a significant learning curve to returning to the NFL. He gained just 27 yards on seven returns and had two fumbles.
“You come back out there alone and it’s really hard to judge a ball. Especially when you add elements of indoor, outdoor, day games, night games,” Osborne said. There’s a lot going on in that lonely world as you’re looking up all the time trying to track down the Gunner, looking in the direction of the Punt.”
Wilson, who returned a punt during his college days and preseason with Kansas City, didn’t say catching the ball was difficult, but he admitted the return wasn’t for the faint of heart. We studied South Florida star Devin Hester and watched him gear up for a possible return to the game while Dante Hall was with the Chiefs.
“It definitely takes guts,” said Wilson. “Men who take risks, are willing to take risks, and are not afraid to lose something.”
Smith-Marsette wants to prove she’s not scared. He says he’s “one of those guys who have confidence” and punts. There are techniques that must be mastered before you can trust your yearly receivers to come back.
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“Basically, you learn how the ball comes off the punter’s feet, read it, determine when the ball is off and it’s in the air, the nose is down, etc., and you’re at the break point before that. The ball can even break,” said Smith-Marsett. “There’s a lot to do and not everyone can do it.”
Having grown up worshiping receiver/punt returner DeSean Jackson, Smith-Marset realized something as he got used to the punt returner. It’s catch and go.
“If anyone says they think about their moves beforehand, they’re lying,” said Smith-Marsett. “As soon as you have the ball, the first move is out of your mind because you are just reacting.”
Punter Jordan Berry says punt returners have a way of preparing a move. Coaches scout punters’ tendencies and even create cheat-his sheets for returners on the sidelines. Some punters try to change the direction of their punt by turning their body in one direction and kicking the ball in the opposite direction, but opponents often try to do so in hopes of getting under the ball more quickly. I often pick it up.
For Berry, there are several ways to make life difficult for punt returners. The first is the simplest. Kick the ball at the proper distance and hang time to allow the returning team to stay in place and force a fair catch or miss.
“We want to match the distance and hang time properly, so as soon as they catch it, we basically eliminate someone to make a play,” Berry said. If is a punt to the right, make sure we put it out so that our comrades can run into their faces and not let them do anything.”
Punters also know different ways to kick the ball and make it fall out of the air in crazy ways. He held out a bottle of Gatorade and pointed out the difference between his typical spiral punt, which kicks straight up at a slight angle, and the end overend, which turns the nose of the ball down, his boom and “banana his kick”. Demonstrate. ,” is held at a more extreme angle and the back of the ball is hit.
“It’s like a drop punt, but you rotate it and then roll it across the bottom in a sideways rotation,” Berry explained of the banana punt. “When you drop down, it sweeps left to right. I’ve done a few, but they’re a little tricky and require perfect weather conditions. I usually stick to end-over-end. Throughout my career, We’re doing pretty well with them.”
Still, Punter is most emphatic that giving the Gunner the best point of aim and time to bolt at full speed towards the Returner is the best route.
Punt returners, on the other hand, can face dangerous territory with banana kicks and blisteringly fast tacklers, but if they can get past the wreckage of blocks and coverage, they can change the game in one play. I can do it.
“It’s moving,” said Wilson.
“We love punt returners,” added Osborne.
“It’s an area of the game that has the potential to change the course of the game,” Smith-Marset said. “Even if he’s two points down on the score, if he returns from a punt, he’ll gain momentum. [the team]Scoring a touchdown boosts defense and gets you back there with the energy you just gave, then an interception, fumble, or turnover on downs, and the offense is up. This is one of the things that is gaining momentum. ”
The Vikings need more exciting, game-changing play from brave punt returners this year. They hope to find the next Marcus Sherrells in the group as preseason progresses.
“All I have to do is capitalize on my opportunities,” said Smith-Marsett, who aspires to be the one to rise to the challenge of punt returns.
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