Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn
September 22, 2016
Q: It looked like you got pressure on another field goal attempt?
A: DRC always gives us pressure. A long time ago, 2007, 2008, we had really good inside pressure. If you can get the combination of them both, it’s a big help.
Q: Do you feel like you have the combination of them both?
A: Still early. I know DRC is always going to be able to do it. He’s close a lot of times. He’s always a threat. Inside, you just have to be consistent with it.
Q: How does Darian Thompson’s injury affect you? I would assume Nat Berhe will have more defensive snaps?
A: You just have to adjust. He’ll still be out there but you have to take some of the workload off Nat and give it to someone else.
Q: How about the loss of Mykkele Thompson?
A: The last few years have been tough. He shows a lot of promise in the spring and in preseason. He has a really good skill set, good speed, good size. He’s smart and then we just can’t keep him on the field. He’s someone that we’ve been counting on.
Q: What about Michael Hunter? Is he a guy that can potentially step in on special teams?
A: He had a decent preseason. We’ll see throughout practice and when he gets his feet under him a little bit.
Q: Brad Wing has a great punt average, but the net is like 38. Does that have to be improved?
A: Well, yes, but a lot of that is because of the touchbacks. We also gave up a 20-yard return last week, so that goes hand in hand. Anytime you have a touchback you’re losing those net yards.
Q: What’s it say when the biggest special teams play, the block and the return, come from two defensive starters?
A: That’s good but I think most teams when you see a field goal block, they’ve got defensive starters.
Q: Josh Brown looked good for the first game?
A: Yes. Nice to have him back. Would like to have that first field goal back even though it was from 50-plus. He’s got to improve his tempo on his kickoffs. His steps were a little off and he was getting under the ball. All things that he can work on this week.
Q: Was that just not a solid kick on the 53-yarder? It looked like it struggled to get the distance?
A: It had good distance, just a little too much hook and action on it. Too much rotation on the ball.
Q: How do you feel about the kickoff return?
A: We haven’t done much. We had an end of the half squib last week that was a two-yard return. Before that, we had two against Dallas. We really haven’t felt like we’ve gotten going with that. I think that’s what it’s going to be like this year. Just getting one here, one there. That consistency won’t be there, so you have to be ready to go at all times.
