DanielHouse
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By: Daniel House- Follow on Twitter: @DanielHouseNFL
Playing complementary football is one of the keys to success every Saturday. Many people forget there are three components to football and neglect the fact special teams play an integral role in the outcome of games.
Legendary NFL coaches such as Bill Parcels and Bill Belichick have made the idea of “complementary football” more mainstream among the football community.
One of the best football quotes you can live by comes from New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
He said, “What competition is – teamwork and working together and supporting each other and having the offense, defense, and special teams play complementary football and win as a team. This is certainly part of that process and the team building itself together.”
In order to win games, it is necessary to execute on offense and defense, but the coverage units and kicking teams are equally as important. The ability to shift field position in the punting game directly impacts the defense. If the opposing team starts with excellent field position, it puts a strain on the defensive unit.
In addition, when an offensive drive stalls, coming away with points via field goal can change the outlook of a game. Execution is important, especially when you are playing quality opponents. The margin for error is slim.
In the coverage game, long returns put a strain on your defense. It takes discipline to ensure every player is executing their responsibilities. For example, staying in lanes, communicating, and knowing your responsibility are key aspects of these units. In addition, every player must understand their landmarks on the field and run like their head is on fire. From a coverage standpoint, Minnesota was 18th in kickoff and punt return defense last year. This is a solid statistic and will be something the new staff can build upon.
When you are returning kicks, there is an opportunity to set your offense up with a short field by blocking effectively. The players have to find the ball and sprint to the correct spot to execute their blocking responsibilities. Many special teams coordinators use the phrase, “bring the wall to the ball.” It is necessary to get your blockers in the right position to lay blocks and open lanes. The smaller details of special teams really add up to overall success.
Last year, the Gophers finished fifth nationally in Special Teams S&P+ rating, according to Football Outsiders. This is a weighted efficiency rating for play-by-play special teams performance. The Gophers were fifth in kickoff return efficiency, but 95th in punt return efficiency. From a punting standpoint, the Gophers ranked 41st. The Gophers can strive to improve their punting and punt return game this year. The main issue was consistency from Ryan Santoso and instability regarding who was the main punt returner. In terms of field goal efficiency, Minnesota ranked ninth in the country. Emmit Carpenter was dynamite and took care of the opportunities he was presented with.
As a whole, the Gophers finished 15th with a 65.1% special teams efficiency rating, according to ESPN Stats and Info. This is something the new staff can build upon as they implement their new culture.
Early in spring ball, it was clear to see the emphasis this coaching staff has placed upon special teams. There were portions of practice where pressure situations were a component of team drills. The moment “Under Pressure” by Queen blasted from the speakers, the entire practice became more intense. Whether it was squirting water bottles on the kicker as he attempted a kick or blowing the whistle as the punter started into his motion, focusing in crunch time was emphasized. If the specialists didn’t execute, the entire team ran sprints until all of P.J. Fleck’s desired challenge components were completed. In addition, the coverage/returns units have specific time slots built into practice. Special teams coordinator Rob Wenger keeps the tempo, focus, and instruction flowing in every drill they run. He will provide individualized coaching and continued execution among the specialists and coverage units.
The Gophers return one of the best kickers in the Big Ten to their specialists group, along with a punter who has shown potential. Wenger has plenty of talent to work with as he enters his first season as the Gophers’ special teams coordinator. His specificity of instruction should really help Minnesota strive toward playing complementary football at all times.
Kicker:
Emmit Carpenter- Redshirt Junior
Emmit Carpenter made 22-of-24 field goals last year and became the first Gopher to win the Big Ten Kicker of the Year Award. He was accurate from long distances, drilling 10-of-10 kicks from 40-50+ yards. He tied Dan Nystrom for points scored by a kicker (109) and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. He also notched touchbacks on 50% of his kickoff attempts, displaying his big leg. Carpenter was accurate and his mechanics were solid for the entire season. There was never a point where he went through “kicker yips” and that’s important. He is a key piece the special teams can build around for the next two years.
Eventually, freshman Grant Ryerse will bring his leg to the lineup after Carpenter graduates. The Woodbury, Minn. native booted field goals from 55 and 52 yards out during his final high school season. He was the top kicker in the state and the Gophers were able to keep him in the grand state of Minnesota.
Punters:
Ryan Santoso- Redshirt Senior
Ryan Santoso made the switch from kicker to punter last year and put together an up-and-down season. There were several opportunities where he was unable to pin a team deep. He started strong last year, but struggled at the midway point of the season. Santoso had a few punts go off the side of his foot last year. Some of this appeared to be attributed to a mental obstacle. Santoso has a monster leg and can pin teams deep when he is completely focused. When he strikes the ball well and strategically places his punts, it’s a huge advantage for the Gophers. The goal should be to increase his punting efficiency from the 41st ranking in 2016 by being more consistent. If he can punt like he did in the early stages of the season, it will be a huge asset to maintaining complementary football.
Jacob Herbers- Redshirt Sophomore
Jacob Herbers is a player I really liked during the spring sessions. He is a left-footed punter and the untraditional swirl on his punts can be very difficult to field. Herbers has a big leg and punts very strategically inside the 20-yard-line. He is very methodical in the way he thinks about punting. Herbers is in the perfect position to take over the punting duties after Ryan Santoso graduates this year. At this point, he’ll continue to be the holder on field goals until next year.
Long Snapper:
Payton Jordahl- Redshirt Junior
Payton Jordahl has been fantastic as a long snapper and hasn’t made mistakes in his first two years with the Gophers. He snapped 145 times last year and was active on the punt coverage team as a tackler. The Perham, Minn. native will provide continuity within a specialists group that is still intact.
Holder:
Casey O’ Brien- Freshman
Casey O’ Brien is an example of why sports are truly special. In the process of beating cancer twice, he continued to be the holder on the Cretin Derham-Hall football team. After receiving news that he was cancer-free in 2015, he served as the long snapper in every game during his senior campaign. The Gophers gave O’ Brien the opportunity to be a preferred walk-on as a holder to continue his football career. The son of former Gophers coach, Dan O’ Brien, Casey is a special example of why it’s important to never give up on your dreams.
Playing complementary football is one of the keys to success every Saturday. Many people forget there are three components to football and neglect the fact special teams play an integral role in the outcome of games.
Legendary NFL coaches such as Bill Parcels and Bill Belichick have made the idea of “complementary football” more mainstream among the football community.
One of the best football quotes you can live by comes from New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
He said, “What competition is – teamwork and working together and supporting each other and having the offense, defense, and special teams play complementary football and win as a team. This is certainly part of that process and the team building itself together.”
In order to win games, it is necessary to execute on offense and defense, but the coverage units and kicking teams are equally as important. The ability to shift field position in the punting game directly impacts the defense. If the opposing team starts with excellent field position, it puts a strain on the defensive unit.
In addition, when an offensive drive stalls, coming away with points via field goal can change the outlook of a game. Execution is important, especially when you are playing quality opponents. The margin for error is slim.
In the coverage game, long returns put a strain on your defense. It takes discipline to ensure every player is executing their responsibilities. For example, staying in lanes, communicating, and knowing your responsibility are key aspects of these units. In addition, every player must understand their landmarks on the field and run like their head is on fire. From a coverage standpoint, Minnesota was 18th in kickoff and punt return defense last year. This is a solid statistic and will be something the new staff can build upon.
When you are returning kicks, there is an opportunity to set your offense up with a short field by blocking effectively. The players have to find the ball and sprint to the correct spot to execute their blocking responsibilities. Many special teams coordinators use the phrase, “bring the wall to the ball.” It is necessary to get your blockers in the right position to lay blocks and open lanes. The smaller details of special teams really add up to overall success.
Last year, the Gophers finished fifth nationally in Special Teams S&P+ rating, according to Football Outsiders. This is a weighted efficiency rating for play-by-play special teams performance. The Gophers were fifth in kickoff return efficiency, but 95th in punt return efficiency. From a punting standpoint, the Gophers ranked 41st. The Gophers can strive to improve their punting and punt return game this year. The main issue was consistency from Ryan Santoso and instability regarding who was the main punt returner. In terms of field goal efficiency, Minnesota ranked ninth in the country. Emmit Carpenter was dynamite and took care of the opportunities he was presented with.
As a whole, the Gophers finished 15th with a 65.1% special teams efficiency rating, according to ESPN Stats and Info. This is something the new staff can build upon as they implement their new culture.
Early in spring ball, it was clear to see the emphasis this coaching staff has placed upon special teams. There were portions of practice where pressure situations were a component of team drills. The moment “Under Pressure” by Queen blasted from the speakers, the entire practice became more intense. Whether it was squirting water bottles on the kicker as he attempted a kick or blowing the whistle as the punter started into his motion, focusing in crunch time was emphasized. If the specialists didn’t execute, the entire team ran sprints until all of P.J. Fleck’s desired challenge components were completed. In addition, the coverage/returns units have specific time slots built into practice. Special teams coordinator Rob Wenger keeps the tempo, focus, and instruction flowing in every drill they run. He will provide individualized coaching and continued execution among the specialists and coverage units.
The Gophers return one of the best kickers in the Big Ten to their specialists group, along with a punter who has shown potential. Wenger has plenty of talent to work with as he enters his first season as the Gophers’ special teams coordinator. His specificity of instruction should really help Minnesota strive toward playing complementary football at all times.
Kicker:
Emmit Carpenter- Redshirt Junior
Emmit Carpenter made 22-of-24 field goals last year and became the first Gopher to win the Big Ten Kicker of the Year Award. He was accurate from long distances, drilling 10-of-10 kicks from 40-50+ yards. He tied Dan Nystrom for points scored by a kicker (109) and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. He also notched touchbacks on 50% of his kickoff attempts, displaying his big leg. Carpenter was accurate and his mechanics were solid for the entire season. There was never a point where he went through “kicker yips” and that’s important. He is a key piece the special teams can build around for the next two years.
Eventually, freshman Grant Ryerse will bring his leg to the lineup after Carpenter graduates. The Woodbury, Minn. native booted field goals from 55 and 52 yards out during his final high school season. He was the top kicker in the state and the Gophers were able to keep him in the grand state of Minnesota.
Punters:
Ryan Santoso- Redshirt Senior
Ryan Santoso made the switch from kicker to punter last year and put together an up-and-down season. There were several opportunities where he was unable to pin a team deep. He started strong last year, but struggled at the midway point of the season. Santoso had a few punts go off the side of his foot last year. Some of this appeared to be attributed to a mental obstacle. Santoso has a monster leg and can pin teams deep when he is completely focused. When he strikes the ball well and strategically places his punts, it’s a huge advantage for the Gophers. The goal should be to increase his punting efficiency from the 41st ranking in 2016 by being more consistent. If he can punt like he did in the early stages of the season, it will be a huge asset to maintaining complementary football.
Jacob Herbers- Redshirt Sophomore
Jacob Herbers is a player I really liked during the spring sessions. He is a left-footed punter and the untraditional swirl on his punts can be very difficult to field. Herbers has a big leg and punts very strategically inside the 20-yard-line. He is very methodical in the way he thinks about punting. Herbers is in the perfect position to take over the punting duties after Ryan Santoso graduates this year. At this point, he’ll continue to be the holder on field goals until next year.
Long Snapper:
Payton Jordahl- Redshirt Junior
Payton Jordahl has been fantastic as a long snapper and hasn’t made mistakes in his first two years with the Gophers. He snapped 145 times last year and was active on the punt coverage team as a tackler. The Perham, Minn. native will provide continuity within a specialists group that is still intact.
Holder:
Casey O’ Brien- Freshman
Casey O’ Brien is an example of why sports are truly special. In the process of beating cancer twice, he continued to be the holder on the Cretin Derham-Hall football team. After receiving news that he was cancer-free in 2015, he served as the long snapper in every game during his senior campaign. The Gophers gave O’ Brien the opportunity to be a preferred walk-on as a holder to continue his football career. The son of former Gophers coach, Dan O’ Brien, Casey is a special example of why it’s important to never give up on your dreams.
