Darrin Simmons on Bengals Special Teams
Darrin Simmons on Bengals Special Teams
Transcript
00:00 punt returner or kick re
00:03 bodies back there. Yeah,
00:06 stand going into win? Wel
00:08 the air, of course, you k
00:10 an incoming guy. If you'r
00:12 returner first, have an i
00:14 who has been a solid guy
00:16 I think we're probably tr
00:19 roster flexibility, flexi
00:21 That's why we drafted Char
00:23 opportunity to see him, y
00:26 in the preseason to see,
00:27 can do in the return game
00:30 that's kind of a fluid sp
00:32 be a spot that's open for
00:34 of competition. You know,
00:36 that the opponents punt a
00:39 game. So, you know, we ca
00:41 up right there, you know,
00:43 fashion. We saw Alex Eric
00:45 years ago. And uh, so tha
00:48 spot as is the kickoff re
00:51 know, that's going to bec
00:52 um, position for us. Not
00:55 playmaker, but have a goo
00:56 with, you know, some of t
00:58 that have come into play
01:00 So that's going to be a v
01:02 spot. And you know, we've
01:04 here. Chris, Chris Evans
01:07 will have an opportunity
01:08 do there. Charlie can do
01:10 know, and I don't want to
01:13 Um, what was a rising pla
01:15 that came in, had a good
01:17 practice squad. And uh, s
01:20 capable guys back there t
01:22 of those spots. When you
01:26 spot returner, is there a
01:29 you value the most that y
01:31 for with those guys? Well
01:35 are very different. Both
01:37 I'm looking at the pumper
01:39 the first thing I gotta d
01:40 the ball cleanly. Um, you
01:42 catch upon is much more d
01:45 a kickoff. Catching a kic
01:46 simple. Um, you know, the
01:50 can affect upon so much m
01:54 you have to build a read
01:56 way the ball turns over i
01:58 as he left footed. Um, yo
02:01 the punter putting the ba
02:03 he angled. There's a lot
02:05 able to judge as a pump r
02:08 returns. Now they're gonna
02:09 makers for us. You know,
02:13 our way through this new
02:15 the league installed this
02:17 can be a big, big, big de
02:19 a decision maker. But I t
02:22 them have to have toughne
02:24 the kickoff return. You k
02:26 somebody is a little bit
02:28 physical that can run thr
02:30 returners. You like to be
02:31 quicker and a little fast
02:33 are the physical qualific
02:35 to have. What is that? Wel
02:41 quickness really showed u
02:44 was more at uh, back in I
02:47 Purdue. He didn't do much
02:49 know, I think he made the
02:51 Iowa to Purdue to get an
02:53 receiver. And I think tha
02:55 focus for him. I think he
02:57 a returner at Iowa and yo
03:01 his resume as a receiver.
03:04 a lot of his Iowa tape an
03:06 showed up was his quickne
03:08 handle the ball was also
03:10 make good decisions. He'
03:12 but the quickness and the
03:14 thing that really, really
03:16 is true. Christmas. Well,
03:19 the thick of the competit
03:22 know, obviously the edge
03:24 he has a playing experien
03:27 Um, you know, they both o
03:29 two very good programs. T
03:31 with those programs. Drew
03:33 up in that regard because
03:35 relationship with Cal and
03:38 he has the trust of both
03:40 those guys trust in him.
03:42 Brad's gonna be in a dogf
03:44 you know, and I think he'
03:46 to that challenge. Othew
03:48 him. You know, it'll be a
03:50 both of those guys. But y
03:52 offer an equal footing an
03:55 guys decide how it shakes
03:58 room for two decades. Yeah
04:01 the toughest team to make
04:05 a good question. Um, there
04:08 great competition. You kn
04:10 is the worst day of the y
04:13 you know, Zach or scouting
04:16 tell these guys that unfor
04:18 to be on our 53 man roste
04:21 they come next guy to com
04:25 a very, very difficult da
04:28 toughest day for me to se
04:30 and tell them it's just n
04:32 need right now. And but I
04:35 gonna be difficult, you k
04:37 these guys, um, to make i
04:42 the opportunities that th
04:44 bit more limited. Now we
04:46 games, they got more of a
04:49 That's why practices are
04:51 critical for us now too,
04:53 time is condensed a little
04:57 they do in game situation
05:00 our starters don't play a
05:02 a little bit though. They
05:03 playing time to prove and
05:06 know that the window of p
05:09 of play time is shrunken
05:12 they have to be on point.
05:14 young guys, they have to
05:16 can do in a short period
05:18 think it's going to be di
05:20 these guys, you know, the
05:22 have and the players we h
05:25 the players that we've ev
05:28 very good. We have a deep
05:31 is definitely the second
05:33 a legit competition in po
05:37 years. Yeah. Do you like
05:41 position? Do you like tha
05:45 into camp? I think compet
05:47 the best in everybody. Th
05:49 thing to say. But I do th
05:52 it does. You know, we're
05:54 different times. I guess
05:57 two years we're talking a
05:58 veteran guy versus can th
06:01 and unseat him. And now w
06:03 about two really unproven
06:08 they're going to stack up
06:09 So, uh, you know, we've b
06:13 have the luxury, you know
06:15 is 13 or 14 years having
06:17 and the same punter and y
06:19 interchanged some kickers
06:21 like every other team doe
06:23 fortunate to have to have
06:25 had forever and never rea
06:28 about that spot. And but
06:30 me, um, to kind of start
06:33 with, you know, uh, even
06:37 mean the fact that he got
06:40 or 16 games or whatever i
06:42 season was a big positive
06:44 still view him as a very,
06:46 and you know, I'm still l
06:48 through dealing with Evan
06:50 him. But, but I'm really
06:53 the competition we've got
06:55 it's going to be a really
07:00 for those two guys. Yeah.
07:04 last year. Yeah. Mhm. Goi
07:09 those conversations happe
07:11 resigned Wilcox today. Ye
07:14 the emergency long snapper
07:15 finding the guy who can d
07:17 the guy who has some leve
07:19 that. It's a and then the
07:23 it has to be multiple guy
07:25 about trying to train som
07:27 that in the off season. W
07:29 players. Well, I got to h
07:31 to try to figure out who'
07:32 not the 53 man roster, wh
07:34 the 48 man roster who's g
07:36 on game day because it do
07:38 guys on our practice squad
07:40 for the week. That guy's
07:42 active roster, whoever th
07:45 I think resign and Mitch
07:48 having the ability to do
07:49 it. We have a couple of t
07:51 Cal missed a couple of we
07:53 it was good to get an opp
07:55 other guys do it. Tanner
07:57 little bit. Um, we've bee
08:00 some other players, posi
08:02 but trying to foreshadow
08:05 be is very, very, very d
08:06 you have a proven guy, me
08:10 going to be on your 48 ma
08:12 to Russia. That's a huge
08:14 players do you have? Well
08:17 with about four guys. You
08:19 a lot of guys that act li
08:22 it until it's until it's
08:24 everybody kind of backs a
08:26 know they're on stage and
08:29 you know, the only only a
08:31 it's bad attention. So, u
08:34 working with some guys, t
08:36 it's always been a defici
08:38 a difficult thing to try
08:40 but you know, obviously i
08:42 sure Dodge City in Carola
08:46 lifetime to go. Yeah. Oh,
08:48 here. Oh, three is my fir
08:50 20 years now. Yeah, this
08:53 Yeah. Personally for you.
08:56 a crazy business. Yeah. Y
09:00 that? It means it means e
09:03 a lot. It means that, uh,
09:07 that I have that they hav
09:11 I don't take that lightly
09:13 very, very, very important
09:15 been always will be. I'm
09:17 to the family here in the
09:20 what they've done for me
09:22 when I first moved here,
09:25 and now she's a senior in
09:28 just had one kid. Now I h
09:30 just graduated from high
09:33 kid is going to be an eig
09:35 they've had the same set
09:37 life and for me to be in
09:40 them to have those things
09:45 to me. It means more than
09:50 a lot to me. Um, and bein
09:53 roots here is, and this i
09:55 and it has been, I felt t
09:57 time. So it's not somethi
10:00 It's not just you. I mean
10:02 has been very fortunate o
10:05 five years at this point
10:08 yourself, but the other c
10:10 is it about this organiza
10:13 because that's unusual for
10:16 that they feel, you know,
10:19 really first leader of th
10:21 brown. Um, you know, I kn
10:24 family feels what coaching
10:27 Mike and all those people
10:29 it's like to be a coach's
10:31 kid. And when you disrupt
10:34 that, I think they felt t
10:37 in Cleveland and what a d
10:39 a family that is. And uh,
10:42 that. Uh, and I think the
10:45 that feels like. And um,
10:49 that they maintain it. Li
10:52 you know, just to make a
10:54 as good as the sake of ma
10:56 sometimes, yes, there are
10:59 have gotten stale and we
11:01 up and change. And they d
11:03 a couple of years ago. An
11:05 they, you know, after a c
11:07 were rough until we try t
11:09 and get things shaped the
11:11 them shape and Zach's eye
11:13 effort. I think we see th
11:15 now and to see that they'
11:17 that and believed in the
11:20 the team had the Zach had
11:22 this place should look is
11:24 very important to where w
11:26 said you're still learnin
11:28 to coach Evan. What is th
11:31 you've learned about? Ove
11:33 of years? Well, I learned
11:35 that he has a short, shor
11:39 the quicker that you can
11:41 kick. Um, is very importa
11:47 I've also learned he is a
11:50 I learned that early on t
11:52 away to him and that's pr
11:54 me to him is is whenever
11:57 that year at the Universi
11:59 way that I could see him
12:02 and I could feel that. An
12:04 even though sometimes for
12:07 are historically very goo
12:10 that he has days where he
12:13 where he's off. We had a
12:16 Tennessee. He was horrible
12:19 and it comes back and kic
12:21 and he made the simple fa
12:24 missing half the kicks an
12:26 he went inside, oh, it's
12:28 we went back inside and c
12:29 didn't miss a kick the re
12:31 didn't make a difference.
12:33 it did, you know? And so
12:36 not worry a lot about thin
12:41 get it figured out. Yeah.
12:44 him it was a shoes or no,
12:46 me is this is the shoes a
12:50 it takes, bub. And you kn
12:53 good field. He has a very
12:58 very, very strong mentally
13:00 still really young. I mea
13:02 junior and uh but he's re
13:05 and understands a great d
13:08 a kicker and what it mean
13:11 kicker in crunch time. So
13:14 about him in critical spo
13:18 in situations like that b
13:20 competitive. How much of
13:25 everything? Yeah, that's
13:28 I think that came up a co
13:31 even last year to a degre
13:35 probably equal parts, but
13:37 point um that you make so
13:41 track everything from a d
13:43 the numbers are what the
13:47 also I've been in this bu
13:48 I've been around these gu
13:50 know to know what it shou
13:52 should feel like. Not only
13:54 perspective, but just col
13:57 three, all three guys wor
13:59 the kicker, the snapper,
14:02 and what it should look l
14:03 it's going to be. You kno
14:06 ahead and see, all right,
14:08 one, we're in Cleveland a
14:11 wind and the weather coul
14:13 versus what it could be l
14:14 who do I want doing that?
14:17 very different in august
14:19 to what it could be in de
14:23 in Kansas City. And that
14:25 different people. So I've
14:28 my own mind. Can that guy
14:30 him doing what we need to
14:33 in the future. And so I t
14:36 be equal parts. That's a
14:38 just hold on. Oh, that's
14:41 also, you know, I think i
14:45 in, you know, earlier las
14:48 I felt like that with Kev
14:51 such a good thing going,
14:52 you win games is that you
14:55 evident come had come off
14:57 season that I didn't want
14:59 even if that meant we had
15:03 with some punting things
15:05 with from a field position
15:09 it's going to be a huge p
15:11 you know, coming out of c
15:13 did a great job of making
15:16 in the holding portion an
15:18 confidence of of Evan. An
15:23 good about where that stan
15:26 Brad held for a uh the lo
15:29 moody. So he does a fanta
15:32 I feel really good about both those spots.