Bubba Ventrone Press Conference December 21, 2023
Browns Special Teams Coordinator Bubba Ventrone speaks with reporters on December 21, 2023. Bubba talked highly of Myles Garrett stating that Myles is the best player he has seen in the league since he first started in 2005.
Transcript
00:00 So a lot of the same things we do a lot of similar schemes protection
00:05 so
00:07 Very familiar with this team and their personnel
00:09 Well, I know we talk about injuries how it trickles down to you guys
00:14 How many guys you think around there
00:25 They're right you
00:27 On the part we've read the handful of new guys and
00:35 When you're when you're doing that you're you're training those players
00:41 Leading up to it so that it goes back to offseason program
00:46 Right, you're trying to get guys as many reps as possible in different spots for these moments
00:51 So you're trying to train guys throughout the process of you know training camp and into the season and even on like the red teams
00:58 And look teams that we have you want to get guys as many reps as possible
01:02 Rise and they have to now step into the game that they feel
01:06 Confident their abilities to protect and play in those spots
01:09 So, you know guys like Harrison Bryant has played in a number of different positions for us on that unit
01:15 so
01:18 I
01:20 Want has done some things in the past
01:25 He actually was a backup PP for me and in New England and he did it in Atlanta
01:30 So it was an easy choice for him to play in that spot next week
01:34 this past week, so
01:37 How much pride you take when you have like a core special team or like me?
01:40 And you see him get an opportunity to play on defense and play as well as he did
01:44 How much pride you take and see you get that chance, right?
01:48 I take a lot of pride in that
01:50 Developing young players and seeing them ascend and having greater roles on offense and defense
01:55 I mean really if you look at the core group that I coached in in Indianapolis
02:00 All those guys have elevated their play and have found ways to make you know significant contributions offensively and defensively
02:09 and then D Anthony has the opportunity with our safety situation to have more more opportunities defensively and
02:14 Played a great game last week on defense for us. So
02:17 You know, hopefully hopefully we can continue to develop those those guys and bring them along
02:23 While they're still giving me contributions as well
02:26 I think he just has a knack a knack for the ball
02:34 I do I think that whenever he can process quickly and and just play football. I think he does a really good job
02:40 He's got pretty good instincts
02:42 He makes it he makes it difficult on returners for sure you saw this past week, you know
02:59 Had we had had two months that we end up getting one of them, which is which is great
03:04 It's hard. It's hard to catch a lefty like him. He can he can definitely put the ball out there
03:09 He can also get it up
03:11 elevate the ball pretty well and
03:14 he's really been a great player for us right now and he continues to improve and
03:20 Understands how we want him how we want him to play the game and he's he's improving in this plus 50 ball as well
03:28 so
03:29 Really excited about how he's come along and gave our unit in our team, you know
03:35 I would say an advantage to be able to control the field
03:39 Yeah, definitely though I mean
03:47 In past weeks since I've been here the wind has really gone the other way. It's really usually coming out of the dog pound
03:56 But it was it was coming at us coming from the tunnel and
03:59 We knew that the distance going that way was going to be a much harder kick. So
04:04 Credit to our defense obviously for keeping them out of that out of that range to be able to attempt that kick
04:11 I was actually hoping that they were going to attempt it. So but they didn't
04:16 Cross the league. I think there's six property turn touchdowns only once your kid
04:24 Will change is that much coverage teams that what do you think that is?
04:27 No, I think that there's I mean the the return rate has definitely gone down
04:32 I think and I don't necessarily think it's the fair catch. That's really brought the return rate down. I think it's more
04:38 Teams aren't bringing the ball out of the end zone
04:41 For whatever reason I think some teams are just content to to get the ball at the 25-yard line
04:49 But I think that once I think once the years over some something will happen with that what the kickoff play something will be adapted or
04:55 They'll adopt a new type of rule or whatever you want to call it
04:59 But like I said, I'm I'm content with how the rule is
05:02 Like if you want to return the ball great if you don't great, but I think
05:06 Being able to start the game and ever after every score have a kick have a kick off is definitely
05:12 something that I would definitely
05:15 Obviously, I'm a special teams coordinator, but I'm all for that
05:19 I don't like changing the game and making it like a gimmicky play or
05:23 You know, the kickoff is an exciting play if you take that away
05:26 It just you know, I don't know
05:29 but
05:33 I
05:35 Said it a bunch. I think that his process throughout the week
05:58 Understanding how he approaches each week
06:02 Communication with me and the specialist has just been phenomenal
06:05 I know that we had talked a lot about earlier in the year about trying to you know
06:10 I know you guys had asked about going down and like like him getting comfortable in the stadium and
06:15 Brought it up a few a couple weeks ago and talked through you know
06:20 It changes so much down there that it's it's hard to go down on like a Thursday
06:25 Because whatever you get on Thursday is gonna be completely different than you get on Sunday
06:30 So those guys have been content about just okay, whatever we get that day
06:34 We'll attack it make the adjustments like this past week
06:38 The wind was way different than we've seen at any point in this season
06:41 So like going toward the tunnel was way different than we've had the first, you know, 15 weeks of the year
06:59 No, I think I mean they get along extremely well, they've all been in the league for a number of years
07:04 So I think that just having the respect for each other
07:06 they
07:08 They just have they just have good chemistry. They really do they all connect well, and it's been it's been great for that operation
07:15 there there
07:17 They're easy guys to coach. They don't really push back to me at all with anything
07:22 so if I have a recommendation or a suggestion they they take it and
07:28 They apply it in if they disagree, then they'll express their feelings
07:33 but I feel like we've had really good communication with that group and all those guys work extremely hard and our
07:39 True true true professionals all three of them
07:42 With the win away was the other night earlier the other day was it an easy decision?
07:47 When you and Kevin are talking about the first taking the ball
07:51 So you had the wind behind you in the fourth quarter Kevin and I talked about a pregame
07:55 And I thought that he made a really good decision to to take the ball
07:59 I thought that that was the best thing we wanted it
08:01 We wanted to have the win in the fourth quarter, and I think that he did a good job by taking the ball there. Yeah
08:06 Five points from catching him Brown for the all-time, you know scoring in one season
08:16 Like I said, I he's been a he's been a great player for us
08:23 the execution has been at a high level and
08:26 fortunately, he's made a lot of his kicks and
08:29 like I said before I think he's done a
08:32 Tremendous job for our team and the confidence he has in our coaching staff the head coach GM owners
08:39 You know, he's he's earned every every bit of credit he deserves and I think he should you know, he should really be in my mind
08:48 You know get every accolade you could get I think he's he's done a really good job and he's earned it. So
08:53 He's been great for us
08:56 I hope not
09:01 And you know, yeah, I hope not I really do
09:05 MVP this team
09:09 Geez, I mean, I probably shouldn't even say like answer that question, but I'll answer it for you. I mean
09:17 obviously, I
09:18 I'll say Dustin aside. I would say 95. I mean, he's just
09:23 Ridiculous. I've never seen a player. I've been in the league since 2005. I've never been around a football player like that guy
09:31 It's unbelievable. And I think when you see him when you actually get to see him in person
09:36 it just looks way different and
09:39 To me he's hands-down. It's not even a question like he's hands-down the best football player in the league like
09:47 To me like defensively. He's he's hands-down the best. There's no one that's even remotely close to him in my opinion
09:53 He forgot the jersey side to where I had to wear a Jack Rabbit sweatshirt
10:01 But I will support I will support Pierre in in the final
10:06 I think the finals the Sunday before the national championship game
10:10 So I wish they would play that this week the earth
10:13 It'd be so much better to just get it done, but they don't want to do it. I guess with the bowl games and stuff
10:18 Yes, they should really get that game whoever's in charge of scheduling that I would
10:24 recommend you move it to this week, but I love one double-a football the playoffs are exciting and
10:30 Congrats to the I I mess with Pierre and called him the little Jack rabbits, you know
10:36 But congrats to the Jack rabbits there. Yeah
10:42 The best jersey Anthony Walker has a plethora of jerseys so he comes every week with something different
10:47 So he really keeps us, you know on our toes, I guess
10:52 Disappointing to say this but there has not been a lot of other guys that have followed suit
10:59 It's really man walk to where the jerseys on Fridays. So
11:03 Yep, thanks