Bubba Ventrone Press Conference January 10, 2024
Transcript
00:00 He's actually hit a pretty high percentage in his career.
00:02 And he has playoff experience.
00:05 Last year he actually hit a game winner against,
00:07 it was the Chargers first round of the playoffs.
00:10 So he's done a good job.
00:12 >> Why does he prefer the right action?
00:15 >> Just personal preference, I guess.
00:19 Yeah.
00:21 >> You mentioned how much confidence is there to give you as a coach,
00:25 has guys been there before?
00:27 >> Yeah, I think that, I mean, anytime you're in those situations,
00:30 it's good to have experience.
00:32 But ultimately, what you've done in the past doesn't matter.
00:36 So every game is different, every reps different, every kicks different.
00:40 So the playoffs aren't about experience,
00:45 it's about execution on that day.
00:48 So you see a lot of, yeah, I mean,
00:51 would you like to have a lot of veteran players that have been there?
00:54 Yeah, but that's not the case.
00:57 It's about who's gonna execute that day on that rep.
01:00 >> How good was it for you back last week and get one more game in before the playoffs?
01:04 I don't think he did.
01:05 >> He did a nice job.
01:06 He hit the ball well.
01:08 I thought he was controlled in his swing and
01:11 he elevated the ball pretty well and with good direction.
01:13 So he gave us good field position and I thought it was a good ramp up to this week.
01:18 So I think he's in a good spot.
01:23 >> But I've asked you this before about holding and blocking back on your returns.
01:30 Do you chart where your penalties are compared to other teams?
01:34 It seems like you have very few.
01:38 >> No, I don't look at it.
01:39 We emphasize playing clean and try to coach that up.
01:44 We put a big emphasis on it in our Friday meetings,
01:49 which is gonna be like Thursday this week.
01:52 And I think the players understand how the game's being officiated.
01:55 So try to just always review and go over how those calls are being made.
02:03 So try to play clean in those return phases.
02:08 >> How many penalties you've had though or not?
02:11 You're pretty good on numbers.
02:12 >> I mean, I know we haven't had a ton.
02:15 >> It's to speak at the team meeting when people were talking about Super Bowl
02:21 experience and if so, what was the message that you shared?
02:25 >> I mean, I spoke, yeah, I spoke and
02:31 just keep those comments for our team.
02:36 >> That meaning like, I mean, can you or do you not wanna share?
02:39 I mean, it seemed like the players felt it was very inspirational.
02:42 >> Well, yeah, I felt like they probably weren't supposed to elaborate on that
02:47 with you guys.
02:47 That was like a really like a team, tight knit thing.
02:50 So I'll keep my comments to myself on that.
02:54 >> Well, Pierre is obviously battling the, dealing with the back.
02:59 Having James as kind of the fallback is the back up.
03:04 How much does that kind of put you at ease if Pierre isn't able to go this week?
03:09 >> Yeah, I mean, other guys have done it too that are on the roster and
03:14 Jerome was our kicker Turner to start the season.
03:17 So we have options.
03:18 >> In terms of the execution, so that's the big key factor for the playoffs.
03:25 Does your philosophy of messaging change at all being at the playoffs?
03:29 Does it intensify or is it just business as usual for you as a coach?
03:33 >> I mean, I treat every game the same way.
03:36 And I think that's a big thing with the playoffs.
03:38 You can't treat these games like they're any different than the next.
03:41 And I would say your heightened awareness to certain situations may be greater,
03:47 just because of the magnitude and the stakes.
03:51 But if you're trying, I mean, trying to do like a player trying to do too much or
03:56 not play within the scheme is not the answer.
03:59 So I think it comes down to fundamentals and technique and
04:04 playing sound discipline football is what's gonna win games in the playoffs.
04:09 >> Were your special teams shuffled up a lot in terms of the kind of football?
04:14 >> Well, I mean, you see a lot of guys that were even though we're up for
04:18 the game and dressed, didn't participate in the game.
04:21 So it puts a lot of stress on the players that are actually playing on defense and
04:25 offense cuz they have to do double duty.
04:28 So those guys are definitely gassed on our punts and
04:32 on our kickoffs and kick returns.
04:33 So there's no one else to use.
04:38 So and we told those guys in that game, don't look over your shoulder cuz
04:43 there's no one else to put in.
04:45 So I've been there before and that's not a fun place to be.
04:49 And I called those guys during the game.
04:52 I said, you guys are warriors.
04:53 I said, this is not easy to do.
04:56 And that's why football is a team game and
05:00 those guys credit to those guys for being selfless players.
05:03 I mean, for us to be able to not play certain players last week is a credit to
05:09 the guy at the back end roster guys and they definitely haven't been given enough
05:14 credit and I think that they deserve it.
05:16 >> [INAUDIBLE]
05:26 >> Definitely, yeah.
05:27 >> [INAUDIBLE]
05:30 >> Do your job, do your job, right?
05:33 Don't try to do too much.
05:35 Do your job and trust that your teammates gonna do his job.
05:38 The more you can play collectively as a group per unit and
05:44 then I would say complimentary football
05:50 with the kicking game and offense and defense.
05:53 The more positives you can have in that, the better the results are gonna be.
05:59 Can't have self inflicted wounds, can't have penalties,
06:02 gotta protect the football that's on there in the return game and on offense.
06:06 So I think that that's important.
06:08 Just don't try to do too much play within the scheme.
06:12 >> I wanna go back to my question about [INAUDIBLE]
06:19 >> I don't think so.
06:20 There's a number of kickers that have hit their PATs from certain hashes.
06:24 Trying to think of what I was watching recently.
06:26 But no, I think, Yeah, I think it's just preference, honestly.
06:33 It's just preference.
06:35 Some guys will like, for a game where you may prefer right or left.
06:40 Some guys will say, hey, I want it on the left hash or I want it on the right.
06:44 Depending on what, if we're playing outside, the wind is always a factor.
06:48 I remember going against Chicago, we wanted, from what I remember,
06:54 we wanted the right hash because of what the wind was doing, so.
06:58 >> They missed the second 15th on the right hash.
07:02 >> Right, and they didn't change after that.
07:05 They made it.
07:07 >> I actually asked him after that.
07:08 I said, are you sure you're good for the right hash?
07:10 And he's like, yeah, I'm good.
07:14 I'm like, okay.
07:14 I feel like the thing with specialists too is have them in their comfort zone, right?
07:20 You don't wanna take them out of their comfort zone.
07:21 However they're comfortable.
07:22 And that goes with their weekly routine and everything as well.
07:26 So I think as long as those guys are comfortable and
07:29 put them in the best mindset possible, it gives you every opportunity to execute.
07:33 >> Going back to the Corey match, is it helpful for
07:37 Brian Lee, kind of as he's acclimated to the team to have Corey spin around and
07:42 be in his position?
07:44 >> Yeah, that was a big thing for me last week is like,
07:48 ideally you'd like to have Corey at the game more for the holding factor.
07:52 I think that it was good that we actually had him out there in case Dustin wouldn't
07:56 be able to go this week, so at least we have a game, a warm up,
08:02 pregame with those guys and then obviously,
08:05 they'll work together this week in practice.
08:09 >> Obviously you were back with the Patriots coaching in 2016, but
08:14 as a former practice player, when the Cavs won the title,
08:18 do you remember that grabbing your attention at all?
08:23 >> Yeah, I mean, it's special, it is.
08:31 To win a championship is incredible, so
08:36 we're just gonna take it game by game and hope for the best.
08:43 >> Do you remember watching any of that, just like a parade?
08:48 Do you remember thinking?
08:50 >> I mean, I remember when they won it, I don't have a ton of recollection as far as
08:54 like the celebration to it and all that, I know that the city would go nuts.
08:58 And I'm worried honestly about winning this game this week, but
09:04 everyone wants what you're talking about.
09:08 But I think right now our focus, our sole focus is winning this game against Houston
09:14 and doing everything we can to prepare ourselves and our players to do so.
09:18 [BLANK_AUDIO]
09:21 >> Thanks.