Danny Crossman – September 7, 2023
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Thursday, September 7, 2023
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(I’m just reading about the new kickoff fair catch rule. I wanted to know, did it happen in the NFL preseason? Did it occur?) – “It did, twice. I don’t know if people were doing it just because – as I viewed it maybe not…”
(So it comes out to the 25?) – “Yeah. Anything inside the 25-yard line goes to the 25. Anything beyond the 25 (-yard line) is to the spot.”
(So is it only a situation where the ball is caught inside the 5-yard line where it would be advisable for anyone to actually consider doing that?) – “I think it’s going to be varying around the league. I think it’s maybe more of what your anticipation or expectation is in terms of your body position in terms of fielding the ball may come up. I think on some of the pop-up kicks where it’s like communication and who’s going to field it, I think it could become an option. But I really don’t see it becoming a major factor in how the games are played.”
(It’s not very often that we talk about long snappers, but LS Blake Ferguson did just sign a contract extension. I was just curious, your comments and what he means to this team of the player and its person?) – “Well, I think No. 1 as an individual, he’s outstanding. Great family. He’s a great kid, studies, works hard, great teammate, dependable, available – where I don’t care what the position is, availability is your No. 1 ability. And then obviously, he’s a quality player. So obviously very happy to have him in the fold going forward.”
(I wanted to ask you about how the injuries to DB Keion Crossen, obviously out for the year, unfortunately, and CB Justin Bethel – we don’t know his status for this week – and DB Elijah Campbell, how does it impact your special teams units?) – “Obviously, it’ll have a big impact. They’re three guys that are proven players. I feel so bad for Keion, and I feel bad for our group. He was a guy that has had great production, very good special teams player. He got elevated last year in an earned position to really be more of a defensive player, so we were very excited to get him back and to get him back heavily involved in the kicking game. So obviously, a big blow and then obviously, Elijah and ‘Beth’ (Justin Bethel), both those guys have been very good players and good players for us. We’ll see, and hope for the medical stuff and (hope) they’re quick healers. But until that, (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) says it all the time, adversity is an opportunity. Somebody else has to step up.”
(Who would you identify as your core special teams guys?) – “Believe it or not, like everybody, you’re still working through that. We talk about it all the time – since COVID, over the last three or four years, the way the rules are now developed with the accessibility of being able to maneuver the roster with the practice squad and elevations, I think you’re going to see, along with us and around the league, I don’t know if you’re going to see those landlocked five or six guys that you know exactly what you have. I think with the way the rosters are now and the way, right, wrong or indifferent, the way the injuries and things pop up around the league, you better have a big nucleus of guys that are available and able to contribute, because I think that’s what you’re going to have to have.”
(I know you guys are using the punt tracker device that you can watch on the tablet now. What is some of the information that you’re hoping to get from that?) – “Well, I think the biggest thing for us is it generates numbers for when we’re inside. I mean, you guys see it – you hit a punt and it bangs into the ceiling. What would have been the distance? What would have been the hangtime? What was the angle of departure? Where would it have landed? So those things where you really didn’t have an idea in the past, now you’re getting legitimate data that gives you an idea of what kind of football you’re hitting when we’re inside.”
(Can you give me an idea, what is the spin rate and the kick velocity and hang time of some optimal punts? What are some of those numbers?) – “I think the numbers that show you the most are the speed and the apex. When you look at the speed and the apex, those two numbers that are generated are telling you what kind of hang time and what kind of distance you’re going to get. When you get those two numbers tied together, you know what a good football is. Because we’ve all seen it – who wants a 50-yard punt if it’s got a 4.2 hangtime? That thing is coming right back at you. I think it’s been great. I’m not a golfer, I know nothing about it, but when you guys go and you hit those things, it’s great information to have and it gives you something to build off of.”
(Overall, how was P Jake Bailey’s camp? How is he coming off that injury from last year?) – “Good, and most importantly, I think as you track and what you saw in camp is he’s gotten better every week. He’s gotten more comfortable. I think the end of camp was the best that he’s been, which is what you always strive for, regardless of position. But really happy where Blake (Ferguson), Jake (Bailey) and Jason (Sanders) are at the current time going into the regular season.”
(I don’t know if you saw this, but there was a clip from Coach Belichick a couple years ago that recirculated back around the web yesterday of him giving basically a detailed history of special teams and why teams actually have specific roster spots for someone like a long snapper as opposed to cross-training a player to play that spot. I’m curious, because those guys work together in such a unique fashion, what is the importance of how that group is tight knit together? When you sign LS Blake Ferguson to an extension, how important is it to have those guys gel together?) – “I think it’s usually important. The goal, I think, for everybody, is to have that trio be the same trio for a long period of time. Obviously, that’s our goal here. We’ve gone through some punters, so that’s transitioned. We’ve had Jason (Sanders) and Blake (Ferguson) together, hopefully Jake (Bailey) is that missing piece and we’re able to do something going forward where he’s successful, healthy and has a good year and that ties together. Because, again, when you can get those three guys working together and understanding each other, and you’re not re-teaching and starting over, I think it’s a great advantage for the organization.”
(What were a couple of the specific focal points for you and your unit this offseason, like where to improve from a season ago?) – “Well, I think, obviously, you want to improve in everything. When you talk about the roster, I think with the guys that we had last year, and they did a good job, but I think adding Braxton Berrios as a true combo return player, I think that’s going to be big and pay dividends for us. Then we had a lot of young guys that had to play some roles and play out of position. Or, most importantly, guys that don’t involve themselves in special teams in college. Obviously, the college rules are completely different than they are in the National Football League. So I think the growth from some of those young players. And then getting our established guys, the Andrew Van Ginkel’s and the Duke Riley’s, hopefully getting those guys more involved where they’re not spread as thin with their defense. Last year we had some receivers that we were planning on being major contributors and ended up being heavily involved in offense. Which, again, the only thing we care about is winning. So I don’t care as long as we win. As long as we put it in the left-hand column, I’m good with everything.”
(The new No. 9, CB Kelvin Joseph, some of the guys are telling me how fast he is. He said he’s run a 4.28, which is pretty good. He said he’s done some special teams. So when you get a new guy, do you go back to the Cowboys preseason special teams footage and or anything he might have done at LSU and Kentucky. And if so, what did you see?) – “You go back to everything. You go to preseason, regular season, anything he’s done in the National Football League, whatever he’s done in college. He’s a talented, talented player. He is fast. He is strong. He plays physical. So again, when you get guys, the train doesn’t wait. We’ve got a game this week so it doesn’t matter when you get them, you’ve got to get guys ready to play. He’s been good. He’s been working hard and he, along with everybody else, we’ll get guys moved around. It may take a little bit until we find our foot in exactly who’s what, where and why. But we’ve got a good group to start with.”
(Is there such a thing as a punter and kicker-friendly schedule and do you have it this year? Because you know what I’m getting at, you’re at New England and Buffalo early and four out of five late at home in favorable weather. Does that make sense? Do you think about that?) – “You know what, you think about it for a second and you don’t think about it anymore until you get to game day. I’ve spent a lot of time in this division and I’ve been to those places where you can go there in September and it’s miserable. We watched Buffalo in the first preseason game, the wind’s blowing so hard that they’ve got to hold the football for the kicker. It’s blowing off the tee in the first preseason game. So again, whether you’re August or January, a little bit of temperature difference, but the wind could be a factor at any time. Obviously, to finish at home where we’re practicing in it all the time, you’d always rather have that.”
(I think WR Derius Davis is expected to handle return duties for the Chargers. What have you been able to identify out of him as a rookie that looks dangerous after that preseason touchdown?) – “Very fast. He had a lot of production in college at TCU. He had five touchdowns in his college career. Very fast, likes to get to the edge, talented player. So we’ll have our hands full, but that’s the way the league is now. You look around the league and you look at the schedule, not everybody but just about everybody has a guy that has some bona-fide whether it’s a, number one in the National Football League, or you go back to their college career, and they’ve been very, very productive in college. It’s going to be a week in and week out thing. You’re going to see some very talented people.”
