Darren Rizzi – August 2, 2018
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Thursday, August 2, 2018
Associate Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Darren Rizzi
(How would you assess the kicking situation right now between K Greg Joseph and K Jason Sanders?) – “(It’s a) work in progress, as always. You’re in this early part of camp still and we’ve got a long way to go – over a month to go. So especially with two rookies – it’s not like you have a rookie and a veteran guy with two rookies – it’s a process. I think they’re both progressing. We’re obviously working on some things. I think you’ve seen – if you’ve been out here every day – you’ve seen those guys flash and show their ability. Like I said, it’s a work in progress and I think they’re both progressing pretty well.”
(When you say a work in progress, does it mean they’ve got a lot of work to do?) – “No. Not at all. I think with any rookie at any position, whether it’s quarterback, o-line, kicker, defensive back, it doesn’t matter. All of those guys are a work in progress. There’s not one guy in here that comes in ready-made to play in the NFL. That’s kickers included. It’s a different game, obviously. I think those guys have both … their progression since the spring I think has been pretty good. Some days are better than others, as rookie kickers are going to do; but I really like where they are. Obviously we have four preseason games to play. We’ve got a lot of camp to go. That’s not what I meant by that. I think that I’m happy with where they both are right now. Again, you guys have been out here every day. You’ve seen the ability of those guys. You’ve seen them both make kicks. Now we’ve just got to do it on a consistent basis and bring it to the games.”
(Have you narrowed it down at punt returner at all?) – “That’s always a pool that we’re trying to expand, really. I’m never trying to narrow that pool down. It’s a guy … We’re always trying to look at a bunch of guys there. Obviously we have Jakeem (Grant) and Danny Amendola who both have a lot of experience in games. Then after that you’ve got some guys like Albert Wilson that have done it. You have some guys like Drew Morgan. We’re trying to break in a couple of new guys. (Kenyan) Drake is a guy that we’ve worked there. Really, we’re trying to expand it; not narrow it down. You can never have enough guys, in my opinion, that can do that job.”
(Is WR Danny Amendola a guy that you could feel really good about in those tighter situations where it’s a little bit more crowded?) – “Yes, I feel good about Danny in all situations. He’s got a lot of experience. Obviously not only (have I) coached against him but just watching him out here, he’s always a guy that I respected before he got here. I probably have more respect for him now that I’ve seen him. Just watching his work ethic. His football IQ is really high. He makes really good decisions back there and that’s kind of what he’s shown when we played against him, so it’s not a surprise. I’m a comfortable with him in any part of the field.”
(In the past you’ve been situational and put people in certain situations. Could you possibly do that again?) – “Oh, yes. It’s always on the table, no doubt. Obviously Jakeem (Grant) has also been a guy that year by year by year has gotten better and better and better, so I’m much comfortable with him than we were two years ago in the situational; but again, that’s all going to be determined by roster and game day. That’s always on the table and we’re going to try to get as many guys work as we can. Danny Amendola is a guy that doesn’t even take a whole lot of preseason punt return reps. We kind of know where he’s at. But everybody else that’s out there, we’re going to try to get as many reps as we can. That’s always on the table for sure, the situational thing.”
(Have you had a new eye-catching guy on special teams? We know what CB/S Walt Aikens does but is there a guy that you’d tell us “Keep an eye on him. You’re really going to notice this guy on special teams.”) – “I mean all of the guys that have been here, I kind of have a pretty good idea of what they’re bringing to the table. I’m obviously trying to evaluate all of the new players; not only the rookies but the guys that haven’t been here. Just learning our system and doing what we do. A couple of the rookies have flashed. Again, they can flash out here but once we get into those preseason games … For the rookies more than anybody, on special teams those preseason games are really big. We’re going to really evaluate that stuff and see who can bring it to the table. You see we’re out here every day doing some live work. I know a guy like (Jerome) Baker flashed today. (Kalen) Ballage has flashed. A bunch of those guys have looked good at times. Now it’s a matter of bringing it (consistently). We try to put those guys up in some matchups and practice against some of our better players, some of the guys who have been here – Walt, Bobby (McCain), Mike Hull – some of the veterans like Senorise (Perry) and some of the guys that have been around. Those guys, so far, have held their own; but let’s see it on Thursday (against Tampa Bay). Let’s see it a week from today.”
(What percentage or how much of the field goal competition comes into what goes on out here when you guys are kicking field goals?) – “Well certainly every rep is important. There’s also things we’re working on with both kickers. (There are) very small things that we’re kind of trying to work on. They also have different operations at times. Sometimes it’s John Denney snapping. Sometimes it’s Lucas Gravelle snapping. Sometimes the operation falls into it so every miss is not necessarily the kicker’s fault at times. Am I living and dying by every kick out here? No. I’m looking for progress, as we were talking about before. I’m looking for those guys getting out here and getting better every day. I like where both of them are. I want to see them translate what they’ve done in practice and show the leg, show the consistency and show the ability. I want to see them translate that onto game day and onto the field in live action in the stadium. I really, really like where both guys are. I really like their approach. They both have a really good demeanor. Their work ethic is really good. I think you’ve seen the ability. So I’m really happy with both guys. It’s really odd to have two rookies. A lot of times you have a rookie and maybe a veteran, so this is a little bit of a unique situation to have two rookies here at camp. But both guys have really impressed me so far with some things. They haven’t been perfect, as you guys know, but I think right now that they’re doing very well and I kind of like where they’re at.”
(Having two rookies out there, does it kind of change your perspective? Do you have to be more patient with them because they’re newbies?) – “Yes, and that’s really the case with everybody. You guys know that my patience sometimes is not the best in the world. (laughter) But that’s with all positions. Not only the kickers but the rookies that are learning the special teams spots and all of that. We have a game in a week so the patience is starting to wear. Time is not on our side so the patience is starting to wear thin. But specifically with the kickers, you want to be patient. I think both guys are probably ahead of where I thought they’d be at this point, so I’m pleased.”
(Do you have a breakdown in your mind, even if you don’t want to share it understandably with us yet, about how punt returns will break between WR Danny Amendola and WR Jakeem Grant, if those are the two guys. Do you want roughly equal? One getting more than the other?) – “I think in these preseason games we’re maybe going to look at some of the guys that haven’t done it as much. Jakeem will definitely get some work. I don’t know how much Amendola will get in the preseason, if any. Albert Wilson is a guy that can do it and we want to get him in some game reps because he hasn’t done it in Kansas City in games as much because they had some other guys there; but he’s a guy that can do it. We’re going to get some other guys – Drew Morgan – maybe some other guys that are fighting for roster spots some work and kind of determine the regular season games when we get closer to it. I said earlier, having Jakeem and Danny – and I think we talked about this in the spring – it’s kind of like what we had in the past with Jarvis (Landry). He’s a guy that had done it before. Danny is a guy that has a lot of experience. I’m really happy with where those two are. I want to make sure we have some other guys that can do it.”
(Has there been a time in the last year where WR Jakeem Grant – he obviously had the fumble problems in November and December of 2016 and overcame them last year – has he come to you and said please trust me on punt returns within the 10-yard line or within the 15-yard line? Is that something he’s conveyed to you and your trust level with him close to his goal line is what?) – “I think Jakeem knows that I trust him, so that’s not something. Him and I have ongoing communication daily. That’s not something he’s going to come and tell me. It’s more of you’re out here, you’re working on things you need to get better at, you’re trying to improve at things you’re getting better at and I trust Jakeem Grant because I know the work and time he’s put in. I know where he’s come and how far he’s come in terms of the football IQ and the decision-making, so I don’t have any issues with Jakeem at all in those situations. That’s definitely some work that he’ll get in the preseason, in those 10-yard going in punts that we call them; but we haven’t had a specific conversation like that because there’s really no need to. I know how much time he’s put in and we’ve worked at it and I know where he’s at mentally, so I’m good with it.”
