To watch the Broncos’ first special-teams training camp session of 2007 wasn’t just about seeing a master at work. It was seeing how well his associates follow his lead in seeking perfection from the players in their charge.
The master’s name? Scott O’Brien, the Broncos’ special-teams coordinator. His assistants? Former Broncos players Jimmy Spencer and Keith Burns and third-year staffer Ryan Slowik. Each had their territory to cover; each had their points to emphasize. With a pair of coaching interns nearby, they went to work, collectively canvassing the entire field as the Broncos worked on kickoffs.
Spencer worked with the kickoff returners — Domenik Hixon, David Kircus, Marquay McDaniel and Quincy Morgan. Slowik lingered back with those working on kickoff coverage. Keith Burns hovered in between, his boisterous voice as loud as it ever was in his playing days. O’Brien’s though, was just as audible from a distance, and like assistant head coach Jim Bates earlier that day, his words blended teaching with encouragement.
But all seek perfection. As Burns ran a drill with a tackling dummy designed to simulate rushing a kick or punt from off the line of scrimmage, he implored his one-time teammates and now protéges to get lower as they surged off the snap, the better to increase their leverage.
“Stay low!” Burns bellowed. “Low man wins!”
And when things didn’t work out, Burns was even more blunt.
“You ain’t going to block —- like that!”
The other drill running concurrently involved Slowik and O’Brien simulating punts off their feet, with players rushing in as though to block the kick. These drills weren’t always staples of past editions of Broncos special-teams practices, but they stand as evidence of the change wrought by O’Brien — and the perfectionism sought so desperately on the field.
So when Domenik Hixon dropped a punt from a JUGS machine later in the session, he went back to the sideline and quickly did 10 pushups.
A relentless pursuit of perfection. Obviously, Hixon is getting the message from his coaches.
Tags: Keith Burns, Scott O'Brien, Special Teams, Training Camp
Of all the changes, of all the upgrades, it is this change to the Special Teams staff that has me the most excited. If people don’t think starting field position has an affect on the offense just watch tape of last season. Let’s hope the Special Teams unit can become above average becuase the net gains could be huge….
TSG
http://www.milehighreport.com
Exactly, Guru. With a decent special teams last year, we are 11-5, maybe even 12-4.
yeah expecially when cutler first started, i could count how many times we started inside the 20 even inside the 10 for that matter it was absolutely a killer for us, but it let me witness Jays leadership being able to lead a couple great long drives (expecially that one against cinciy with very little time marching it down the field 99 yards for a TD to lead, it was awesome)
This is my first post as a member of the BroncoMania Message Board and I would like to say that this and other blogs like this are what get me through the off season…I am so glad to see other fans thinking of the same things that I am and voicing intelegent football comments. Thanks for having me!
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I need some possitive feed back here! Some body tell me haow good we are gong to be and not how rotten we are!! Fantasy land? If that’s what you want to call it, but I love the Bronco’s and I want another SUPER BOWL!! We have lost a few good men, Rookies step up, this is a chance of a life time! Kick some butt, Champ, Lynch, Ian, and how about you Elam? Get those guys on the same page! Don’t make me come take over your job!