Jubjub Bird
12-21-2007, 06:14 PM
Our new Special Teams coach, Ray Rychleski, was just interviewed on 107.5, The Game. I was in my car or I would've given y'all a heads up.
Anyway, very impressive. He comes across as bright, enthusiastic, personable, and full of energy.
Here are a few highlights:
1. We can call him "Coach Ray."
2. SOS told Coach Ray that he can use any and all of the players he needs/wants on Special Teams. Coach Ray said if he does use starters, he typically does not play them on more than two special teams.
3. Coach Ray doesn't do anything gimmicky ("no rugby punts"). He said that offenses, which run 70+ plays a game, might need to mix it up a bit, but if you're only running a punt play 5 times a game, keep it simple and be sound on fundamentals and execution: this was his explanation for how he avoided having a punt blocked in 7 years.
4. In seven years, his special teams have only roughed a punter one time (!), and that is with having blocked 22 punts.
5. Coach Ray said he shows film to his guys of how blunders on special teams (fumbles, blocks, etc) actually lead to a game being lost, thereby emphasizing the crucial role of good ST play.
6. He also emphasizes how a marginal player can get to the NFL if he is an excellent ST teams player, and referred to a 5'9" corner that Maryland had drafted in the second round last year precisely b/c of his ST skills.
7. Coach Ray said he is really excited about the whole "South Carolina experience" and that, like SOS, he is driven by the challenge of "doing what others say can't be done" and he really wants to do his part to help "get us to the Georgia Dome in December". [Great to hear this.]
8. He knows about Ryan Succop--a kicker on Maryland's team is friends with Ryan--and said he is looking forward to working with him. He said it would be ideal if he could find someone to share the punting/kicking duties with Ryan. He said that it is perhaps b/c Ryan has had all three duties that he "hasn't been great" (Coach Ray's words) at any one of them. [I was glad to hear this. I think Spencer Lanning or our new guy from Texas should be given a chance to take over the punting, allowing Ryan to focus on kicking.]
That's about all I remember. But I think we got us a good one.
Welcome, Coach Ray!
Anyway, very impressive. He comes across as bright, enthusiastic, personable, and full of energy.
Here are a few highlights:
1. We can call him "Coach Ray."
2. SOS told Coach Ray that he can use any and all of the players he needs/wants on Special Teams. Coach Ray said if he does use starters, he typically does not play them on more than two special teams.
3. Coach Ray doesn't do anything gimmicky ("no rugby punts"). He said that offenses, which run 70+ plays a game, might need to mix it up a bit, but if you're only running a punt play 5 times a game, keep it simple and be sound on fundamentals and execution: this was his explanation for how he avoided having a punt blocked in 7 years.
4. In seven years, his special teams have only roughed a punter one time (!), and that is with having blocked 22 punts.
5. Coach Ray said he shows film to his guys of how blunders on special teams (fumbles, blocks, etc) actually lead to a game being lost, thereby emphasizing the crucial role of good ST play.
6. He also emphasizes how a marginal player can get to the NFL if he is an excellent ST teams player, and referred to a 5'9" corner that Maryland had drafted in the second round last year precisely b/c of his ST skills.
7. Coach Ray said he is really excited about the whole "South Carolina experience" and that, like SOS, he is driven by the challenge of "doing what others say can't be done" and he really wants to do his part to help "get us to the Georgia Dome in December". [Great to hear this.]
8. He knows about Ryan Succop--a kicker on Maryland's team is friends with Ryan--and said he is looking forward to working with him. He said it would be ideal if he could find someone to share the punting/kicking duties with Ryan. He said that it is perhaps b/c Ryan has had all three duties that he "hasn't been great" (Coach Ray's words) at any one of them. [I was glad to hear this. I think Spencer Lanning or our new guy from Texas should be given a chance to take over the punting, allowing Ryan to focus on kicking.]
That's about all I remember. But I think we got us a good one.
Welcome, Coach Ray!