SENIOR SPECIAL TEAMS COACH RANDY BROWN
Opening Statement: "Hey everyone. First off, I wanted to send out my best wishes to 'Joe D.' [Joe D'Alessandris]. I've been around here [for] a long time, and I've seen a lot of assistant coaches come through these doors, and there's great love for 'Joe D.' here in the building. I miss my meals with him, so now I'm stuck eating with [Chris] Horton, 'Harbs' and Sam [Koch]." (Laughter) "But, best wishes 'Joe D.' I know he's going to fight through this, he's going to make it there. Secondly, it's my wife Trisha's, so happy birthday, Trisha. Oh, it's tomorrow. Hey, I was close." (Laughter) "My daughter Mackenzie is starring in "Mean Girls" as Regina, so any of you guys from South [New] Jersey watching this and you want to go to the Ritz Theatre over the weekend, let's go see Mackenzie in "Mean Girls."
You and K Justin Tucker have been working together for so long. Is there something important this camp that technique-wise or anything different you're trying to work on? (Jamison Hensley) "So, the thing with Justin [Tucker] is, he constantly wants to get better. I've been around him long enough that we plan out not just the week, but the day, and then we'll go ahead and say, 'OK, hey, we're going to kick 'X' number of balls today. We're going to work on these particular kicks today.' Especially now with the new kickoff, we have to incorporate some of that in. And what's great is, he's so open-minded to, 'Hey, let me try this. See what you think.' And whether it's me or [assistant special teams coach] Sam [Koch] or [special teams coordinator] 'Hort' [Chris Horton] or whomever. Here's a guy who the other day hit a 68-yarder, and oh, by the way, we've seen the film, and it was good. I don't quite know what the officials were looking at, but somebody said maybe not, but [the] 68-yarder [was] good, and he hit the ball really well. So, what do I look for in Justin when he comes out? [It] is foot to ball, foot to ball, foot to ball. If that ball sounds good coming off of his foot, then I know he's where he's at, and he's striking the ball as well as he ever has."
How much have the new rules impacted what you've devoted your time to. How much time did you spend on the normal stuff compared to how much time you have to allot to what's a new thing for a lot of people? (Jeff Zrebiec*) "*Yes. That's a really good question. Because [of] the intensity of the kickoff prior, I would try to limit Justin [Tucker] to maybe only kicking off once a week, because it's an intense kick. But now with this kick, he can do it a little shorter – he doesn't have to take the full seven-[to]-eight-yard run up. So, we've devoted some time to it, but he's such a technician, and he's a perfectionist, which helps me being able to say, 'OK, hey, we're going to do 20 kicks today.' But when we're only talking [about] a two-step, or three-step, it takes a little bit of wear and tear off the body. So, we've practiced it a little bit more in this camp. In past preseasons, I haven't been very excited for him to kick in it, but this year, you saw last game he had kicked in the game some. He's got to kind of get a feel of it, too."
Has Justin added more new kicks to his kickoff repertoire or is he just sharpening his kicks? (Ryan Mink) "No doubt – just because it's a different ball now. When you used to hit a ball ... You've seen this week [in the NFL], I think there were four kickoffs that didn't reach the landing zone; guys were trying their different kicks. On the old kickoff, that ball might actually not be a bad ball, because the guys are running downfield. But now, he's got to be able to have multiple kicks now. Now, we're only talking [about how] it's 80 [degrees] and sunny out today. Well, what do we do when it's 30 [degrees]? And we've been at the 'Bank' [M&T Bank Stadium] when it's 30 [degrees], and the 30 miles per hour winds [are] coming out of that far corner, how are we going to kick off then? So, he's creating some scenarios where that is what he's practicing now. And I think that's the one thing that we don't know what's going to happen with this play. It's nice that it's 80 [degrees], 90 [degrees], or you're indoors, but what are they going to do in Buffalo in December and January?"
Do you anticipate that the specialists will be more involved? They were always in on the play as it was, but do you think there's going to be more opportunities where they're in the line of fire and have to make the tackle? (Kyle Goon) "I think it's going to be the same amount as it's been in the years past. That seems to be a narrative early, but I don't think so when you really look through the years of kickoffs. I mean, we used to kick off from the 30-yard line – so I think specialists will be just as involved as they were before. I don't see anything additional to it, I really don't."
Talking about P Jordan Stout, his holding in particular the last couple of years. How would you rate Jordan Stout's holding? (Ken McKusick) "So, you're Jordan Stout, and you're following Sam Koch, who's arguably the greatest holder that's ever played the game. So, Jordan has now had a chance to learn from Sam and learn from Justin [Tucker]. So, I would say, today, Jordan is the best holder in the National Football League. And why do I say that? It's because we've got a kicker who demands that the ball be at that spot that he needs it every single time, and Jordan has taken that as a challenge. When I first met Jordan a few years ago, and I had breakfast with him, you could talk to him right then and there. He was a competitive soccer player – a high-level soccer player. And you could see how detail-orientated he is, and you see it with his punting. But right now, where he's gotten with his holding, I would pick him over any of the other holders in the National Football League [with] where's he gotten. And Justin demands it, too, as we know."
Going back to time allotment with the kickoff stuff. Some teams could consider electing just to kick it out of the back and let the offense start at the 30-[yard line]. You get to save practice time as well as schemes and stuff. Why would that be an advantage, or where is that a disadvantage for those teams that consider to do so? (Kyle Phoenix) "I don't know about other teams, but I know that John Harbaugh is the head coach of this team, and [he] and I have been together for 19 seasons, and special teams is very important to him, and it's very important to me. And I love covering kicks, I love returning kicks, I love the idea of putting the ball in play, and playing football, and I know Chris Horton does, and I know the head coach does, and I love it. What other teams are going to or think, I don't know. But I know what we do. We love returning kicks and covering kicks around here."
LS NICK MOORE
On how it feels to be healthy after being injured last year: "It feels really good. I'm very excited to be back out here. I know last year was a tough year for me on the sidelines. So, I feel really good, really strong [and] really confident. So, I'm just glad to be back out there."
On his overall experience participating in the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp: "I had a great experience out there. I learned a lot about myself. I figured out that broadcasting is way harder than it looks on TV. I have a lot of respect for those guys now. But last season, I wasn't playing, and I was kind of figuring out what are some things I'm interested in to try to set myself up for post-football. Actually, [senior vice president of communications] Chad [Steele] and [senior director of communications] Tom [Valente] were kind of the guys that kind of recommended I do that, and I applied for the boot camp, and [I'm] really glad I went. I learned a lot and met a lot of cool guys and very influential people in the media space. So, it was very useful, and [I'm] very glad I was able to get out there."
On when he started to feel like himself again out in the field: "I was feeling pretty good during OTAs [organized team activities]. OTAs are a different time of year, so I would say, coming back out for training camp, that was kind of like, 'I made it back,' because that was kind of the hurdle I didn't get to last year. I didn't make it to training camp [last year], so once I got back here, I was really excited and kind of relieved a little bit, and I started feeling normal again. So, I was glad to be back into a routine, I guess."
On his reaction to K Justin Tucker's 68-yard field goal kick in training camp practice yesterday: "Oh, it went in – 100%. The film did support that. One of the referees wasn't paying attention, I guess." (Laughter) "Those are extremely difficult kicks to make. You're out [here], and you've got the fans out here, you've got your teammates, and you've got 'Harbs' [head coach John Harbaugh] standing right there behind 'Tuck' [Justin Tucker]; I could see him right through my legs. It's definitely a very scary kick, and it's really good for us to get that experience, because we do attempt those kicks in a game ... I mean, [the] last two years I played, we attempted [kicks from] 66 and 67, so we're looking for a 68 this year, I guess."
On the routine he and P Jordan Stout practice to fine tune the snaps: "We watch a lot of tape. We've worked together for a while. Last year he was with Tyler [Ott], and we were still able to get some work in throughout the season. And then we started working, I guess, in February – right when the season was over – together trying to get our chemistry back. But we watch a pretty good bit of tape, and we're hypocritical of our day to day out on the field. I feel like we picked right up where we left off in 2022."
On if he does any trick long snapping: "I have never participated in that."
On the Ravens extending him before his injury and then again after his injury: "[Executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] was very generous; they didn't owe me anything. I signed a deal in March, and unfortunately, in July, I tore my Achillies. For them to come [to me] in September, right when [the] season started, and want to re-sign me for an additional year, [it] really spoke to the confidence that they have in me. [They] put a lot of faith in me, and it kind of gave me ... At that time, I was pretty down. I just had surgery at the beginning of August, so I was in a pretty difficult spot, and it wasn't planned, and I wasn't out here with the guys, and I was kind of figuring it out; it was my first time being hurt ... So, for Eric and [head coach] John [Harbaugh] and [owner] Mr. [Steve] Bisciotti to put that faith in me, [it] really hit home for me, and I was very appreciative of that, and I think I showed [that] in my work ethic throughout the last twelve months to get back here."
On how he actually tore his Achilles: "So, I was running the conditioning test four days before training camp started last year. I was over at McDaniel College just trying to get a practice in. I was going to have to run it when I showed up to camp, so I wanted to make sure I could do it. I was planted to change direction, and my right foot hit the ground, [and] it just kind of popped a little bit. And I heard it, and I thought that my cleat had maybe separated a little bit, but unfortunately, it was not the cleat, and my Achillies tore. So, it wasn't a fun experience."
P JORDAN STOUT
On if there's anything different about the way he's been punting this year: "Just spending more time this offseason ... Actually, I'm in the process of experimenting with how to become the best punter I can, and this offseason, I went, and I did speed training for two-and-a-half months. I want to be able to hit those really high punts, but not have to try hard. That sounds a little arrogant or whatever, but I'm just trying to be the best I can each day."
On senior special teams coach Randy Brown calling him the best holder in the NFL: "It means a lot, because that's high praise coming from [senior special teams coach] Randy [Brown]. I couldn't do it without Justin [Tucker]; I couldn't do it without Randy; I couldn't have done it without [assistant special teams coach] Sam Koch; I can't do it without Nick [Moore]. It's like, without those guys, it's not possible. [I have] Justin holding me to a high standard [and] Nick snapping the ball [with] 12 o'clock laces over the spot, so I can put it down fast. It's something that we take great pride in. And Sam Koch is the best holder of all time, and learning from him has been great."
On what goes into being a great holder: "Oh, God, I could talk about it all day. It looks like I'm just putting a ball down, but ... So, essentially, Justin [Tucker] wants the ball to be put down, essentially, on like the size of a piece of rice; it needs to be perfect every time. And that's why he's great; he's a system guy. There's that, [and] he likes the ball to be down really fast. So, starting my rookie year, they've been telling me – and they still tell me – 'Get the ball down faster. Get the ball down faster.' [Assistant special teams coach] Sam [Koch] sometimes says, 'Hey, man, good job taking your time on that one.'" (Laughter) "So, we have some fun with it, [but] it really is an everyday thing. It's never good enough, and it never will be good enough, and I think that's why we're so great at it."
On talking with the Orioles player Gunnar Henderson at practice yesterday: "Yes, we talked a lot about our routine and how we went about our days. I was really shocked to hear that on a gameday for them, that they have almost every day, it's very routine that [Gunnar Henderson] goes, and he hits in the cage for an hour, and then he stretches for an hour. I'm just ... I'm making that up. But every second of the day, he's doing something on gamedays, and [I was] just like, 'How is that mentally on you?' He's like, 'It's tough, but that's what it takes.' And I think that's why he's so great."
On if he feels like he's been more consistent during practice in Year Three: "I feel like this is the most consistent I've ever been. This is my job, and I treat it like that. I go to bed at night, and I'm thinking about punting. I wake up in the morning, and I'm thinking about punting. Like, 'Harbs' [head coach John Harbaugh] says it all the time: 'If you're not thinking about football, what are you thinking about?' So, like, all day, every day, I'm thinking of how I can get better, and I think that's the result [and] why I'm doing so much better."
On what it's been like to work with K Justin Tucker: "[Justin Tucker] is the greatest of all time, and just watching him each and every day, how ... Talking about ... Like [with] Gunnar [Henderson, we're] talking about how Justin has his routine and how he follows the same thing every single day to a 'T,' never straying away from what makes him great. I'd say that it's great [that I'm] just learning from him every day. He's the best."
On his relationship with assistant special teams coach Sam Koch, and what he's brought to him: "Yes, I really do look at [assistant special teams coach] Sam [Koch] like a big brother. Anytime I'm struggling or having a good day, having an OK day, he has advice to give me. I go back and watch his tape and just somewhat try to replicate what he does, in terms of consistency and ball placement. He really is ... He was one of the best, and learning from him every day is great."
On if there is anything specific in his punting that he and assistant special teams coach Sam Koch have worked on: "[Having] a still ball. Once I drop the ball ... In years past, my ball had a tendency of moving in the air, and sometimes that's inevitable – it's going to be windy; it's going to be rainy; things are going to happen – but [I'm] just trying to just reduce all variables. I want it to be as easy as possible. Three things that I do [are]: I try to walk when I punt, because I walk all day, every day. I try to hold the ball like I'm shaking a hand, because I shake hands all day. And then [I] just try to have a controlled tempo, and just keeping that the same every time ... Those are all things [assistant special teams coach] Sam [Koch] taught me. Just having all three of those things the same every time leads to success."
On kicking field goals in college, but not kicking field goals in the NFL: "I've come to terms with it; I'm not a field goal kicker anymore, and I'm going to let Justin [Tucker] handle it. But my job is to be ready if something happens – God forbid. But I'll be ready if something happens to Justin, and that's ... When you all do see me like once or twice a year out there kicking field goals or kickoffs; that's what it's for."
On his offseason speed training looked like: "I'm not going to get too technical with it, but essentially ... It's four days. I'll wake up in the morning ... So, I did it in Fort Lauderdale, [Florida], actually, which is great, because it usually took up like three hours of my day, and then me and my fiancée could just lay at the beach; it was amazing. But [I would] wake up, we'd go in, we'd do a short lift [that's] all from a speed position, which is where your glute is activated, and you could explode out of the position in any moment. Whether [we were] doing shoulders [or] chest, everything was in that position. And then after that, we'd go to the field, and I was there with Miles Boykin, Tre Swilling, one of the tight ends for Tennessee, and [I] was just competing with those guys the whole time [and] just trying to be faster than them. And I think that pushed me, because ... I think speed translates really well to leg speed and punting. So, yes, that's what it looked like."
On the mechanics of holding for K Justin Tucker: "[It's] very simple. You put the ball up directly straight up and down, and then you tilt it very slightly towards you, and that's how Justin [Tucker] likes it. He's very easy in that aspect, and you've got to love that."
K JUSTIN TUCKER
On how he felt taking part in the new NFL kickoff rules during the Ravens' first preseason game: "We only got a couple of reps – but it was a good start [to] kind of get the feel for just the aesthetic of the play – it looks kind of funky at first. We're so accustomed to the kickoff team all being at the 35-yard line [and] the return team all being lined up on the other side of the field. So, for me to just be out there on the 35-yard line – all of the kickers being on the 35-yard line by yourself –it's definitely kind of an awkward feeling at first. I totally feel just isolated, because I am. But that's just one of the small adjustments that we're making. [We're] just getting out there and putting the ball in play, and seeing across the league – and in our own game – how the play is going to develop. Getting an idea of that last weekend – it was definitely a good start; so, we're excited to see what we can do with more opportunities in the future."
On if he feels challenged coming up with different ways to land the new kickoffs: "You know it does – there's definitely some new kicks that we're developing. I think when it's all said and done, going into the season we'll probably have somewhere between eight and nine kinds of kicks that we will carry with us; and we're going to continue to develop that and then anything else that we can where we can feel like we can create an advantage for our team. The landing zone, it seems like a pretty large area – that 20-yard by 53-and-a-third, whatever that exact number is – it seems like a pretty large area, but just based on where you land the ball – you could have one that skips right or left and then all of a sudden, it's out of bounds, then the ball's being spotted at the 40. If you land the ball at the 21 as opposed to the 19, you could be looking at the starting field position for your opponent being either the 40- or maybe the 12-yard line depending on what the returners do with it. For it being a large area to land the ball in, you still have to be pretty articulate – pretty detailed with where you're placing the ball, so that's something that we're working on right now. [It's] something we've been working on since the rule went into effect, [and]something that we're going to continue working on. And I feel like when we come into the regular season – I feel like right now were ready to go – but especially when we come into the regular season – we're going to have, like I said before, a that develops and stuff; we're going to have a lot of stuff ready to go."
On if he feels he'll be more involved with defending returns with new NFL kickoff: "I think what we're going to see is the kicker is going to be involved as much as he wants to be involved. For me and for us, we want to dominate on special teams. We want to put our defense in the best position to succeed. We want the opposing offense to have as long a way to go as possible – and a part of that might mean the kicker getting involved from time to time. I think there's definitely opportunities across the board to make plays on special teams. As a kicker, my responsibility is pretty much the same as it has been prior to the rule change, as, like you said, I'll mirror the returner, but, you never know – I might make one or two tackles, and then I'm going to have to be two-gapping dudes, running through blocks and all that kind of stuff, so I'm ready to go."
On if he's increased his protein intake: "My diet's the exact same. I think you guys ... I couldn't have been less serious when I said – I think it was in May or June – that I had put on exactly 3.8 pounds. I think [strength & conditioning coordinator] Scott Elliott and the guys and girls in the weight room would probably corroborate that I have not been in there any more or any less – [I've] been consistent. But I feel good. I feel good and prepared and ready to step to contact when necessary."
On what he works on in training camp with so much success under his belt already: "I think as soon as any player in any sport starts thinking that they're really sweet – as the old adage goes, 'Pride comes before the fall.' I think what we do on a day-to-day basis is we come out here, and we try to make one kick at a time. We try to do our best with each rep that we get – on field three by ourselves or in team periods. It's just about making the next kick and continuing to just be consistent more than anything. I go back to what you said just a minute ago, when somebody is considered at the top or at the pinnacle of their craft, the ones that are able to sustain that level of heightened success never talk about themselves. I really try to make it a point – like I might joke about it with my teammates sometimes – but I really do believe fully that I haven't done any of this in the last 12 years by myself. I've had excellent teammates, [and] I've had excellent coaching. As much as Randy and I joke that we might not like each other all the time, I love Randy dearly, and he, Jerry Rosburg, Chris Horton, T.J. Weist, 'Harbs' [John Harbaugh], any and all the coaches I've been blessed to be around have helped me and my teammates become the best football players that we can be. Sam Koch, Morgan Cox, Nick Moore, Jordan Stout, Tyler Ott last year – all of those guys have helped me become the best football player that I can be. I think I've seen Tom Brady talk about the undisputed 'GOAT' of our game. I remember him being asked, 'What's it like to be the 'GOAT?' What's it like to be the best ever?' It struck me that the first thing he pointed to was everybody else around him. He talked about how he played with championship defenses, he played with championship pass catchers, championship-caliber [offensive] linemen keeping him healthy and keeping him safe, so he could deliver the ball, championship coaching staffs developing him and the players around him, so that's a very long way of saying that any level of success that I have experienced – sure, I do take pride in putting in the work every single day – but I'm around excellent people all the time."
On if he's looking to make more long field goals this season: "I just plan on being ready to go and ready to put the ball through the uprights, any place, anytime, whenever 'Harbs' [John Harbaugh] send me out there, it's for a reason – to come back with three points."
Does it feel counterintuitive to hit the ball with less power when kicking: "That's a really good question and a really good point. It's definitely been an adjustment. I've kind of always said that as a kicker, a lot of times other people compare kicking a football to a golf swing, and the one caveat I would add is that I only use one club, I only use [the] driver. A golfer's got to have a drive, he's got to have an approach shot, he's got to have his bunker shots, he's got to be able to put. He's got to have the ability to do all of those things, and for the most part, occasionally you have a specialty kick like a squib kick or an onside kick, but for the most part, it's one club it's [the] driver. For now, I'm opening up the bag. We have to have a bit more clubs to pick from, so it's not necessarily about taking anything off of the ball, it's about being deliberate with where I place the ball, so instead of smashing every single ball as hard as I can, I just have to mentally lock in to the same degree, but place the ball with just that much more intention."
