MANKATO, Minn. (AP) -Brian Murphy had already worked three years for the boss, but the interview that sealed his promotion to Minnesota’s special teams coordinator was as thorough as could be.
After watching the Vikings give up an NFL-record seven touchdowns on special teams last season, well, coach Brad Childress had plenty of questions.
“I wanted him to take me through everything – from practice, improvements with drills, and improvements with personnel,” Childress said between Tuesday’s practices. “How are you going to utilize personnel? How are you going to teach? Drill work that’s going to pertain to what happens here on the field, not something that looks like a great drill but doesn’t relate. I think all the way across the board, I was satisfied with the approach he was going to take and his ability to motivate and teach those guys.”
amant about seeking changes for 2009 after last year’s coordinator, Paul Ferraro, left to take a job as an assistant with the St. Louis Rams.
The coach would have been crazy not to be concentrating on a different approach.
The memory of that 48-41 defeat in Chicago when the Bears scored on a blocked punt and a fumbled punt return has not faded. Neither have the four punt returns that went for touchdowns against the Vikings, two by Reggie Bush for the New Orleans Saints in the same game and two by Will Blackmon of the Packers – once in Green Bay and once in Minnesota.
“I am confident that it’s going to be improved,” Childress said. “I think that our guys throughout the offseason have spent a lot of time just on what we’re doing schematically and the understanding of what we’re trying to do. I think Murph has done a great job of putting the drill work with it and making them understand.”
Murphy, who was Ferraro’s assistant over the last three years, helped Childress put the “magnifying glass” on every facet, every sequence, every cause and every effect during the offseasons.
“Have to point the laser at it and say, ‘Let’s pull it apart and see if the king doesn’t have any clothes on,”’ Childress said. “We don’t mind saying that.”
ushed a faster pace than Ferraro. The players have remarked about an increased attention to detail. That’s not necessarily a sign of a weakness under Ferraro; last year’s results would have dictated such an emphasis regardless of who’s in charge.
“The only way to make special teams great is to have players buy into it,” Murphy said. “We do our best to teach the fundamentals to each position. We teach detail, we coach detail and demand a level of performance. When it gets down to it, it’s players that can make plays. I think they have taken great pride in it, and they know the importance of it. It has been an emphasis from the head coach on down. I see that there is a different vibe, and we need to continue to bring that along because special teams is the heart and soul of what we’re doing.”
Backup safety Eric Frampton, one of the top tacklers in coverage, said he’s seen a better buy-in factor from his teammates.
“I think there’s a sense of urgency, but I also think there’s a greater sense of urgency to do things right,” he said.
both 2006 and 2007.
“We’re working harder at it,” Farwell said, adding: “You don’t want your phase of the game to affect the team’s chances of winning so we realize what we’ve got to work on.”
The addition of Percy Harvin ought to help, too. The first-round draft pick out of Florida is in line to be the lead kickoff returner, and he could catch punts, too. Backup wide receivers Jaymar Johnson and Darius Reynaud are also getting long looks in those roles.
The unsettled quarterback position still stands out, but the impact of improvement or continued struggles of the special teams will not be insignificant.
“We’re anxious to watch our special teams play,” Childress said.
Add A Comment