Special Teams

[KCOTT]

PFF (through Week 4)

Football Outsiders Ranking (revised Oct 2)

Return Game:

Jabrill Peppers

• Punts: 5.4 AVG (#16 of 18 qualified on ESPN)
• KOs: 21.3 AVG (#9 of 13 qualified on ESPN)

Punting:

Britton Colquitt

• 44.0 AVG (#24 of 31)
• 37.2 NET (#27 of 31)

Kicking:

• Greg Joseph: 6/7, long 45, 3/4 XP
• Zane Gonzalez: 2/5, long 39, 3/5 XP (15/20, long 54, 25/26 XP in 2017)

Cringeworthy kicks that went in:


Zane Gonzalez, the kicker this city didn't need:


Veteran Kickers Available:

Blair Walsh, 28 SEA
Nick Novak , 37 LAC
Patrick Murray, 27 TB
Giorgio Tavecchio, 8 ATL
Roberto Aguayo, 24 LAC

Special Teams Coaches:

Amos Jones

Amos Jones was named special teams coordinator on Jan. 24, 2018. He has 37 years of experience as a coach on the high school, college and professional levels.

Jones served as the special teams coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals from 2013-17. During his five seasons at Arizona, Jones helped Justin Bethel (2013-15) and Budda Baker (2017) to Pro Bowl selections as special teams players. In 2014, kicker Chandler Catanzaro tied the NFL record for the most consecutive field goals to begin a career with 17 and set a Cardinals rookie record with 114 points. The 2014 Cardinals kickoff coverage unit also ranked fourth in the league with an opponent average drive start at the 20 yard line. In 2013, punter Dave Zastudil tied for the NFL lead with 35 punts inside the 20-yard line, while Drew Butler did the same the following year with 34.

Prior to Arizona, Jones spent six seasons in Pittsburgh. He spent his first five seasons (2007-11) as assistant special teams coach and 2012 as special teams coach. He helped the Steelers win Super Bowl XLIII. Jones helped develop Antonio Brown who set a franchise record in 2011 with 2,048 all-purpose yards with 1,062 yards coming from returns. Brown earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl as a kick returner following the 2011 season. In 2009, the Steelers led the NFL with a franchise record 1,581 return yards, while Stephon Logan also broke a Pittsburgh record with 1,466 kickoff return yards. In 2008, Pittsburgh had the NFL’s top kickoff coverage unit.

Jones spent three seasons with Mississippi State as special teams/linebackers coach (2004-05) and outside linebackers coach (2006). He was the tight ends and special teams coach at James Madison in 2003. From 1999-02, Jones served as the special teams and running backs coach at the University of Cincinnati. He helped Jonathan Ruffin earn the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker in 2000.

Jones also has collegiate coaching stops at Tulane (1995-96), Pittsburgh (1992), Alabama (1981-82, 1990-91) and Temple (1983-88). He coached on the high school level in 1989, 1993-94 and 1998. In 1997, Jones was an assistant coach for British Columbia of the Canadian Football League.

A former player at Alabama (1978-80), Jones played safety and running back under head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. He helped Alabama to back-to-back national championships in 1978-79 as the team recorded a 23-1 record during that span.

Jones earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Alabama. He is a native of Aliceville, Ala.

Jones and his wife, Stacy, have a daughter, Samantha, and three sons, Joshua, Nathan and Jeremy.

Amos Jones’ Coaching Background:

1981-82 University of Alabama, graduate assistant
1983-88 Temple University, special teams coordinator/defensive line coach/tight ends coach
1989 Shades Valley High School (Ala.), assistant coach
1990-91 University of Alabama, special teams coordinator
1992 University of Pittsburgh, kicking game coordinator
1993-94 Eau Gallie High School (Fla.), assistant coach
1995-96 Tulane University, linebackers coach
1997 British Columbia Lions, assistant coach
1998 East St. John High School (La.), assistant coach
1999-02 University of Cincinnati, special teams coordinator/running backs coach
2003 James Madison University, special teams coordinator/tight ends coach
2004-05 Mississippi State University, linebackers coach/special teams coordinator
2006 Mississippi State University, outside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator
2007-11 Pittsburgh Steelers, assistant special teams coach
2012 Pittsburgh Steelers, special teams coach
2013-17 Arizona Cardinals, special teams coordinator
2018- Cleveland Browns, special teams coordinator

Sam Shade

Sam Shade was named assistant special teams coach on Feb. 7, 2018. He has coached on the college and high school level for 13 years following an eight-year NFL playing career as a defensive back.

Shade spent 2017 coaching the cornerbacks at Georgia State following an eight year (2009-16) stint at Samford. He began his Samford tenure as the secondary coach and was promoted to special teams and defensive pass game coordinator in 2014. During his time at Samford, the secondary produced three NFL draft picks in James Bradberry (second round), Jaquiski Tartt (second round) and Corey White (fifth round).

A fourth-round pick by the Bengals in 1995, Shade appeared in 117 games for Cincinnati (1995-98) and Washington (1999-02). He led the Bengals in tackles in 1997 and the Redskins in tackles in 1999.

Shade played collegiately at Alabama, where he was a member of the 1992 national championship team and was named a team captain as a senior in 1994.

Following his retirement from the NFL, Shade began his coaching career as a volunteer coach for five seasons at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham, Ala.

A native of Birmingham, Shade earned his degree from Alabama in business administration and finance.

He and his wife, Jacquetta, have two sons, Justin and Jacoby, and two daughters, Jaila and Jamyia.

Sam Shade’s NFL Playing Background:

1995-98 Cincinnati Bengals, defensive back
1999-02 Washington Redskins, defensive back

Sam Shade’s Coaching Background:

2004-08 Briarwood Christian School (Ala.), defensive backs coach
2009-13 Samford University, defensive backs coach
2014-16 Samford University, defensive pass game coordinator/special teams coach
2017 Georgia State University, cornerbacks coach
2018 Cleveland Browns, assistant special teams coach

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This has undoubtedly been the most frustrating part of the Browns to watch. I guess it's a good year if the worst of our concerns has been special teams. Curious what your guys thoughts are to fix it. I'm not sold at all on Greg Joseph. He looks like he has the leg, but not so much the finesse. His miss from 55 had the distance but was not even in the same area code. I'd like to see someone else besides Peppers return kicks (maybe a way to get Duke the ball more?). I'm convinced Browns would 4-1, if not 5-0, with just a competent kicker alone.

 

[MirORich]

View: https://twitter.com/browns/status/1049705872069398529?s=21


Please tell me that this he is immediately taking over as PR/KR

 

[Triplethreat]

Trade for Phil Dawson baby

 

[Selby]

I'm not willing to say we have to cut Joseph right now just to scramble and sign another underwhelming kicker. But he isn't looking like the long term answer. We should definitely continue giving other guys a look in case something better comes along.

 

[Pick6]

View: https://twitter.com/browns/status/1049705872069398529?s=21


Please tell me that this he is immediately taking over as PR/KR

exactly what Zegura just said. Will be interesting to see how it compares to Peppers. Peppers left a lot to desire returning the ball for sure, but he has been very sure handed. Also don't know it if was him or the blocking. Frankly, the actual return game would be 4th on my list of ST issues that need addressed. In no order - kick coverage, FG kicked, and FG blocking. Good to see them working to address at least one issue.

 

[col63onel]

How much is Zane getting the yips on the special teams coach? Like, penalties and bad coverage on kicks is certainly something you can pin on coaches, but if the FO signs kickers that just miss kicks, how do you fix that?

 

[Triplethreat]

View: https://twitter.com/browns/status/1049705872069398529?s=21


Please tell me that this he is immediately taking over as PR/KR

Still think it absolutely needs to be Callaway.

At least on Punts.

Get the ball in his hands as much as possible.

 

[Pick6]

Still think it absolutely needs to be Callaway.

At least on Punts.

Get the ball in his hands as much as possible.

I'd (and assume the coaches as well) prefer he can catch the ball on a consistent basis first.

 

[DirtyDan]

Still think it absolutely needs to be Callaway.

At least on Punts.

Get the ball in his hands as much as possible.

The problem is keeping it in his hands

 

[red.]

View: https://twitter.com/browns/status/1049705872069398529?s=21


Please tell me that this he is immediately taking over as PR/KR

 

[Norm]

Gotta be scheme/coaching. Gunners aren't getting blocked and even worse, the punting team has guys that are on the line running freely. There's no blocking at the line. I can understand occasionally 1 gunner running free, but not both and not with 3-4 unblocked guys within 5-10 yards of the guy catching the punt. There are no lanes. At least knock these guys around at the line.

It looked a little better this Sunday, but that's not saying much. I'm not worried about the kicker as much as I am about our blocking and constant penalties. I'd give Joseph a few more weeks to see how he settles in, at least till the bye week. Seems to have plenty of leg, he's just jittery......he is a rookie. I might be confused, but isn't there something about signing a guy during the season that states you have to at least carry the guy for 4 weeks? I might be confusing that with signing someone off another teams practice squad?

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Just sign the 8 year old kicker and be done with it

 

[Norm]

Just sign the 8 year old kicker and be done with it

He'll be really good for the next 35 years

 

[chrisrich91]

Still think it absolutely needs to be Callaway.

At least on Punts.

Get the ball in his hands as much as possible.

I agree that Callaway on returns would provide the best chance at breaking some big gainers.

And I also believe that Callaway on returns would provide the best chance at muffing/fumbling the ball more often.

He simply hasn't earned the role with his inconsistent hands. He was given one opportunity against Oakland and we were lucky to have the fumble call reversed. Count me as someone who isn't willing to put another game-changing decision in the hands of the referees.

 

[Randolphkeys]

Feels like Amos Jones was an experienced coach who needed a job, but the coach worth watching is Sam Shade who didn't have any coaching experience at the pro level. I'd like to see Shade retained as a DB coach with a more experienced full time special teams coach.