There’S Something Special In Camp Rodriguez Has Seahawks Kicking Up Their Heels

The Seattle Seahawks’ special teams are getting their 15 minutes of fame.

Every day. Every practice.

Head coach Dennis Erickson has devoted extra time in training camp toward special teams, a phase of the game sometimes taken for granted. Seattle’s special teams were taken behind the woodshed last season, with critical gaffes in five of the eight losses.

“All we’re doing is practicing longer, really,” Erickson said. “And we’ve put it right in the middle of practice. There was a time, and it wasn’t anybody’s fault but my own, when we did it at the end and it was like punishment.”

Punishment a year ago came in the form of Baltimore’s Jermaine Lewis tying an NFL record with two punt returns for touchdowns, Atlanta’s Byron Hanspard returning a kickoff 93 yards, an injured Rick Tuten’s minus 6-yard punt setting up Kansas City’s winning score, Denver returning a fumbled punt for a touchdown and Todd Peterson missing a field goal attempt with the scored tied and 19 seconds remaining against New Orleans.

For a stretch, there seemed to be sideline shots every Sunday of former special teams coach Dave Arnold throwing his arms skyward in disbelief.

“We definitely had some times when we struggled in the middle of the season and it probably cost us a few games,” said running back/special teamer Mack Strong. “Hopefully, we can eliminate that.”

Pete Rodriguez is planning on it. He is a meticulous organizer with a reputation as one of the finest special teams coaches in the NFL. His system has proven successful in the past - he’s coached five Pro Bowl punters in his 10 NFL seasons.

“He doesn’t miss anything,” Peterson said.

At Rodriguez’s suggestion, Peterson made a slight alteration on his kickoffs.

“It’s how we disguise where we’re going to kick directionally,” Peterson said. “At first I thought it was almost impossible, but over the past 4-1/2 months of working with Pete and talking with him, it’s helped me adjust.”

Peterson added that he’s kicked more under pressure in game-type situations in “one week of camp than I probably did all of last year, so that’s obviously going to have postive results.”

New punter Jeff Feagles has found Rodriguez open to input.

“I look back on the old days when they used to coffin corner all the time,” Feagles said. “That’s kind of a lost art now. Everybody likes the pooch punt. I hate the pooch and that’s one thing I like about working with Pete is when I get on the field I’m basically the quarterback. When I get in the huddle, I tell everybody what I’m doing, kick right or left or out of bounds.

“I’ve been in systems before where you kick down the middle of the field no matter what.”

Rodriguez, who worked with Seahawks defensive coordinator Greg McMackin with the Denver Gold in the USFL, entered the NFL with Mike Shanahan in Los Angeles. Rodriguez was supposed to be special teams coach for one year, then become a defensive assistant.

Raiders’ boss Al Davis spiked that. Davis didn’t allow Shanahan to do the hiring and he eventually fired Shanahan. Rodriguez landed with Phoenix and then went to the Washington Redskins.

“I used to miss defense, but not anymore,” he said. “It’s a unique situation on special teams. I’m the only guy other than the head coach that coaches every player.”

The emphasis on special teams actually started months ago in minicamps. Feagles, a 10-year veteran, had never been on a team that worked on special teams so early. It reflected Rodriguez’s attention to detail.

“The other team is getting paid and they’re trying to defeat you,” Rodriguez said. “There are times they’re going to beat you. The thing you want to minimize is how many times you mess it up yourself.”

Rodriguez utilizes the entire staff as instructors. Erickson, for example, helps on punt returns.

“It’s like coaching any other position. Sometimes people get away from that and they say, ‘Hey, just run down in your lanes to cover kicks,”’ Rodriguez said. “I break it down as I would coaching a linebacker or a defensive back. There are certain fundamentals that are involved … and I try to teach those techniques.”

“I think we’re going to have more strategic implementation of personnel,” Peterson said. “On the punt team, every guy can absolutely fly. On the kickoff team, you want guys who can run and hit, and that’s what we have.”

“He finds out the little things you’re doing wrong,” said linebacker/special teamer James Logan. “If you mess up, he’ll tell you.”