Bobcats special teams special
8/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Mike Kramer’s seen a lot of things during his quarter-century as a football coach. But one type of play, more than any other, sticks in his mind.
“In any game, the largest roar from the crowd comes for special teams plays,” said MSU’s fourth-year head coach. “There’s absolutely nothing like a kick return for a touchdown, or a blocked punt. Ask any college football fan, and the most devastating, exciting plays in the game are kick returns and blocked punts for a touchdown.”
If you want to get Mike Kramer fired up, ask him about special teams. If you want to really get him going, ask him about MSU’s special teams this year.
“We have some guys that are really going to make their marks on teams this year,” Kramer says. “In our time in this program we’ve had players that have established an outstanding legacy of special teams play. Guys like Willy Jacobson have been brilliant, and Demond Goins, Mac Mollohan, Corey Smith, they will continue that legacy.”
Kramer organizes his coaching staff differently in regards to special teams than many coaches. While many staffs have a special teams coordinator, every member of the Bobcat staff has a special teams responsibility. “I think a lot of coaches like to have a coordinator that is personally responsible, literally an end point, for special teams,” Kramer said. “For me, I like the staff involvement and player investment in special teams.”
Kramer has been intrigued by special teams his entire career. “Not everyone sees how special teams fits into the bit picture, how it fits in with the offense and the defense. But quality programs see that the most important facet of what we do revolves around special teams.”
Montana State benefited from huge plays by its kick teams last year. Corey Smith was one of the nation’s leading punt and kickoff returns, and completely turned the Portland State game around with a long punt return deep into Viking territory with the Bobcats trailing 21-0. Joey Thomas blocked a Grizzly field goal, and the ‘Cats broke up a pass attempt on another UM field goal try, as MSU engineered its championship-clinching triumph over Montana last year.
The one special teams area that MSU has struggled with under Kramer’s watch has been kick coverage. “That area has bedeviled us,” he says, “but we’re a faster team this year, a more athletic team, and I look forward to reversing that trend.”
“In any game, the largest roar from the crowd comes for special teams plays,” said MSU’s fourth-year head coach. “There’s absolutely nothing like a kick return for a touchdown, or a blocked punt. Ask any college football fan, and the most devastating, exciting plays in the game are kick returns and blocked punts for a touchdown.”
If you want to get Mike Kramer fired up, ask him about special teams. If you want to really get him going, ask him about MSU’s special teams this year.
“We have some guys that are really going to make their marks on teams this year,” Kramer says. “In our time in this program we’ve had players that have established an outstanding legacy of special teams play. Guys like Willy Jacobson have been brilliant, and Demond Goins, Mac Mollohan, Corey Smith, they will continue that legacy.”
Kramer organizes his coaching staff differently in regards to special teams than many coaches. While many staffs have a special teams coordinator, every member of the Bobcat staff has a special teams responsibility. “I think a lot of coaches like to have a coordinator that is personally responsible, literally an end point, for special teams,” Kramer said. “For me, I like the staff involvement and player investment in special teams.”
Kramer has been intrigued by special teams his entire career. “Not everyone sees how special teams fits into the bit picture, how it fits in with the offense and the defense. But quality programs see that the most important facet of what we do revolves around special teams.”
Montana State benefited from huge plays by its kick teams last year. Corey Smith was one of the nation’s leading punt and kickoff returns, and completely turned the Portland State game around with a long punt return deep into Viking territory with the Bobcats trailing 21-0. Joey Thomas blocked a Grizzly field goal, and the ‘Cats broke up a pass attempt on another UM field goal try, as MSU engineered its championship-clinching triumph over Montana last year.
The one special teams area that MSU has struggled with under Kramer’s watch has been kick coverage. “That area has bedeviled us,” he says, “but we’re a faster team this year, a more athletic team, and I look forward to reversing that trend.”
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