Giants Looking for Something Special on Special Teams
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The New York Giants special teams unit has plenty of potential heading into the regular season, containing a handful of playmakers that bring a variety of great strengths. But for special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, determining who fits the roles he needs best is easier said than done.
With the Giants' second preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals on deck, McGaughey will get another chance to assess the progress made by the players--some of whom are exclusively competing for a roster spot based on their special teams play--as he continues to compile notes for when it comes time to sit down to discuss the 53-man roster.
“Right now, we’re in the evaluation process,” said McGaughey. “We’re trying to figure out who we have and what they can do, so we are just letting them play. We’re just throwing them out there in a very generic situation, nothing really game-plan-wise, schematically.
"We’re just trying to see who can run, hit and tackle. You hate to get to the first game, and you don’t know what you have. Especially on your coverage unit. We’re just trying to figure out who does what, who does what the best, and we’ll go from there.”
Every coach approaches how they evaluate and improve their unit differently and in their own unique way. For McGaughey, keeping an open mind and letting everyone have a chance is a big part of that approach.
“Nobody is ever really off limits, but as a coordinator, you’ve got to be smart in how you use guys,” McGaughey said. “In the preseason, there are certain guys you’re going to pull back on. 'Let’s see what (safety Yusuf) Corker can do. Let’s see what all the rest of these young guys can do.' I think that’s the best way to handle it.”
When gauging the players' growth, there are a lot of factors coaches have to pay close attention to see if the proper steps are being made.
One aspect they look for is how the skills the players learn in practice and over training camp transfer to the preseason games where the physicality isn’t held back, as demonstrated by, for example, running back Antonio Williams.
“That’s part of the evaluation process,” said McGaughey. “Antonio has shown it every day in practice because we haven’t physically been able to hit obviously in practice, you’re not going to take anybody to the ground. But he shows the ability to maneuver and get through traffic and be able to accelerate to the ball, and you saw him finish the other day. You like to see those things transfer from the team situations in practice to game situations on the field. Right now, for him, it’s translating.”
One of the most important special teams positions McGaughey is looking to fill is the Giants kick returner spot. Last season, wide receiver C.J. Board was the go-to man and had his fair share of success before fracturing his forearm in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams. That said, Board is competing with others for the role, a position that McGaughey said he's been assessing a variety of skills.
“You want speed and dependability,” said McGaughey. “You want a guy to be tough and be durable. That’s a tough position. You take some shots as a kickoff returner. You want to have great vision and be fearless and all of those things, but just be productive. Guys that can make people miss in space and be physical, have agility, and all of those things. Make their cuts at full speed and just make good decisions. All of those things kind of go into it, but we’ve got a few options back there. Those guys are doing a good job.”
Similar to the kick returner position, the gunner slots are up for grabs, an opportunity that’s granted a lot of players a chance at making the unit by showing their worth.
“We’re trying to find out who’s going to take it. C.J. was probably our only returner from last year. Then we’ve got guys like (wide receiver) Marcus (Kemp) and some of these other guys--(cornerback Cor’Dale) Flott, (cornerback Zyon) Gilbert. We’ll see who takes the spot and who’s going to make a play. We’ve got two games left, and we’ll see who can make them.”
Despite all of the uncertainties, the one special teams player Giants fans can look forward to seeing back by the regular season is kicker Graham Gano. In his two seasons with the Giants, Gano has only missed five of his 65 field goal attempts, with four from 50+ yards out.
His efficiency has provided a stabilizing presence for a team that has struggled to make the most of their offensive trips over the last two seasons, which McGaughey is grateful to have.
“This is my fifth year with Graham, and I feel extremely comfortable with him,” said McGaughey. “He knows what he needs to do to get himself prepared. Just adding (punter and holder) Jamie (Gillan) into the mix of being able to bring him along, bring him up to speed on how Graham likes everything handled, and add him with (long snapper) Casey (Kreiter), it’s been really good."
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