Special teams vital in Trojans’ success

In my 10 years or so of playing Madden and NCAA Football video games, I had never blocked a kick or even seen one blocked. Sunday evening, that changed, when I denied a 31-yard field-goal try.

So shocked and excited was I by this event, it occurred to me just how much I had taken special teams for granted up until that point. And it reminded me: It seems like most people, except for those really keyed in, are taking USC’s special teams for granted.

All the talk centers on junior quarterback Matt Barkley and sophomore receiver Robert Woods’ astonishing chemistry, the general absence of a running game and remaining questions on whether the defense really is any good. No one’s talking about special teams coach John Baxter and his unheralded guys.

Baxter came to USC from Fresno State prior to the 2010 season to bolster coach Lane Kiffin’s special teams unit — and bolster it he did. Under Pete Carroll, the Trojans’ special teams were unimpressive, a characteristic unknown to most with an elite offense and defense to cover it up.

Now it’s the staple of the team, the consistent unit that persists even when the offense or defense does not. And a lot of it is because of Baxter’s attitude and schemes.

Baxter is very serious about his commitment to special teams. He’s a strong believer in the maxim that USC should be the hammer, not the nail. That’s why Baxter awards an actual hammer every week — as voted by the players — to the greatest special teams contributor in the previous game. That player gets to keep the hammer for the week and carry it out of the tunnel for the next game.

It’s cheesy, but it makes sense that it works. When you can’t play for money, you have to play for pride and teamwork. These incentives, however symbolic, can mean a lot to the players and foster a positive sense of competition among the unit to excel on the field.

Special teams, more than any other unit, is fueled by effort. And Baxter seems to have found an effective way to motivate his players to work their hardest. Eighty-four blocked kicks and punts and 39 special teams touchdowns at Fresno State speak for themselves.

But it’s not all about motivation. Some of it is about the technical aspect. I’m not going to pretend I know the intricacies of how his systems manage to routinely shut down kick returners before a big gain, but they do. I’m not going to pretend I know how his plays tend to end in blocked kicks, but they do.

In Pete Carroll’s last season, the “Block that kick!” chant was a mere formality; it wasn’t going to happen all that often. Through the last two seasons, with Baxter running the show, there’s some hope that on every field goal attempt or punt, someone’s hand is going to get in the way before the ball goes sailing.

Of course, at times these kicks will go unobstructed. But the threat of a blocked kick is almost just as helpful as the block itself. Punting or kicking requires a high level of concentration and confidence that you’ll get the kick off before a defensive player can get in the way. Baxter has these punters and kickers looking over their shoulders to the point that they get distracted and are unable to perform.

That’s why teams are missing extra points and field goals against the Trojans.

When junior left tackle Matt Kalil blocked Utah’s field goal attempt to seal the win at the end of the week two game, it got everyone’s attention. And Kalil got to carry that hammer for a week.

But the problem is these plays don’t always get the attention they deserve. When Arizona kicker Alex Zendejas had an extra point blocked last week, there was no ceremony. When he missed a point last week, it was assumed he made a mistake, but I suspect the USC special teams had something to do with it.

The problem is that special teams, much like offensive linemen, is better off not being in the spotlight. When an offensive lineman gets attention, he usually did something wrong. Same goes for a kicker or a punter. Just ask New York Giants’ punter Matt Dodge.

Special teams players are expected to do what they’re supposed to do without receiving any credit.

Baxter and his players are probably fine with that. But it’s important not to underestimate their effect on USC’s play this season because they’ve been spectacular.

 

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