Rutgers Special Teams Coordinator Eddie Allen Hosts Spring Practice Press Conference

Rutgers Special Teams Coordinator Eddie Allen Hosts Spring Practice Press Conference

Yahoo Sports1h ago4 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Rutgers special teams coordinator Eddie Allen addressed the media, discussing the consistency of kickers Jai Patel and Jackob Anderson, the team's fair catch strategy, and the benefits of younger players gaining experience. He also praised Dino Kaliakmanis for his passion and impact on the special teams unit.

Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights assistant special teams coach Eddie Allen against the Kansas State Wildcats during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images After giving the media a chance to speak to head coach Greg Schiano, offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarocca, and defensive coordinator Travis Johansen, the program has started the press conferences where members of the media can ask questions to position coaches. This time, it was special teams coordinator Eddie Allen’s turn at the podium giving him the chance to speak publicly to the media for the first time this spring. The first question had to do with the how the consistency of the kicking game is in the early spring with Jai Patel and Jackob Anderson. He talked about how they have been consistent so far in practice and how they are excited for where they are at especially as they now have more experience as upper class man. The next question he was asked regarded why Rutgers has opted to go with fair catches so much on kickoffs and punts. “I think Coach has talked a lot about that over the last couple years, and, you know, I think the philosophy behind that is exactly what Coach has said. It’s the risk-reward. You know, we’ll take a look at it like we do every year, and we’ll see where we’re at going into the season and what our philosophy’s going to be. But I think what Coach has said about that the last couple years is exactly right. The risk-reward nature of that is very important. You know, we get the opportunity to get our offense as explosive as they’ve been the last couple years, the ball in the 25-yard line to start every drive. I mean, we’re going to take that. But, you know, we’ll see where we’re at as we get into it, and we’ll evaluate everything as we go. And then, you know, if that’s the decision we’re going to do, that’s the decision we’re going to do. But Coach is going to make that decision.” Later on in the press conference, Allen was asked how the younger guys who got experience due to filling in for injured players will benefit from that this year. Allen said that the experience is only going to help them and how getting that in game experience was critically important to them. As one of the last questions in the press conference, Allen was asked what kind of impact Dino Kaliakmanis has had on the team and on the special teams unit. “Man, just a passion, you know, a passion for special teams. I mean, he’s a special guy, man. He really is. We love having him. We’re excited to get him back for another year. You know, you guys see what he brings to our kickoff team with his speed and his aggression and his energy and just his day-to-day detail. He wants to be great. You know, he’ll be in the weight room every day, you know, just working on his gunner release steps, working on his pump block technique. He is a huge part of what we do, and we’re really excited to have him. I’m so glad when he got that extra year that I got another year to get a chance to coach him because he’s a great human being, you know, and he’s going to be a big player for us this year on special teams.” To view the full video, click the link here:

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Q&A

What did Eddie Allen say about the kicking game consistency for Rutgers?

Eddie Allen mentioned that kickers Jai Patel and Jackob Anderson have shown consistency in practice and are excited about their progress as upperclassmen.

Why is Rutgers opting for fair catches on kickoffs and punts?

Allen explained that the fair catch strategy is based on a risk-reward philosophy, allowing the offense to start drives at the 25-yard line, which they find advantageous.

How will younger players benefit from their experience filling in for injured teammates?

Allen stated that the in-game experience gained by younger players is critically important and will help them this season.

What impact has Dino Kaliakmanis had on Rutgers' special teams?

Allen highlighted Kaliakmanis's passion, speed, and energy, noting he is a crucial player for the special teams and is dedicated to improving his skills.

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