Kirby Smart sells special-teams duty to players with NFL aspirations

During a recent special teams meeting, head coach Kirby Smart posted a picture of a past Alabama punt play for his players to look at.

Seemingly a routine thing to do during a meeting quickly became a statement Smart was trying to convey. Smart highlighted that four of those Crimson Tide contributors on that punt team, in the photo he showed, went on to become first-round picks.

Smart's point is that his players better be ready to play special teams instead of thinking they may be sticking with their respective position group.

"If you want to be a first-rounder, go play on the punt team," Smart said. "Go out there and cover kicks on the kickoff team. You’re going to be asked to do it at the next level. You might as well learn how to do it now."

Smart has tasked Shane Beamer with getting each of Georgia’s special-teamers into shape with the program’s scheme. And it doesn’t look like Smart will short-change Beamer with the talent and players available.

Running back Sony Michel has been working with the punt team, despite the fact he’s the No. 1 running back at the moment due to a serious knee injury Nick Chubb is still rehabilitating. Michel has played special teams in each of his first two seasons but began concentrating only on running back once Chubb went down against Tennessee.

With Beamer implementing some new schemes and techniques, Michel is back at it in football’s third phase of the game.

"I wanted to be on special teams," Michel said. "Coaches put me on special teams. They wanted me on special teams. I can’t really look at it from a starting running back standpoint. I’ve just got to look at it as another football player on this team trying to help the team because once I look at it as just a running back, I’m being selfish."

Beamer being Georgia’s lone special teams coordinator diverts from what the Bulldogs did for 15 years under former head coach Mark Richt. Previously, Richt had coaches divide duties, with, most recently, Mike Ekeler and John Lilly serving as co-special teams coordinators.

Smart said he prefers to have one special teams coordinator because it eases the responsibilities of other coaches when one guy is in charge of this aspect of the gameplan.

"I want one guy because I think it’s easier for one guy to do all of them than crisscross them," Smart said. "When you start crisscrossing it’s hard because of the time demands. When one guy is centered and focused on it, it’s easier to focus on all four. He can put the whole plan together so you do not have to interact with two or three people to do that."

Beamer’s father, former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, placed an emphasis on special teams, with the term "Beamer Ball" coined to highlight the success that occurred in this area.

Frank Beamer said that having one special teams coordinator indicates the importance a program is placing on what’s become a segment of football that’s received a ton more attention over the past 10-to-20 years.

"I think it makes a statement," Frank Beamer said. "You’re going to have an offensive coordinator. You’re going to have a defensive coordinator. And if it’s going to be a third of the game, you probably need a special teams coordinator. I think that, No. 1, makes a statement to your team and, No. 2, I think someone concentrating on that area, you are concentrating on a third of the ball game. What’s important? Generally speaking, that’s the quickest way to win and the quickest way to lose. So that guy needs to do a good job for you."

Smart entered the spring "scared to death" as to what he expected with special teams. Now, Smart said he is only "scared" and "very worried."

But with Shane Beamer in charge of special teams, and by providing him with enough talented players, Smart has hopes that this group can form into shape over time.

"(Shane’s) very competitive and challenging in the meetings," Smart said. "And we have a lot of assistants for him, quality control guys that do a good job. We’re getting good reps, quality reps out of those positions. And I’ll be honest, these kids are working hard during that period. They don’t take the period off. They go out there and compete."

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Kirby Smart sells special-teams duty to players with NFL aspirations."