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http://www.standard.net/topics/sports/2009/09/19/hammering-home-special-teams
Hammering home special teams
By Jasen Asay (Standard-Examiner staff)
Last Edit: 7 hours 34 min ago (Sep 19 2009 - 12:02am)
OGDEN -- The right to carry out the hammer against Portland State is on the line today.
As Weber State takes on Idaho State, assistant coach Jake Cookus will be on the lookout for a big hit on special teams that will be deemed worthy of special recognition. The Wildcat on the giving end will earn the honor of special teams hit of the week, and the responsibility of bringing out the hammer the following week.
"We're just trying to get guys being more physical and take a big onus on being the hit of the week," said Cookus, who along with being a co-defensive coordinator serves as WSU's special teams coach.
The responsibility is so special that it won't be awarded if there isn't a worthy recipient. That was the case following last week's game at Colorado State.
"We didn't feel like we had a big enough physical hit," Cookus said. "It's a big deal for those guys to get it."
So the sledgehammer, with "Be the Hammer" written on one side of the handle and "Seek and Destroy" on the other, will somehow find its way to the Wildcats' sideline, but it won't be as noticeable like it was a week ago.
Sophomore defensive end Caldwell Taylor swung the hammer above his head as the Wildcats ran onto the field at Colorado State after dishing out a big hit on a punt return in the season opener at Wyoming.
"It may not have been the biggest hit of the season but he had about 100 pounds on me so I was happy to pull it off," Taylor said.
Taylor is also happy to be a big part of WSU's special teams.
With special teams truly a third of the game, those on the field at that time are expected to take it as serious as any other part of the game. Taylor knows how important that part of the game is, and learned the importance of special teams his freshman year when his hard work paid off.
"That's why I traveled last year," Taylor said.
"That was my ticket to go to all the games, get on the bus, eat a good meal and knock someone out."
"When you're No. 2 or No. 3 on the depth chart you hope you'll get in the game, but when you're No. 1 on special teams you know it's going to come around," Taylor said
The list is long of Wildcat starters who made their mark on special teams before topping the defensive depth chart. Beau Hadley, Taylor Sedillo and Brett Felton all started on special teams before starting on defense.
Along with the job of bringing out the hammer, Cookus also gives out a couple black T-shirts, ones that he and some of the players designed, to outstanding performers each week.
Willie Harris, Brandt Eteuati, T.J. Moser, Andy Yocom and Nick Webb have also played big roles this season on special teams, as has long-snapper Cody Nakamura.
"You don't really notice (Nakamura) unless he does something wrong," Cookus said.
Hammering home special teams
By Jasen Asay (Standard-Examiner staff)
Last Edit: 7 hours 34 min ago (Sep 19 2009 - 12:02am)
OGDEN -- The right to carry out the hammer against Portland State is on the line today.
As Weber State takes on Idaho State, assistant coach Jake Cookus will be on the lookout for a big hit on special teams that will be deemed worthy of special recognition. The Wildcat on the giving end will earn the honor of special teams hit of the week, and the responsibility of bringing out the hammer the following week.
"We're just trying to get guys being more physical and take a big onus on being the hit of the week," said Cookus, who along with being a co-defensive coordinator serves as WSU's special teams coach.
The responsibility is so special that it won't be awarded if there isn't a worthy recipient. That was the case following last week's game at Colorado State.
"We didn't feel like we had a big enough physical hit," Cookus said. "It's a big deal for those guys to get it."
So the sledgehammer, with "Be the Hammer" written on one side of the handle and "Seek and Destroy" on the other, will somehow find its way to the Wildcats' sideline, but it won't be as noticeable like it was a week ago.
Sophomore defensive end Caldwell Taylor swung the hammer above his head as the Wildcats ran onto the field at Colorado State after dishing out a big hit on a punt return in the season opener at Wyoming.
"It may not have been the biggest hit of the season but he had about 100 pounds on me so I was happy to pull it off," Taylor said.
Taylor is also happy to be a big part of WSU's special teams.
With special teams truly a third of the game, those on the field at that time are expected to take it as serious as any other part of the game. Taylor knows how important that part of the game is, and learned the importance of special teams his freshman year when his hard work paid off.
"That's why I traveled last year," Taylor said.
"That was my ticket to go to all the games, get on the bus, eat a good meal and knock someone out."
"When you're No. 2 or No. 3 on the depth chart you hope you'll get in the game, but when you're No. 1 on special teams you know it's going to come around," Taylor said
The list is long of Wildcat starters who made their mark on special teams before topping the defensive depth chart. Beau Hadley, Taylor Sedillo and Brett Felton all started on special teams before starting on defense.
Along with the job of bringing out the hammer, Cookus also gives out a couple black T-shirts, ones that he and some of the players designed, to outstanding performers each week.
Willie Harris, Brandt Eteuati, T.J. Moser, Andy Yocom and Nick Webb have also played big roles this season on special teams, as has long-snapper Cody Nakamura.
"You don't really notice (Nakamura) unless he does something wrong," Cookus said.
