Illinois special teams coach Greg McMahon will have a pair of special assignments Saturday:
One is to figure out how to stop some guy named Antwaan Randle El. The slippery one is Indiana’s top punt returner, among other things.
Then there’s the Hoosiers’ leading kickoff-return man, Levron Williams. All Williams did was score six touchdowns last week against Wisconsin to surpass 2,000 career yards.
Compared to the challenges McMahon faces every day in practice, however, Williams and Randle El seem like minor hurdles by comparison.
McMahon’s job description: Convince his players that special teams aren’t the dead end they think they are; that special teams really are special.
McMahon uses every motivational device he can find. He enjoys watching players’ reactions when he drops the names of Washington Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington and former Illini linebacker Kevin Hardy of the Jacksonville Jaguars into his fiery pep talks.
“I still remember [former Penn State linebacker] LaVar Arrington,” McMahon said. “He was a special-teams guy. We still haven’t blocked him. He was all over the place. And Hardy . . . we tell our guys if special teams was good enough for Arrington and Hardy, it’s good enough for you.”
McMahon is in his 10th year at Illinois. When Lou Tepper and most of his staff were fired after a disastrous 2-9 season in 1996, McMahon survived. Tepper’s replacement, Ron Turner, kept McMahon.
Last winter, Turner overhauled his defensive staff and hired four new coaches. He kept McMahon.
Last Saturday’s game proved McMahon must be doing something right.
Former backup place-kicker Peter Christofilakos continued his perfect season (6-for-6) with three field goals, junior walk-on John Gockman coolly kicked a 51-yarder in his first attempt and senior Nick Piazza blocked a punt that sophomore Jamaal Clark recovered in the 25-14 victory over Minnesota.
“Our guys have made some plays when they’ve had opportunities,” McMahon said. “And we’ve had some unsung heroes too, who go out every day and play hard and don’t doubt themselves or panic.”
So what else is new?
Defensive end Terrell Washington blocked two field goals against Northern Illinois, Dwayne Smith blocked a punt against Northern, Muhammad Abdullah forced a fumble on a kickoff to set up a touchdown against California and Steve Fitts has improved his average from 41 yards per punt to 43.
“I’m pleased with the progress they’re making in all phases,” Turner said. “We’re getting better in our coverage units. We’d like to get a little more out of our kick returns [sixth in the Big Ten on punts and ninth on kickoffs], but overall I’m real pleased.”
McMahon relishes motivating his diverse units, whose players range from promising freshmen to “forgotten” seniors who see special teams as a last chance to salvage something from their college careers.
“It’s an ongoing process,” McMahon said. “It’s a lot of fun seeing the chemistry develop. You’ve got to have the right mindset to play special teams.”
After blocking a punt on Saturday, Piazza spoke for many special-teamers when he talked about the “long road” he had taken to “get here.”
“It feels nice,” he said of his block. “I came in as a wide receiver. They shifted me to safety two springs ago. But my role for four years has been special teams. I haven’t played a game at wide receiver or safety. Special teams become your life.”
McMahon tries to make those lives count for Illinois by putting his players into “pressure” situations every day.
“We have a lot more confidence this year,” said Christofilakos. “Coach Mac is intense, a very outgoing person. Him being fired up fires us up.”
After 10 years McMahon is fired up about coaching special teams–especially at Illinois.
“I love Ron Turner; I love the guy,” McMahon said. “And Ron Guenther is the best athletic director I’ve ever worked for. And I’m 15 minutes from home. Why would I ever want to leave?
“I just have to make sure I keep getting things done so I can stay.”
