Interview With Shane Lechler

Interview with Shane Lechler

For seven seasons I had the honor to long snap to the best punter in the League, Shane Lechler.  And for seven seasons he had the dishonor of seeing my backside while waiting for me to get him the ball.  After dropping his daughter off at preschool this morning I called Shane to ask about punting, Polish and what it’s like being married to a woman who can beat you in just about every sport.

You have no soccer background and can’t do the splits so how are you such a good punter?

SL:  I mean I don’t know it’s just something that kinda came natural to me.  I’m terrible at coaching it but it’s just something that came natural to me that I liked and happened to be pretty good at.

I think long snapping isn’t something that can be taught; I’ve never been able to teach anyone how to long snap and when I was first asked to snap in high school I taught myself.  Is this true for punting?

SL:  Yeah, I really do.  No one person really taught me.  And I think the only way to perfect your punting is to get into good habits, stick with it and get into a good routine.  Doing it this way has carried me this far.

How do you feel about being one of the few Raiders to make the Pro Bowl the last few years?

SL:  Well it’s an honor any time you get voted in by your peers around the league--it’s always a big honor.  This Pro Bowl with be my fourth time to go but only my second time going with any teammates.  It’s not a lonely feeling exactly but you are alone in answering all the questions about the Raiders and what’s going on with them.

Who’s been your favorite Special Teams Coach?

SL:  Well I’ve had a lot of them that I’ve liked and haven’t really had just one favorite.  I’ve liked all except for one.  Aside from the one I didn’t like I’ve had three others who have been fun and respected the game in their own way.  Bob Casullo was my first coach and he was a lot of fun.  Joe Avezzano was an old school guy with real love for the game and he understood the toll playing would take on the body.  Brian Schneider is my current coach and he is young and I like the energy he brings.

So what makes a Special Teams Coach successful?

SL:  To succeed they gotta get the guys—and I’ve had two coaches come straight from college--Casullo and Schneider--buy into their system as quick as possible.  And this has to be done either during the mini-camps and OTA’s or within first 2 weeks of training camp.  They’ve gotta get the guys to buy into their personal philosophy and understand where they’re coming from.  If they can do this then they’ll be successful.  I had one coach tried to change my mental approach to the game and we just butted heads from the second I met him to second he left—just everything clashed.  I guess I’m more of a laid-back person and he wasn’t so we just never got along.

Who do you admire in the league?

SL:  The guys down at Tennessee.  Their staff has been stable; they’ve been together a long time.  Tennessee is one team you look at as role models for the entire league.  And of course the Patriots.  The things the Patriots have done are just phenomenal, just unheard of.   Mike Scifres from San Diego is just a stud.  The guy is so good, a great punter and will be in this league for a long time.

Is there such a thing as out kicking your coverage?

SL:  Yeah there is, you know it all relates to hang time.  I’ve hit a few balls this year I wished were a lot shorter and a lot higher but the guys on our special teams, especially the guys on the outside, have phenomenal speed.  It’s hard but I’ve done it.  As long as my punts have about 4.8 seconds of hang time they can usually cover it.

Aside from the obvious, what goes through your mind when you see a punt returner break free?

SL:  It’s funny you can kinda see it start to develop and you think, “Oh gosh here it comes”. If you can funnel the returner to the sidelines and give him the textbook push out of bounds that helps.  But if he’s in center of the field it’s pretty much a touchdown.

How many different types of punts do you have?

SL:  Really just two.  One punt for inside the 20 stuff and the other just a normal punt.  The one punt for the inside of the 20 is a rugby style punt where I drop the ball with the point straight down.  I don’t do it too often because it doesn’t feel great, the point hits the top of my foot.  My regular punt is the one that doesn’t hurt.

I know you hate punting directionally, but is it necessary at times?

SL:  Yeah, it is sometimes.  It depends on the punt returner and the scheme they’re running.  Now in the league you see a whole lot of sideline returns.   If you can’t get the ball to hang up for 5 seconds then you’ll have to do some directional punting.

How much do you punt in the off-season?

SL:  I don’t punt in the off-season.  Same as Seabass [kicker Sebastian Janikowski] he doesn’t kick in the off-season. I know there are some guys who take off two weeks and then start punting daily for the remainder of the off-season.  I have 30 days of 2-a-days to get ready.  If you can’t get ready in that time frame, something’s not right

Is there anyone you’ve hated punting to?

SL:  That little guy from San Diego Darren Sproles.  He’s maybe 5’8” and he’s just an awesome punt returner.  Devin Hester, too, but I’ve only had to punt to him one time because we’ve only played Chicago once.

You’ve been with Seabass [kicker Sebastian Janikowski] since 2000.  What’s the dirtiest Polish word you know?

SL:  (Laughs) I still don’t understand the language.  I couldn’t even tell you.  Most of the time I don’t understand Seabass.  He sounds like he has a wet sock in his mouth when he talks.

Some of us know what a stud your wife Erin is, a former All-American volleyball player at Texas A&M.  How does her athletic background help you?

SL:  Erin helps me in the fact she knows what I’m going through. She understands that towards the end of the season—weeks 13, 14, 15, I’m tired and I’m worn out.  She understands what the body goes through and the competitive side of sports she totally gets.

So who’s really the better athlete in the family?

SL:  (Laughs) I’d probably have to give it to her.  We play basketball every now and then and she’d tell you she’s beat me more than I’ve beat her.

How much longer do you want to play?

SL:  You know, I don’t know.  I still feel good.  I don’t want to put a limit on it. It’s also going to depend on circumstances after this season whether I’ll be here or somewhere else.  I wish I had a sixth sense as to where I’ll be because I don’t like the uncertainty.

What do you want out of the rest of your career?

I would like to stay steady and try to stay at the top of the league in punting. I don’t know if my body will let me but I’m sure going to try my best to stay healthy and strong enough to be the best punter in the league.

You claim to be a good golfer.  How does punting help your golf game?

SL:  The approach is the same. When I go out to punt I got one shot—not like on defense or offense –I don’t get three chances to get a first down. Golf is the same way unless you’re cheating.  You get one shot to hit a good drive down the fairway and nothing more.  

Well I think that’s about it.  Thanks buddy.  Good luck on Sunday.

SL:  Thanks, Adam, talk to you soon.

Shane By The Numbers:

4          average punts per game (league-wide)

6.5        average punts per game (Raiders)

9           years pro

11         number of punts in one game (vs. Atlanta 2008)

12         most punts in one game (vs. San Diego 2000)

48.8      average yards per punt

73         longest punt (2003)

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