Unconscious Competence

Although the Raiders didn’t do much of anything well last Sunday, they did block a Falcon’s punt.  And on a better day in a close game at a crucial point, no single play is more vital. 

So how does this happen?  With a split-second of indecision, that’s how.  When a blocker thinks instead of reacts the punter--along with his punt--gets stuffed.  This can be not only a major momentum shifter but completely humiliating, too.  The best players know that in order to block a punt, they need to cause confusion by lining up and then immediately shift.  Then, if he can beat the center or guard by ripping low and getting underneath the block, all he has left to do is keep his eyes wide open.  This last part may seem obvious, but keeping your eyes wide open as a projectile hurtles towards your face is in direct opposition to your body’s deep physiological reflex to squeeze them shut.

 A former special teams coach of mine, Frank Gansz, Jr., demanded that we all have “unconscious competence” on special teams.  Frank’s dad was the former assistant to both the Air Force and Naval Academy and Frank himself attended The Citadel, so his coaching style was heavily influenced by military tenants with the most basic and important one being preparation.  He expected us to be prepared for every situation so that on the field, nothing would surprise us.  Frank wanted us to be so prepared that we’d be automatically able to correct ourselves on the field without even thinking.

During practice and special teams’ film sessions, we would go over and over the different rushes the week’s opponent would bring.  As a long snapper, I had to have complete trust in my personal protector to make the right call.  Then I had to have faith in the guards on either side of me to have a perfect understanding of what was about to go down.   I can’t profess this would always go well.  Against the Dolphins in 1999 their special teams coach, Mike Westhoff, had whipped his guys into such disciplined shape that with every one of (Oakland Raider) Leo Araguz’s punts I was sure one of them would get batted down.  On one I blocked to my left and was working with guard James Folston as a Dolphin player looped back across my face.  With so much weight on my left foot all I could do was stick out my right leg and hope to trip him.  I did.  And although there was no flag and no muffed punt I knew I never wanted to feel that kind of panic again, thus circling back to preparation with no surprises.  I can’t profess to know exactly what is missing from some of the losing teams in the NFL (my former team included), but unconscious competence, along with eyes wide open, has got to be near the top of the list.

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