WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Since its introduction last season, the dynamic kickoff has evolved in many ways.
The schematic looks teams showed on those returns were mostly vanilla, Rams special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn explained, before teams started showing some creativity with offensive schematic carryover. Blackburn said teams put the ball on the ground less than he expected, and when it was kicked on the ground, those units were successful – including his. Like other teams, the Rams' dynamic kickoff schemes became more complex, and Blackburn feels they've found something there.
"I think we hit our stride as the back half of the year progressed and having J Whitt (wide receiver Jordan Whittington) back there and (wide receiver) Xavier (Smith) and (running back) Blake Corum and the number of guys we use back there for different skill sets and different return styles, we can use that stuff to our advantage and I think more teams found that out as the season progressed," Blackburn said.
The Rams finished the 2024 regular season averaging 27.4 yards per kickoff return, good for 18th in the NFL. While 26 of their 29 returns went for 20-39 yards, three went for 40-plus, which tied with four other teams for third-most in the league last season.
Whittington was one of the main drivers, with his longest kickoff return going for 43 yards. His overall performance earned him All-Rookie Team placement as a kick returner.
Now, the group's task is to expand on what they learned from last season since the hybrid format is here to stay.
Earlier this spring, NFL owners passed rule changes that not only made the dynamic kickoff permanent after last season's trial run, but also moved the touchback on kickoffs to the 35-yard line. The league projections a 60-70% increase in kickoff return rate with the latter change.
Asked how limited they are to adjusting to the rule change and continuing to grow, Blackburn said he doesn't think there's a limit. Some of the directions he pointed to included man-blocking and double-team schemes, overloading a front provided three players are on the backside, "and then it just depends on how you react to where they place the kick."
"If they're getting the ball on the ground, you got to have returners that can get to a play like a short stop, scoop it up and keep it on the move, prevent the touchback minus to the 20-yard line, that's a key and critical element, and then… if you overload a side and try to run a double-double scheme to the sideline and think you're getting a boundary kick and you get it, do you want to run it to the field?" Blackburn said. "There was some success where they ran it all the way back across the field and got it started and that created big plays, but a lot of times, they end up going to what you call straight call or whatever and you basically take it up the near boundary and just kind of convert over with your blocks.
"There's a lot of ways you can go with it and so it's pretty cool to see and talk to the offensive coaches about different things and (head coach) Sean (McVay) and what possibilities we have."
And who knows what could be in store after seeing some of the trick plays that unfolded on kickoffs in the XFL.
"Obviously, we didn't even see the throwbacks and the reverses and all that (in the NFL last season)," Blackburn said. "I mean, we saw a reverse, a fake reverse, but some of the stuff that was in the XFL with the end around and the throwbacks and the hideout guy, we didn't see that stuff really come to fruition this year. Not that people didn't have it in, maybe they just didn't feel in that situation to call it, but I think there'll continue to be an evolution of that as well."
