Q: After serving as the Ticats secondary coach for the past two seasons, you’re the new special teams coordinator in 2011. You’re also the assistant head coach and the linebackers coach. That’s a lot on your plate. How do you balance all three of your roles throughout the week and on game days?
BM: Really, it’s no different than anything else. You set the priorities for the week. You figure out what is important. And you knock them off, one by one.
Q: After finishing second on the team in special teams tackles last year, Marc Beswick is tied for the team lead through the first five games this season. Why has he been such an effective special teamer to this point?
BM: Bes just has a tremendous will to study, and special teams, more than any other phase in football, is about will and function with understanding. And Marc does both of those things.
Q: Nathan Kanya is tied with Beswick with six special teams tackles. Expand on the development of Kanya as a player and what is the importance of rookies playing well on special teams if they want to make the lineup?
BM: Nathan Kanya is going to be one of those guys that other teams have to scheme to block. He’s only just beginning to tap his potential and his ability. You see every week he’s getting better at bending his knees and coming to balance and making tackles and function with understanding. The sky is the limit for that kid in regards to special teams and contributing on defence.
Q: Marcus Thigpen is still looking for his first special teams return touchdown of the season after scoring four times in 2010. How do you coach a talented return guy like Marcus? Is it only a matter of time before he starts scoring?
BM: He had his first return touchdown on the season against the Lions, he just let the punter tackle him (laughs). He’ll have other opportunities.
Q: Justin Medlock has been on point for the Cats this season. Today, he was named the special teams player of the month. He’s consistently the first guy out on the field, hours before a game, and he’s usually the last one off the field at practice. Speak about Medlock’s work ethic and why he’s been so effective to this point.
BM: I kidded Justin today. I called him John Henry. If you’re familiar with the legend of John Henry? That’s Justin Medlock. He’s a machine.
Q: The special teams group lost veteran linebacker and special teams ace Yannick Carter in B.C. with an injury. First of all, how much of an impact does losing a guy like him have? And secondly, who are you depending on to step up and fill the void left in his absence?
BM: You can’t replace a guy like Yannick Carter, with his heart and his determination, he’s been a vocal special teams player since he’s been in this league. Now it’s an onus on everybody else on the team to step up together and replace an impact player like that.
Q: Rookie linebacker Brandon Denson stood out in training camp and in the pre-season as a good, young talent, eventually earning a spot on the Ticats practice roster. How has he been developing since?
BM: Brandon works every day. He’s a scary individual when he gets on the field. People are going to be shocked with what they see.
Q: The Tiger-Cats added Renauld Williams in the offseason to anchor the middle of the linebacking corps. What does Rey bring to this team, in terms of his level of play and leadership?
BM: Rey brings focus and leadership. He’s been on championship teams. He’s been in the NFL. You can’t speak to how much having two guys like Rey and Jamall Johnson in the middle makes the whole unit that much more solid. They provide a level of leadership that is rare.
Q: The Tiger-Cats are in Calgary this week. How are you preparing your special teamers for the Stampeders dangerous return man, Larry Taylor?
BM: Every week you’re going to face a guy that can score on you. The thing about Larry Taylor is that he’s so consistant. He’s averaging 10 yards per punt return for his career. It’s just one of those deals where you’ve just got to go out and everybody has to do their job and be gap assignment sound and go get him.
Q: Stampeders quarterback Henry Burris is third in the league in passing through the first five weeks of the season. He’s also leading all quarterbacks on the ground with 167 rush yards. From a coach’s perspective, what are you telling your linebackers about facing Burris this week?
BM: The same thing you say when you’re facing Ricky Ray or any of the elite quarterbacks in this league. You have to be sound in your assignments. You have to flow through your drops. And in man coverage you can’t show him any error.
