Tag: Michael Ghobrial

Michael Ghobrial is entering his first training camp as the New York Giants’ special teams coordinator. He is being tasked with just more than commandeering a new group — he’s also got to nail down the new kickoff rules as well.

Every team will be in the same boat, trying to figure out how to exploit the new formations as well as defend against them. Ghobrial has a plan, though. He’s not leaving any stone unturned in his preparations.

“I think when you have an open mind based off of just understanding that this game is ever evolving and regardless of what the rules are in play, your personnel,” he told reporters on Thursday. “You always have to have an open mind to change your scheme, to change how you teach things, and just be ready to understand that that’s this game. It is changing. And it’s our jobs as coaches to ultimately figure out what we could use, what we could discard, and just go from there.”

Special Teams practices are way different under Michael Ghobrial. https://t.co/jbra5HtTl7

— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) August 1, 2024

What exactly he has in store for his team and the opposition remains to be seen, but Ghobrial is poised to unleash his plans.

“I think everybody has this notion that you can do so much with this kickoff return scheme, and you’re drawing up, I mean, for example, I’ve drawn up 50 returns,” he said.

“Now, does that mean that I’ll be able to have all 50 come into action? I don’t believe so. I think, ultimately, the foundational piece of your kickoff return scheme has to start simple. I think a lot of people will be simple to start in preseason, and that will ultimately tell you how complex you can get with your scheme in a few games.”

Michael Ghobrial highlighted three special teams players in his predraft press conference:

Miles Boykin: (was asked) said he’s a tone setter who sets the example

Matthew Adams: tough interior asset on ST

Chris Manhertz: Owns his role on ST, veteran leadership

— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) August 1, 2024

Ghobrial was asked where the players were in the acclimation process of mastering the new rules.

“I think they’re in a really good spot because one of our meetings is dedicated to explaining what are the rules and what are the certain things that could come from that rule,” he said. “And we focus on one. And then the walkthroughs are really a slower tempo pace of this is what we’re trying to get accomplished on kickoff return and kickoff. Then you get into practice and they can speed it up a little bit more.”

Ghobrial went a bit further when asked to place a number on the preparedness of his units.

“1 to 10…I would say a seven. I think with everything this new rule provides, it is a challenge. It’s a challenge to coaches, it’s a challenge to players. But, these players are resilient. They are. They truly are pressing themselves to give feedback just as much as take coaching points,” he said.

Ghobrial and the Giants will get their first real taste of the new kickoff rules next Thursday night against the Detroit Lions.

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The New York Giants turned the page on the Thomas McGaughey era when they replaced him with a former Bill Walsh Diversity Fellow, 36-year-old Michael Ghobrial, who was an assistant with the Jets for the past three seasons.

On Monday, Ghobrial met with the Giants’ media as the team opened their voluntary offseason workouts. The main topic, of course, was the major change in the kickoff rule which takes effect this season.

Ghobrial was very forthcoming in his take on the change.

“This game is ever-evolving, and as a coordinator, there’s an instance where you have to try and stay ahead of all the rule changes and find out what are all the intricacies of what those provide, and this obviously is going to be some foreign territory, but for everybody across the league,” he said.

“And I think the NFL has done a hell of a job in terms of taking out the speed and space of this play in terms of kickoff to keep guys healthier, which is a big deal, but ultimately bringing a play that was almost dissolving with all the touchbacks and the fair catches that you were seeing.

“So it’s exciting to see. It’s exciting to game plan. It’s exciting to kind of find the little nuances when it comes to that specific rule change. But when it comes down to it, I’ve always felt that every special teams play requires a certain level of effort, a certain level of technique and a certain level of violence. So those will be the foundational pieces of that rule change. And then obviously figuring out what is our best foot forward in terms of attacking that. We’ll do that this spring.”

Ghobrial is more in line with what head coach Brian Daboll was looking for in an assistant. McGaughey was a veteran coach set in his ways, much like defensive coordinator Wink Martindale was. Both were replaced by Daboll this season by younger men whom Daboll can mold into coaches who can execute his vision for this team.

Ghobrial said he is excited to be part of the New York ‘Football’ Giants and plans on bringing his style to the special teams with an approach that deploys the “best 11 players on the roster on  special teams”

He explained what he’s looking for in his players and what he sees in the roster thus far.

“Some of the things that I look for, you know, when I look at special teams players are instincts, toughness and football IQ,” he said. “Those are three things that you kind of evaluate, whether it’s different schemes or anything, you’re trying to figure out, again, it goes back to putting your personnel in the best situation for them to have success.

“So those are three things that I kind of look at and you start to categorize guys, players, into two special teams categories. That, to me, is interior core players and outer core players, if you just look at like interior punt, your guard tackle slots and PP, and then your outer core players are your gunners, your speed guys.

“When I evaluated this roster, it was kind of like deciphering where guys fit in that mold, and then you start to look at what are guys’ strengths, what are guys’ challenges, how do we improve that, and also figure out what were the technique differences to where we can get guys acclimated to a new scheme, new technique and then ultimately be able to play at a high level.”

It’s a new day for the Giants and their special teams. On Tuesday, Ghobrial will meet with the entire team, an idea that Daboll is behind 100 percent.

“Ghobs will meet with the guys,” Daboll said on Monday. “The whole team, he wanted to meet with the whole team to talk about special teams so that will be tomorrow for him.”

And we’re off…

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The New York Giants hired Michael Ghobrial to be their new special teams coordinator to replace longtime coach Thomas McGaughey this offseason

Ghobrial, who spent the last three seasons on the New York Jets’ staff, has some additional challenges facing him, such as the new kickoff rule, but he’s ready.

“To me, that’s one of the most fun parts about the game,” Ghobrial told Giants.com of rule changes. “It’s evolving, and [I have] tremendous respect for the how the NFL is trying to make this game safer for the players, for longevity, and obviously still want to put a good product out there. To be honest, it keeps you hungry to find the new details that you can take advantage of. The rule changes are something you always have to educate your players on and not just once. I think you have to stay connected to it. I think the second you deviate from emphasizing rules, that’s when the bottom falls out and you see guys struggle in moments of truth. It’s no fault to the player. I truly believe you get what you emphasize.”

Ghobrial was a bit of a surprise hire by head coach Brian Daboll, but you can see what endeared the Giants coach to his style and philosophy.

“I think when you talk about special teams, it’s the purest form of football,” Ghobrial said. “Block destruction, block ability, ability to rush, ability to make tackles in space, how you approach a ball carrier’s speed, change of direction — all those things are attributes of any good football player, whether it be defensive or offensive players. And to me, that experience is invaluable [from] playing the game.”

The Giants’ special teams needed a change at leadership after McGaughey’s tenure under three head coaches. Ghobrial might be that breath of fresh air New York needs.

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The New York Giants have announced the hire of Michael Ghobrial as their special teams coordinator.

Ghobrial had been with the New York Jets as their assistant special teams coach since 2021. Before that, he served as a special teams coordinator at three different college programs, including Washington State (2020), Hawaii (2018-19) and Tarleton State (2016-17).

In 2017, Ghobrial also spent time with the Detroit Lions as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

More on Ghobrial’s football career:

Ghobrial began his coaching career at his alma mater, UCLA, first as an undergrad assistant (2009-10), then a quality control coach (2011) and finally as a graduate assistant (2012-13). Following his time with the Bruins, he coached at Syracuse (2014) and Colorado Mesa (2015), serving as the team’s co-special teams coordinator in addition to coaching the defensive line and outside linebackers.

Ghobrial spent two seasons as a defensive end with UCLA, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in social science and comparative education.

For Ghobrial, who is replacing Thomas McGaughey, this will be his first special teams coordinator job at the NFL level.

In addition to Ghobrial, the Giants also interviewed Matt Harper (49ers assistant special teams coach), Carlos Polk (Bears assistant special teams coach), and Larry Izzo (Seahawks special teams coordinator).

New York had also requested interviews with Ryan Ficken (Chargers), Chris Tabor (Panthers), and Marquice Williams (Falcons) but were denied.

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