It won't be long before the NFL's new kickoff rule officially makes its mark on regular-season games.
Until then, the Chargers special teams units continue to iron out the wrinkles in the build up to Week 1.
The Bolts spent multiple periods of Friday's practice working on kickoffs and kickoff returns, with Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken leading the team through a number of drills.
It's a work in progress, like it is with every new rule — but the main thing right now for the Bolts special teams unit is setting the foundation.
"There's always going to be work to be done in all areas," Ficken said Friday after practice. "But right now we're feeling good in terms of that technique, laying that foundation, continuing to work the fundamentals, the timing of everything.
"We're laying that foundation, keeping it simple so we can go out and execute at our highest level and just allow for their athleticism to go out and take over as opposed to having to think what the rules are, the technique and all that," Ficken added. "We just want to make sure it's natural for them."
The new kickoff rule brings big changes to the formation and setup of the play, as the kicking team will line up at the opposing 40-yard line, with the receiving team's blockers five yards away. The ball will be kicked off from the 35-yard line.
Kickers are incentivized to kick into the "landing zone" between the goal line and the 20-yard line, and players cannot move until the ball is caught or hits the ground.
This makes for a much faster developing play for everyone on the field, something that Chargers returner Derius Davis is excited about.
"Honestly, I love it," Davis said. "As a returner you should love it because you get more opportunities. It's definitely different because everything happens much faster."
Davis later added: "A lot of people ask me how it is back there, for me with the new rule it's like playing running back, being back there finding the gaps, finding the seams."
Just like for the returner, the strategy has also changed in the kicking aspect.
Kickers now don't have to worry about kicking the ball deep and could now focus on getting the ball in the landing zone.
"It's interesting. You aren't hitting high, deep balls anymore and hanging them up," Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker said. "It's a lot more placement, getting balls in positions and letting the guys go cover and hopefully we cover well."
Ficken added: "[Dicker's] got a bag of tricks that I've never seen. He can do all types of kicks, whatever you want to go ahead and have him do… We're just excited as a unit in terms of their creativity and the things we can go ahead and do."
The NFL got their first glimpse of how the new rule looks like in live action Thursday during the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
Ficken said he showed the group those plays first thing Friday morning.
"It was a lot faster seeing it with the NFL speed," Ficken said. "It was good to see, to finally see like, everything we've been working on and just to see two different teams go at it and see what they've been working on and what works, what doesn't work and kind of assess and see how we can apply it to us."
The Bolts will have opportunities to face off against an opponent with this new rule Sunday when the Rams come to The Bolt for a joint practice and in just over a week when they play their first preseason game against Seattle.
No matter who it's against, Ficken says the work is valuable in getting to where they want to get to as a unit.
"We want to make sure we're out there working," Ficken said. "Whatever rep we do work, even if it's against the Chargers or the Rams or whoever it may be, we want to make sure we're getting good work.
"[If] it's full speed, making sure we're smart, we're taking care of each other," Ficken added. "But we want to make sure we're working our technique and all that. Because otherwise we won't get a good feel of the timing and all of that."
