St. Louis fires special teams coach Stock

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Rams have fired special teams coach Mike Stock, the third man to coach the Ram's special teams since 2000, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Friday.

Calls to a Rams spokesman were not returned.

Stock, 65, was in St. Louis just one season after replacing Bobby April, who was fired after the 2003 season. April had been with the Rams for three seasons. He replaced Larry Pasquale, fired after one season in 2000.

This season, the Rams ranked at or near the bottom of the NFL in all special teams categories. In a season-ending 47-17 playoff loss at Atlanta Jan. 15, the Falcons' Allen Rossum had an NFL playoff record 152 punt return yards, including a 68-yard touchdown return.

"I've got nothing negative to say," Stock told the Post-Dispatch. "They've been very nice to me. It's been a real honor to be here. I feel bad because we didn't produce more. I feel very embarrassed that we didn't perform to the level that I've been used to."

Like Pasquale and April, Stock came to St. Louis with a strong reputation. He had spent 12 of his previous 14 NFL seasons coaching special teams in Cincinnati, Kansas City and Washington. He was named NFL special teams coach of the year in 1997 with the Chiefs.

But also like Pasquale and April, Stock was unable to get the Rams' special teams on track.

"My year here is just basically a continuation of what's happened in the past," Stock said, referring to the special teams problems that preceded him. "But I don't know if anything's going to change."

Unlike many teams, St. Louis uses very few starters on special teams. Critics have questioned whether coach Mike Martz pays enough attention to special teams.

The Rams' longest kickoff return of the season was a modest 31 yards by Aveion Cason. Punt returner Shaun McDonald had only five returns go for more than 10 yards.

On Nov. 21 in Buffalo, Nate Clements returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown. And in the must-win regular season finale against the Jets, Jerricho Cotchery almost turned the game around with a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the third quarter, though the Rams rallied to win in overtime.

The Rams have also lost another coach. Secondary coach Perry Fewell has left to coach the Chicago Bears' secondary. The move reunites Fewell with Bears coach Lovie Smith, who was the Rams' defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2003.

Fewell, 42, joined the Rams in 2003 after spending the previous five seasons coaching defensive backs in Jacksonville.

The Rams also announced the signing of nine players: WR Mike Furrey, RB Arlen Harris, LB Drew Wahlroos, TE Mike Brake, WR Michael Coleman, RB Dusty McGrorty, QB Russ Michna, OT Matt Morgan and LB Tony Newson. All are believed to be one-year deals.