Improving special will guarantee us a win or two next year...

[bothsocksup]

Look at a team like Rutgers who single handedly beat us because they destroyed us on special teams. Ya have to think becoming a dynamic special teams unit next year will provide a huge boost to the team and put us in a position to win at 1 more game next year. I hope Doug makes this a point of emphasis for the year to come, and puts just as much effort into becoming a great Special Teams squad as he will 'revamping' the offense.

 

[TexanMark]

Biggest disappointment this year...directly led to the Rutgers loss and almost Tulane loss.

This was a disaster as soon as I heard the Committee approach.

 

[bothsocksup]

We used to be a powerhouse on ST too, now we cant get any pressure without a penalty, and we havent returned a punt in 6 years

 

[Alsacs]

I can't remember SU blocking a punt since Anthony Smith in 2004 against SUNY-Buffalo. Our special teams are AWFUL AND have been so since Coach P left. Hire a damn SP coach put the defensive starters on special teams. Attempt to return punts Mike Holmes did a decent job last year but besides him we haven't done crap on punt returners with Ryan Howard and Steven Rene. We need to clean up special teams coaches like Coughlin and Belichick treat special teams like the 1/3 of the game they are and put their best personal out there. I know we don't have depth, but we can't afford to lose special teams EVERY game like we did this year except the WVU game.

 

[OrangeMuskyFish]

We used to be a powerhouse on ST too, now we cant get any pressure without a penalty, and we havent returned a punt in 6 years

Definitely an area where the coaches failed. Wilkes doesn't go after that punt in the endzone, and I think we win that game. The rest of the season, we don't really go after any, yet still can't set up blockers... There's at least three examples of things that should never happen, in this one small example of our ST play.

 

[Pyle]

DM treats special teams like all NFL coaches, just put some bodies out there and don't let anyone get hurt.

What we need is a Frank Beamer approach, that ST can overcome deficiencies on both offense and defense when they completely dominate the other team's unit.

 

[VaSaltine]

Look at a team like Rutgers who single handedly beat us because they destroyed us on special teams. Ya have to think becoming a dynamic special teams unit next year will provide a huge boost to the team and put us in a position to win at 1 more game next year. I hope Doug makes this a point of emphasis for the year to come, and puts just as much effort into becoming a great Special Teams squad as he will 'revamping' the offense.

This is a very accurate statement. At least one more win is a conservative estimate.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I have a hard time saying any one variable guarantees more wins, but I agree that we'll be in much better position to compete with a significant improvement in special teams play.

 

[007]

From the Frank Beamer school of thought, play your best players on special teams. When P did this, SU had excellent ST play.