James Vollono (ST coordinator)

[JoeSU]

I question why VillarI ( hurt with not great hands), Diggs ( not a hands guy), and Barnes (2 nd game ever) are on the hands team. That’s a spot where you want hands and experience. Anyone see who else was out there? I’d expect OG, Peña, Meeks, Haynes, etc plus some blockers To be out there.

That's exactly what I was wondering! I think OG may have been in on the play, but Villari is not a hands guy. We have a bevy of RBs and WRs who should have been up there to fall on the ball.
Any while we're at it, be sure to instruct the deep man to fair catch the ball in the event the opposing kicker decides to kick-away (with no blockers in front of him). At that point of the game, having possession is 9/10ths of the desired outcome.

 

[baggerbob]

That's exactly what I was wondering! I think OG may have been in on the play, but Villari is not a hands guy. We have a bevy of RBs and WRs who should have been up there to fall on the ball.
Any while we're at it, be sure to instruct the deep man to fair catch the ball in the event the opposing kicker decides to kick-away (with no blockers in front of him). At that point of the game, having possession is 9/10ths of the desired outcome.

That's why James should have been back and Pena up front.

 

[JRHEETER]

Special teams was scary today.

Hate that every week we have a concern

Here’s to the Stanford game and hoping we put it all together

 

[cusefan88]

Special teams was scary today.

Hate that every week we have a concern

Here’s to the Stanford game and hoping we put it all together

I know they put a lot of starters on ST. Maybe it's time to find some dedicated backups and really drill in with practice time?

 

[AngryOtto]

My only complaint about Fran yesterday is that he should have called a time out on the on side kick. Team was clearly out of sort’s getting into position. Diggs and Villari made no sense on the hands team.
Fran did take responsibility which is refreshing.

 

[ECE '76]

I’d ask for his keys tomorrow morning. At this level you can’t have that stuff going on. It was a disgrace.

I was surprised that of all of Dino's staff, Fran was keeping Bob Ligashesky, who was not anything special IMO. Then Ligashesky bolted for Minnesota. It seemed like Fran went economy mode for the replacement, a boisterous choice who had dozens of people call Fran on his behalf. Lots of talk from this guy, action not so good.

Fran was stand up guy yesterday taking the blame for the on-sides kick coaching, but Vollono is clearly in over his head. We can do better and must do better.

As for the hands team, obviously there's LaQuint and the previous staff thought Justin Barron had the best hands on the team and had him as the PK holder.

Last time our STs were well coached was Justin Lustig, IMHO. But that ship has sailed...

Justin Lustig Joins Penn State Coaching Staff

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Football head coach James Franklin has named Justin Lustig as the team's new special teams coordinator, outside linebackers and nickels coach. Lustig spent the previous three seasons at Vanderbilt.

gopsusports.com

Bob Ligashesky - Football Coach - University of Minnesota Athletics

Bob Ligashesky was named University of Minnesota Special Teams Coordinator in January 2024. Ligasheksy comes to Minnesota with nearly 40 years of coaching ex...

gophersports.com

 

[ECE '76]

I think this board has a problem with overrating the feel good story, Villari couldn’t cut it at UM as a QB ofc, comes here moves to TE and had the whole wildcat thing last year out of complete necessity, he’s a willing blocker and I think that’s the best thing you could say about him. People on this board were talking like he was a game changing player this off season, and that was just never the case. He’s a willing blocker who will put his body on the line for a win any given saturday, average at very best ball player however.

His game vs Clemson last year was a bold revelation (go back and look at it). But he was out of sync yesterday, as he was as a QB in the spring game in '22. Fran will let the cream rise to the top as the season plays out, and the best players will be playing (case in point Berry Buxton).

 

[sufandu]

The receiving team can go after it the second it's kicked, the kicking has to wait 10 yards, #7 just stood there and watched the ball, he obviously was not coached properly

Yes, but if the ball bounces off a guy on the recieving team, now it's fair game. And in the chaos of that play, that's always a possibility. If you can see the ball isn't going to go 10 yards, leave it alone and they have no chance at it. Situational awareness.

 

[sufandu]

I question why VillarI ( hurt with not great hands), Diggs ( not a hands guy), and Barnes (2 nd game ever) are on the hands team. That’s a spot where you want hands and experience. Anyone see who else was out there? I’d expect OG, Peña, Meeks, Haynes, etc plus some blockers To be out there.

You have to be careful how many small guys are up on the hands unit. The kicking team is looking to crush whoever is up to try to jar the ball loose. Was Allen out there? It seems like he'd be a good option.

 

[Cusefan69]

Yeah correction and adjustments are needed and we have two weeks for some focus. Those saying he should be fired need to lighten up. Some of you are starting to sound like FSU fans. Fire a Special teams coach week 2.

 

[bigmike]

As far as Pena as return man… at this point I think he’s too valuable on O. After watching him get smacked on the punt return early I thought do we really need this guy back there on PR’s?

Always afraid of a cheap shot in a chippy game. Seems like there is Always a meathead out there willing to have a go. Why risk it?

 

[upperdeck]

I question why VillarI ( hurt with not great hands), Diggs ( not a hands guy), and Barnes (2 nd game ever) are on the hands team. That’s a spot where you want hands and experience. Anyone see who else was out there? I’d expect OG, Peña, Meeks, Haynes, etc plus some blockers To be out there.

Diggs is a TE playing D. not sure hands are his issue

 

[djorange1989]

Special teams was scary today.

Hate that every week we have a concern

Here’s to the Stanford game and hoping we put it all together

It’s only been two weeks, they fixed the run D and ST will get better. Not too sure Brady will get better with FGs, however, he just isn’t that good

 

[AngryOtto]

It’s only been two weeks, they fixed the run D and ST will get better. Not too sure Brady will get better with FGs, however, he just isn’t that good

Agree. Maybe the kicker that transferred in will get some run and Denenburg focus on kick offs.

 

[Cuseregular]

I know they put a lot of starters on ST. Maybe it's time to find some dedicated backups and really drill in with practice time?

As someone who actually had to deal with this situation (one coaching staff keeping us starters off special teams to save energy for regular play, vs a different staff putting a lot of us on special teams), I absolutely hated playing specials,

Really detracted from the energy towards and in second halves I could give to my main responsibilities. Other than hands team, Not a fan of it. There’s enough good players on the roster to let them at it.

 

[ECE '76]

Agree. Maybe the kicker that transferred in will get some run and Denenburg focus on kick offs.

In the past, Denaburg was consistently good at kick offs. He can kick with power. But field goal kicking requires accuracy, kicking at different angles, and timing with the snap and hold. I never felt like he really mastered this. He's great for kick offs. Hopefully, the the grad transfer from Cornell, Jackson Kennedy (2nd team All Ivy), is being given a fair consideration for kicking FGs.

 

[ArchDuke]

Doesn't Schiano typically have good special teams? I guess I'd make an exception if Fran wanted to hire him as...Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, to help out Vollono.

 

[sufandu]

As someone who actually had to deal with this situation (one coaching staff keeping us starters off special teams to save energy for regular play, vs a different staff putting a lot of us on special teams), I absolutely hated playing specials,

Really detracted from the energy towards and in second halves I could give to my main responsibilities. Other than hands team, Not a fan of it. There’s enough good players on the roster to let them at it.

I remember when Bulluck asked off kick coverage junior or senior year because he said he needed the energy for defense. We need to find the JR Johnsons and David Tyrees.

 

[DomeHolmes]

Villari could be most overrated player on this board since the Joe Donnelly days. Donnelly was a cross between Kellen Winslow and Mike Ditka if you were on the board back then

Not so sure about that. He was only targeted twice yesterday and both passes were two of the few McCord did not put on the money. he caught one of them. he is playing behind a potential first team all American so not getting much burn. We’ve had lots of TEs recently that we will never know how good they could’ve been because they never got the ball. I think if we can get him the ball in space he will be a weapon but as long as he’s behind Gadsden, he will not get many chances.

 

[ClkWrkOrange]

Not so sure about that. He was only targeted twice yesterday and both passes were two of the few McCord did not put on the money. he caught one of them. he is playing behind a potential first team all American so not getting much burn. We’ve had lots of TEs recently that we will never know how good they could’ve been because they never got the ball. I think if we can get him the ball in space he will be a weapon but as long as he’s behind Gadsden, he will not get many chances.

Actually, he dropped two extremely catchable balls before catching the third.

 

[sufandu]

Actually, he dropped two extremely catchable balls before catching the third.

I thought one was a tough grab, he needed to dive for it rather than try to stay on his feet so he could run after the catch. The second needed to be caught. Hit him square in the hands. He took a good hit, but if he can catch and tuck quickly, he has a nice gain there.

 

[bnoro]

One of my coworkers was a specialist under Vollono as a prior stop. When we hired him a few months ago we were talking about SU football and he mentioned it, and kinda gave me that "yikes" face without any additional context. Didn't love that reaction and now I know why...

That being said if we did move on after this season, there is a VERY capable SU alum coaching special teams in the Ivy League.

 

[SmilinBob]

I didn't notice anyone mention the kickoff out of bounds.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Special teams was scary today.

Hate that every week we have a concern

Here’s to the Stanford game and hoping we put it all together

It's 2 games

 

[OrangeXtreme]

I didn't notice anyone mention the kickoff out of bounds.

I'm pretty sure Denaburg wasn't ordered to kick the ball out of bounds.

He just whiffed.

All of his kickoffs reached the endzone except for one which landed short, and the out of bounds one.