Why our Special teams scare me more than our Offense

[orangepassion]

Special teams is 95% coaching and we were dominated there this year and we can't blame injuries for that (unlike Offense).

• Coverage-Besides the several TD returns we allowed, we were saved from several others from generous calls. The scary thing is that on some of these long returns (like against BC), we weren't even close to touching the returner, forget about tackling him. The last return for a TD, the returner didn't make any great moves-just went right up the middle of the field.

• Returns-I didn't look it up, but i'm willing to bet that we had more penalties than good returns this year and by good returns I'm just referring to returning a Kickoff to the 35 yard line or more. Furthermore, even when we get penalties, we still don't get a good return out of it (unlike opposing teams have). Generally, the best case scenario for our returns has been a touchback and when that's the best you can hope for, it ain't good.

• K,P-Our scholarship Kickers were awful-We are lucky that our walkons stepped up, though it doesn't say much for the staff ability to judge talent that our scholies were so bad.

I used to hope for us to have good special teams-Now I just hope for mediocre Special Teams.

 

[Crusty]

They certainly don't scare any of our opponents.

 

[anomander]

I agree. Special teams is such a huge part of the game I don't understand how all these schools don't have a coach that just coaches ST's. We have been so bad, for so long on specials, I think we could gain an advantage if we got a ST coach, and put the best athletes out there.

 

[OburgOrange]

I agree. Special teams is such a huge part of the game I don't understand how all these schools don't have a coach that just coaches ST's. We have been so bad, for so long on specials, I think we could gain an advantage if we got a ST coach, and put the best athletes out there.

Don't ya know, nobody has a dedicated ST coach, therefore, neither do we!! :bang:

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The special teams issues and the issues on offense feed each other.

Also, you forgot a major special teams issue - punting from the opponents 30 yard line, punting in the opponents territory with manageable distance down scores, really any time we could have gone for it on 4th but punted because our head coach would rather watch his defense play.

 

[Chip]

Whose line is it that it's 95% coaching?

I think it's a lot more about players.

Look at Beamerball. It hasn't fallen apart because they forgot how to coach it.

 

[orangepassion]

Whose line is it that it's 95% coaching?

I think it's a lot more about players.

Look at Beamerball. It hasn't fallen apart because they forgot how to coach it.

Then how come Rutgers always have great Special teams? They surely don't have the best athletes in D-1. Why did Pitt and BC dominate is in Special teams the last 2 weeks? is their talent that much better, if better at all?

 

[SUFan44]

Then how come Rutgers always have great Special teams? They surely don't have the best athletes in D-1. Why did Pitt and BC dominate is in Special teams the last 2 weeks? is their talent that much better, if better at all?

Yes. Their talent is that much better.

Whether we like to admit it or not, Rutgers has better skill position players than we do. They just do. Watch one of their games.

 

[Scooch]

No offense, but this is an terribly lazy post.

95%?

Haven't looked it up?

Geez, man, make an effort next time.

 

[orangepassion]

Yes. Their talent is that much better.

Whether we like to admit it or not, Rutgers has better skill position players than we do. They just do. Watch one of their games.

Better than almost all of Division 1?

 

[orangepassion]

No offense, but this is an terribly lazy post.

95%?

Haven't looked it up?

Geez, man, make an effort next time.

?

 

[PhatOrange]

I think specials tend to be weak because that's where we play all of our true freshman and backups.

They should analyze the heyday when our specials were good and they'll see we played regulars on these units.

I'd rather have had dyshawn, lynch and franklin on kick coverage than jon Thomas, vigille and bennet. If a kid isn't good enough to see the field during regular snaps then maybe he shouldn't be on specials.

Returning kicks we have zero athletes who can take it the distance. That's a talent issue.

 

[Millhouse]

Special teams is 95% coaching and we were dominated there this year and we can't blame injuries for that (unlike Offense).

• Coverage-Besides the several TD returns we allowed, we were saved from several others from generous calls. The scary thing is that on some of these long returns (like against BC), we weren't even close to touching the returner, forget about tackling him. The last return for a TD, the returner didn't make any great moves-just went right up the middle of the field.

• Returns-I didn't look it up, but i'm willing to bet that we had more penalties than good returns this year and by good returns I'm just referring to returning a Kickoff to the 35 yard line or more. Furthermore, even when we get penalties, we still don't get a good return out of it (unlike opposing teams have). Generally, the best case scenario for our returns has been a touchback and when that's the best you can hope for, it ain't good.

• K,P-Our scholarship Kickers were awful-We are lucky that our walkons stepped up, though it doesn't say much for the staff ability to judge talent that our scholies were so bad.

I used to hope for us to have good special teams-Now I just hope for mediocre Special Teams.

one way to reduce the importance of the kicking game is to kick less.

unfortunately we've only mastered the art of reducing kickoffs.

 

[PhatOrange]

one way to reduce the importance of the kicking game is to kick less.

unfortunately we've only mastered the art of reducing kickoffs.

which in turn reduces the other teams ability to score on us. maybe thats part of the master plan.