question about punt returns

[auburngirl281345162833 0]

I was just curious if anyone knows why Demond Washington is only used on kickoff returns and not punt returns? It was just something I have been wondering. Sorry if this is a completely stupid question 

[bigbird 57,658]

I have no idea  ...certainly not a stupid question

[tigertrax 0]

or McCalleb for that matter.  i think its a good question!

[aufan57 922]

Had the same problem as everyone we tried as punt returner last season. Catching the ball.

[Ronald McDonald 0]

They had an open competition and Washington and McCalebb were both considered. Carr beat them out. The coaches are pleased with Carr's performance. Definitely better than last year.

[auburngirl281345162833 0]

I'm sure that the coaches have their reasons, and I'm sure they are good ones. I was just wondering if anyone knew what they are. Considering Washington's success, and well, Carr's lack thereof (to put it nicely.)

[Ronald McDonald 0]

He's muffed one punt all year? Yeah he chose not to field them against LSU but we got the ball back. I'm telling you this, if Washington or McCalebb were better then they'd be out there. Returning Kickoffs is a huge difference than returning punts.

[tigertrax 0]

I think we can do better than this....we have lots of skill players that are underutilized.  Emory Blake for one.  Ole Miss is No. 1 BTW.

1. Ole Miss  7 8 165 1 20.6

2. Arkansas  7 12 235 1 19.6

3. LSU  8 20 345 2 17.2

4. Alabama  8 17 228 0 13.4

5. Georgia  8 14 137 0 9.8

6. Miss. State  8 10 87 0 8.7

7. Kentucky  8 20 166 1 8.3

8. Florida  7 15 112 0 7.5

9. Vanderbilt  7 18 129 0 7.2

10. Auburn  8 15 102 0 6.8

11. Tennessee  7 9 45 0 5.0

12. S. Carolina  7 12 43 0 3.6

[Ronald McDonald 0]

We have a lot of skill players though. Who can truly say that one skill player deserves touches over another? Who is at practice that can judge who fields punts the best? Nobody here. Pretty sure we were dead last in that category last year.

Fact is: We have an unlimited amount of skill players and a limited amount of touches.

[auburngirl281345162833 0]

I just didn't think he had produced very well statistically on punt returns. Nothing against Carr at all. Like I said, I was just curious. Thanks for the replies and War Eagle.

[Ronald McDonald 0]

Haven't really been put in a position to have a chance to field a punt and gain positive yardage.. When a team has punted to us this year they have usually been punting from around 50 yard line. When you're forced to field a punt inside the 20, you can't do much.

[AUAeroEngineer 0]

The reason the punt returns were bad against lsu was because we were playing to defend the fake. If you noticed we didn't block nor try to block the punt, so basically it was Carr again 10 men running freely at him. I don't blame him for not fielding the punts. Other than the one muff he's done a pretty good job so far

[tigertrax 0]

i thought I heard that Carr was being told not to take any chances... and punt returns are definitely risk/reward  ....I miss trey smith.

[Ronald McDonald 0]

i thought I heard that Carr was being told not to take any chances... and punt returns are definitely risk/reward  ....I miss trey smith.

yeah i don't think fielding a punt in a difficult situation like we've been in all year would've had much reward. Much more risk than reward for sure. I'd rather have a ball at our own 1 than them having the ball at our 10 all day long.

[3rdgen 2]

The reason the punt returns were bad against lsu was because we were playing to defend the fake. If you noticed we didn't block nor try to block the punt, so basically it was Carr again 10 men running freely at him. I don't blame him for not fielding the punts. Other than the one muff he's done a pretty good job so far

This if you watch the replays you might see two auburn players and about 6-8 lsu players around the ball.  Carr did the right thing to get away from the ball and not make a mistake in a close game.  Also the Lsu punter had a great day the odds of him dropping all those inside the 10 was uncanny.

[tigertrax 0]

I think we can do better than this....we have lots of skill players that are underutilized.  Emory Blake for one.  Ole Miss is No. 1 BTW.

1. Ole Miss  7 8 165 1 20.6

2. Arkansas  7 12 235 1 19.6

3. LSU  8 20 345 2 17.2

4. Alabama  8 17 228 0 13.4

5. Georgia  8 14 137 0 9.8

6. Miss. State  8 10 87 0 8.7

7. Kentucky  8 20 166 1 8.3

8. Florida  7 15 112 0 7.5

9. Vanderbilt  7 18 129 0 7.2

10. Auburn  8 15 102 0 6.8

11. Tennessee  7 9 45 0 5.0

12. S. Carolina  7 12 43 0 3.6

The 6.8 yards above (10th place) is based on the 15 punts we have fielded.  not ones we run away from or go out on one.  he is being coached  to just fair catch if you ask me.

just saying....

[jsb29 0]

Just my uneducated guess, but I would say the reason Q. gets the punts and Washington gets the kickoffs is catching ability under pressure.  I could catch a kickoff, because usually there isn't much pressure, but I wouldn't be able to return it. On the other hand, I don't know how well I would do catching punts, with people coming at me......Yes I do, I would do terribly. 

  I guess what I'm trying to say is, maybe Washington is a better returner, but has questionable hands, so they put him in when the catches are easier, but more yards are expected.  Then, they put Q. in for punts, who maybe has better hands, where just wrapping up the ball is the most important part, but give up the better chance of a return in exchange.

[auburngirl281345162833 0]

Just my uneducated guess, but I would say the reason Q. gets the punts and Washington gets the kickoffs is catching ability under pressure.  I could catch a kickoff, because usually there isn't much pressure, but I wouldn't be able to return it. On the other hand, I don't know how well I would do catching punts, with people coming at me......Yes I do, I would do terribly. 

   I guess what I'm trying to say is, maybe Washington is a better returner, but has questionable hands, so they put him in when the catches are easier, but more yards are expected.  Then, they put Q. in for punts, who maybe has better hands, where just wrapping up the ball is the most important part, but give up the better chance of a return in exchange.

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

[NoALtiger 3,667]

We have punt returns?

[Ronald McDonald 0]

We have punt returns?

Not when the opposing punter keeps kicking sky divers inside our own 15 yard line because we struggle to get 3 and outs on Defense haha

[bwillaub 0]

We have punt returns?

Stole the words right out of my mouth. 

We faircatch punts??