Kickoff returns

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

I like everyone else was upset with what I “ thought “ I saw with the kickoffs Against uga. Well I guess my eyes deceived me. Out of 10 kickoffs by AU, 6 were returned for and average of 25.3 yards per return. Which by the way is equivalent to where we wold start if we kicked it through the end zone for a TB. We did have one go 42 so five actually had worse starting position than a TB would have .

[steeleagle 2,945]

2 minutes ago, Eagle Eye 7 said:

I like Ken everyone else was upset with what I “ thought “ I saw with the kickoffs Against uga. Well I guess my eyes deceived me. Out of 10 kickoffs by AU, 6 were returned for and average of 25.3 yards per return. Which by the way is equivalent to where we wold start if we kicked it through the end zone for a TB. We did have one go 42 so five actually had worse starting position than a TB would have .

I was there, and there is more to it than looking at the final stat for your summary.

There were on many of the GA kick returns where the KR was so close to breaking it longer or all the way.

When i've watched enough football one can tell when your kickoff and punt return teams are not filling the holes and lanes right. There is never enough traffic and wedge breakers down there for AU to disrupt the returner.

I'm not an xs and o's man, but I know their personnel or scheme is not strong. It has holes it. That is why they kept returning kicks even though it was in the endzone. They knew he could possibly break one and tried every time he could.

statistically we are in the bottom half of the league. Not good IMO.

 

[AUGoo 2,659]

Try Last in the country!!

[AU64 10,122]

It's a problem no doubt and not likely that coaches have ignored it...its been ten games now.    So in my view at least the pooch is a reasonable option with a guy like Carlson who pretty much can put it where he wants to and let him find some TE as the target.    

Until we have a better return game I'm good with sometimes giving up an extra couple yards versus a touchback.  

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

1 hour ago, AUGoo said:

Try Last in the country!!

Coverage (defense), we are dead last.

Kickoff return we are #31 through the Georgia game.

119 of 129 on punt coverage.

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/96

[Eagle Eye 7 2,535]

2 hours ago, steeleagle said:

I was there, and there is more to it than looking at the final stat for your summary.

There were on many of the GA kick returns where the KR was so close to breaking it longer or all the way.

When i've watched enough football one can tell when your kickoff and punt return teams are not filling the holes and lanes right. There is never enough traffic and wedge breakers down there for AU to disrupt the returner.

I'm not an xs and o's man, but I know their personnel or scheme is not strong. It has holes it. That is why they kept returning kicks even though it was in the endzone. They knew he could possibly break one and tried every time he could.

statistically we are in the bottom half of the league. Not good IMO.

 

I didn’t say there wasn’t a problem. I said the outcome worked out to be equal field position as if he had kicked everything through the end zone. As I have mentioned before I think we grew accustomed to DC putting it through the end zone that our fielding went soft. To be accurate we gave up a  42 on the first one but then got some stops including one inside the twenty. Actually getting them to run it out increases the chance of a penalty on the return team giving them really poor field position. I think sometimes we worry to much about the little things.

[AU80cruiser 1,102]

The pooch kick is/was only a band-aid for a problem we need to fix with personnel and/or coaching or it will cost us a win......again.

 

Edited**  I wanted to add that it was a nice adjustment by the coaching staff to get us through the one game.

[Auburn2Eugene 2,317]

It isn't just kick return defense. We are no where near as dominant as we use to be on kickoffs. I get scared every time we kick off and it isn't through the end zone. Same goes with punting. 

Our special teams as a whole aren't very special this season. Legatron has saved us from disaster simply because he can kick it out of the endzone. If 90% of our kicks were returned and not touchbacks, we wouldn't be in the position we are in to end this season. 

Also I don't know if it's Roberts, or the complete lack of blocking, but we use to be dynamic returning punts and kickoffs. Now almost every time Roberts goes back, it's him not returning punts. He fair catches almost every single time. 

I don't know if it's cause we are playing young kids on special teams, or what... either way it's coaching... like I said starting this comment, our special teams aren't very special.

[AU64 10,122]

Guess I don't care if we fair catch punts all day...just don't drop them...and AU has been solid there.  We saw what can happen when UGa gave us a TD on Saturday trying to return one.

[Strychnine 1,802]

2 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Guess I don't care if we fair catch punts all day...just don't drop them...and AU has been solid there.  We saw what can happen when UGa gave us a TD on Saturday trying to return one.

 

I will second that.  I would rather fair catch or get of the way of every punt, than make a mistake and put the opposing offense right back on the field in the red zone.  Being pinned inside the 10, or even the 5  does not make me think automatic three and out like it did under Tuberville.

[AU64 10,122]

1 minute ago, Strychnine said:

 

I will second that.  I would rather fair catch or get of the way of every punt, than make a mistake and put the opposing offense right back on the field in the red zone.  Being pinned inside the 10, or even the 5  does not make me think automatic three and out like it did under Tuberville.

Not to mention that some ungodly percent of punt returns  end up with a blocking penalty of some kind that wipes out the gain.

[Strychnine 1,802]

4 minutes ago, AU64 said:

Not to mention that some ungodly percent of punt returns  end up with a blocking penalty of some kind that wipes out the gain.

 

I remember a string of games I watched in the 2000's.  The teams and exact years are lost to memory, but I do remember it seemed like every noteworthy kickoff or punt return was called back.

I will admit that I am concerned with whatever is making opponents want to field kickoffs caught in the end zone, but I suspect that either gets fixed, or Auburn pooch kicks everything.  Either of those work for me if they prove effective.  Touchback puts them on the 25, and if the pooch averages the same, I can live with it.  On punts, I have no problem with sacrificing field position for hang time if it means the opponent fair catches everything, or makes a mistake with a risky return that results in a fumble.  I would prefer every kickoff fly through the endzone, and every punt downed inside the 5.  If I cannot have that, then give me the best alternatives.

My expectations for special teams are simple:  do not do anything to lose the game.

[AU64 10,122]

9 hours ago, Strychnine said:

 

 my expectations for special teams are simple:  do not do anything to lose the game.

this ^^^

And that is still a work in progress.

[Mikey 16,545]

14 hours ago, PowerOfDixieland said:

Coverage (defense), we are dead last.

Kickoff return we are #31 through the Georgia game.

119 of 129 on punt coverage.

http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/96

Scott Fountain was doing a creditable job as special teams coach at AU. For some unknown reason he was let go at the end of last season and it took UGA all of 24 hours to hire him to the same position on their staff. I wonder if we could get him back?

[AU64 10,122]

4 hours ago, Mikey said:

Scott Fountain was doing a creditable job as special teams coach at AU. For some unknown reason he was let go at the end of last season and it took UGA all of 24 hours to hire him to the same position on their staff. I wonder if we could get him back?

"some unknown reason".....that is the problem ....most of the time....there was a "reason"...but nobody wants to say.  But there should be someone else out there who could step up our ST results.

[Mikey 16,545]

53 minutes ago, AU64 said:

"some unknown reason".....that is the problem ....most of the time....there was a "reason"...but nobody wants to say.  But there should be someone else out there who could step up our ST results.

I'm thinking the reason Fountain was let go can't be anything scandalous. If it was, K. Smart at UGA wuoldn't have been so quick to snap him up.

Whoever is doing it now is clearly not the answer. AU has too many good athletes to be dead, solid last in the entire NCAA in kickoff coverage and the other special team areas ain't that great either. When, before this season, has Carlson had a kick blocked? It could have happened but I don't remember it. As many here will testify, I'm really, really slow to criticize a coach but this special team play is indefensible.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

Fountain was not great with special teams and was less great with tight ends and fullbacks.  I was of the opinion that he was the weakest link at the time and was all for him moving on.  Horton is the guy now...he doesn't need to go any where but he obviously needs help.  

[AU64 10,122]

18 minutes ago, Mikey said:

I'm thinking the reason Fountain was let go can't be anything scandalous. If it was, K. Smart at UGA wuoldn't have been so quick to snap him up.

Whoever is doing it now is clearly not the answer. AU has too many good athletes to be dead, solid last in the entire NCAA in kickoff coverage and the other special team areas ain't that great either. When, before this season, has Carlson had a kick blocked? It could have happened but I don't remember it. As many here will testify, I'm really, really slow to criticize a coach but this special team play is indefensible.

Reason? ....could have been something personal.....a personality issue or whatever....not thinking anything scandalous but bunch of alpha males working together don't always see eye to eye. 

But you are right....two blocked FGs in one game.....no excuse for that except guys maybe get complacent.

As noted however, something to work on now....and for next year ...that's certain. 

[triangletiger 1,599]

IIRC, when Gus was asked awhile back about what he would do if/when the NCAA change the rules to allow a 10th assistant coach, he said he would hire a special teams coach.

 

I would love to have Jay Boulware back.

[Linayus 676]

3 hours ago, Mikey said:

When, before this season, has Carlson had a kick blocked? It could have happened but I don't remember it.

Against Vandy last season. Still think it should've been flagged as he jumped over the entire line to do it. But it wasn't our fault - dude just really got up and over to make a play. lol

[gr82b4au 5,568]

On 11/13/2017 at 3:17 PM, AUGoo said:

Try Last in the country!!

this. I think they showed during this game that we are last in the country. We need a MAJOR overhaul in this area over the next 2 weeks or it could cost is the game... AGAIN (LSU). 

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

6 hours ago, Mikey said:

When, before this season, has Carlson had a kick blocked? It could have happened but I don't remember it. 

2015 against aTm.

[TAYLORKEETON 785]

3 minutes ago, PowerOfDixieland said:

2015 against aTm.

This had to be 2016. We played at their house in 15.

[PowerOfDixieland 3,225]

Just now, TAYLORKEETON said:

This had to be 2016. We played at their house in 15.

Home blue unis.....not '15 but '14.  He's been here forever.

[aufan57 922]

1 minute ago, TAYLORKEETON said:

This had to be 2016. We played at their house in 15.

Has to be 2014. Blackson was playing. Braden Smith #91. Number he wore as a freshmen when playing TE on the unbalanced line.