OWH | Pelini hopes 1-on-1 drills leads to stronger returns (Special Teams)

[zoogs]

OWH | Pelini hopes new 1-on-1 drills lead to stronger returns

LINCOLN — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini hopes a new series of drills that isolate positions within a punt return unit will help the Huskers strengthen a major weakness on special teams.

He’s spent time evaluating the punt return unit, which was responsible for two lost fumbles and set a school record for fewest yards per return (3.04) last season.

Taking feedback and advice from outside the program, the coach has his Huskers conducting a separate one-on-one drill for positions across the punt return unit so far this spring. Each Husker has taken part in the drills, aside from returners, linemen and quarterbacks. And the coaches — particularly Pelini — are teaching basic principles to players, while building an archive of practice film they’ll eventually use to fill a depth chart.

Good to see

 

[Mavric]

Love it. The more competition the better. Especially when it in one of our biggest areas of need.

 

[Mavric]

Part of the reason was Pelini’s preference to guard against the fake punt, often preferring to leave 10 members of his first-team defense on the field for the fourth-down kick (instead of the actual punt return unit). Most of the time, those defenders let opposing players sprint by them after the snap.
There are ways to be more aggressive with that “punt safe” unit, Pelini said. He’s considering changes.

“That’s part of having an attitude of how you go about punt safe,” he said. “There are times, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been cautious in some of my approaches there.”

Didn't really notice this during the season but that would definitely explain a lot of it. Not only playing it safe but having guys who really didn't work on punt return. Not that it makes it any better but at least it makes more sense.

 

[Landlord]

Part of the reason was Pelini’s preference to guard against the fake punt, often preferring to leave 10 members of his first-team defense on the field for the fourth-down kick (instead of the actual punt return unit). Most of the time, those defenders let opposing players sprint by them after the snap.
There are ways to be more aggressive with that “punt safe” unit, Pelini said. He’s considering changes.

“That’s part of having an attitude of how you go about punt safe,” he said. “There are times, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been cautious in some of my approaches there.”

Didn't really notice this during the season but that would definitely explain a lot of it. Not only playing it safe but having guys who really didn't work on punt return. Not that it makes it any better but at least it makes more sense.

Who would have thought that there actually was a legitimate explanation for this and that our coaches weren't, in fact, teaching their players to purposefully fail to block their man and let them run downfield.

 

[True2tRA]

Part of the reason was Pelini’s preference to guard against the fake punt, often preferring to leave 10 members of his first-team defense on the field for the fourth-down kick (instead of the actual punt return unit). Most of the time, those defenders let opposing players sprint by them after the snap.
There are ways to be more aggressive with that “punt safe” unit, Pelini said. He’s considering changes.

“That’s part of having an attitude of how you go about punt safe,” he said. “There are times, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been cautious in some of my approaches there.”

Didn't really notice this during the season but that would definitely explain a lot of it. Not only playing it safe but having guys who really didn't work on punt return. Not that it makes it any better but at least it makes more sense.

Who would have thought that there actually was a legitimate explanation for this and that our coaches weren't, in fact, teaching their players to purposefully fail to block their man and let them run downfield.

Sounds like it may not have been much of a focus at all.

 

[Treand3]

If the punt return unit could slow down gunners a even a little bit, the punt return game could way better.

 

[beanman]

Part of the reason was Pelini’s preference to guard against the fake punt, often preferring to leave 10 members of his first-team defense on the field for the fourth-down kick (instead of the actual punt return unit). Most of the time, those defenders let opposing players sprint by them after the snap.
There are ways to be more aggressive with that “punt safe” unit, Pelini said. He’s considering changes.

“That’s part of having an attitude of how you go about punt safe,” he said. “There are times, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been cautious in some of my approaches there.”

Didn't really notice this during the season but that would definitely explain a lot of it. Not only playing it safe but having guys who really didn't work on punt return. Not that it makes it any better but at least it makes more sense.

Who would have thought that there actually was a legitimate explanation for this and that our coaches weren't, in fact, teaching their players to purposefully fail to block their man and let them run downfield.

Sounds like it may not have been much of a focus at all.

Yeah, and apparently that's acceptable to some...

 

[lo country]

Part of the reason was Pelini’s preference to guard against the fake punt, often preferring to leave 10 members of his first-team defense on the field for the fourth-down kick (instead of the actual punt return unit). Most of the time, those defenders let opposing players sprint by them after the snap.
There are ways to be more aggressive with that “punt safe” unit, Pelini said. He’s considering changes.

“That’s part of having an attitude of how you go about punt safe,” he said. “There are times, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been cautious in some of my approaches there.”

Didn't really notice this during the season but that would definitely explain a lot of it. Not only playing it safe but having guys who really didn't work on punt return. Not that it makes it any better but at least it makes more sense.

Who would have thought that there actually was a legitimate explanation for this and that our coaches weren't, in fact, teaching their players to purposefully fail to block their man and let them run downfield.

Sounds like it may not have been much of a focus at all.

Yeah, and apparently that's acceptable to some...

Kind of sad it took 6 years to realize we needed to work on it...... At least he finally realized that improving this could possibly get us an additional win or 2.

 

[Mavric]

Kind of sad it took 6 years to realize we needed to work on it...... At least he finally realized that improving this could possibly get us an additional win or 2.

That was a totally new PR scheme last year that failed miserably. We were #17 in the country in PR in 2010.

 

[jsneb83]

Part of the reason was Pelini’s preference to guard against the fake punt, often preferring to leave 10 members of his first-team defense on the field for the fourth-down kick (instead of the actual punt return unit). Most of the time, those defenders let opposing players sprint by them after the snap.
There are ways to be more aggressive with that “punt safe” unit, Pelini said. He’s considering changes.

“That’s part of having an attitude of how you go about punt safe,” he said. “There are times, I’ve got to admit, I’ve been cautious in some of my approaches there.”

Didn't really notice this during the season but that would definitely explain a lot of it. Not only playing it safe but having guys who really didn't work on punt return. Not that it makes it any better but at least it makes more sense.

Who would have thought that there actually was a legitimate explanation for this and that our coaches weren't, in fact, teaching their players to purposefully fail to block their man and let them run downfield.

Sounds like it may not have been much of a focus at all.

Yeah, and apparently that's acceptable to some...

Yeah because everyone likes seeing their gunners run down the field untouched and getting to the returner before the ball does. I have not seen one person say that is acceptable. Nice try though.

 

[beanman]

Why couldn't they recognize the problem during the season?

 

[sd'sker]

Who would have thought that there actually was a legitimate explanation for this and that our coaches weren't, in fact, teaching their players to purposefully fail to block their man and let them run downfield.

sounds like that is exactly what the coaches were teaching them to do as a trade off for not allowing a fake punt. so there was a reason for it, which some suspected there was not. but how good of a reason it was is up for debate.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Even with this approach, the perception of the return unit wouldnt be nearly as bad if we had guys back there with a solid knack for fielding punts, i.e. not muffing and not fair catching inside the 5 and not fumbling when they do return.

 

[Blackshirt96]

Until we have players drop back to block I don't think it will matter. Last year it looked like we were playing the fake every time. No one went after the ball & no one dropped back to block everyone just kinda watched the kicker kick it to the PR.

 

[Landlord]

sounds like that is exactly what the coaches were teaching them to do as a trade off for not allowing a fake punt. so there was a reason for it, which some suspected there was not. but how good of a reason it was is up for debate.

Right. I was just pointing out there was an actual, calculated reason for it.

Kind of sad it took 6 years to realize we needed to work on it...... At least he finally realized that improving this could possibly get us an additional win or 2.

Have you been watching Nebraska football for the last six years?