How Much Special Teams for Ameer?

Mavric

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
But how much will Nebraska let him do? Will he return kicks? Will he try to block any punts this year? Abdullah isn't joking when he says he wants to do the latter.


"Will we use him week one? I don’t know," Husker coach Bo Pelini said of Abdullah's special teams role. "There are different things that we’ve been working on. He’s good at everything he does. He’s got great balance and great strength. And he competes. He wants to be out there and we’re going to use him."

This is where you get into the old discussion about whether you should put star players in harm's way returning kicks. You can go both ways with that. Yes, there's the potential injury aspect. But if you want to change the game with special teams, an area of the game that should never be undervalued, there's much to be said for putting the best players back deep regardless of whatever risk comes with it.

In the case of Abdullah, who once returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown against Fresno State as a freshman, no one on the roster looked as smooth as he did when coaches sent him back to return kicks during fall camp.
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LJS

 
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He looked good because he is a Heisman caliber athlete. Let a younger player find his way on the field. Abdullah has bigger fish to fry.

Edit: If we really have backups at HB willing and good enough to consistantly start drives in the backfield. Go ahead and let him return kicks. If he needs to be out there to start drives, he shouldn't return kicks.

 
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Sorry, but Ameer does not belong on the field for kick returns. Keep him healthy for carrying the rock and get some other young playmakers on the field for handling kicks. Surely we have enough guys with speed and hands that we don't need to put a guy of AA's caliber out for kicks. Plus, it just doesn't seem to jive with Bo's play it extremely safe in the special teams kicking game philosophy. Not that I like that philosophy but it sure doesn't make sense to blend that with also putting your top RB in harms way.

 
JJHusker1 said:
Sorry, but Ameer does not belong on the field for kick returns. Keep him healthy for carrying the rock and get some other young playmakers on the field for handling kicks. Surely we have enough guys with speed and hands that we don't need to put a guy of AA's caliber out for kicks. Plus, it just doesn't seem to jive with Bo's play it extremely safe in the special teams kicking game philosophy. Not that I like that philosophy but it sure doesn't make sense to blend that with also putting your top RB in harms way.
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I tend to agree with you. But when asked about it on the N'Side Nebraska show last week, Bo's response was something to the effect of "it's too important a part of the game to not have your best players out there." Now, it could easily be said it didn't seem too important last year - at least on punt returns - but it's hard to argue with that philosophy.

 
Returning kicks seems like a good fit for Terrell Newby. I'd love to see his speed back there. As far as blocking punts, if he has shown a knack for getting there in practice, let er rip!

 
Our punt returns were horrible last year. While the blocking scheme will make a big difference, I don't think we are at a point that we can throw out our reserves to fill special teams just to save our starters. Ameer could get injured just as easily in a number of scenarios. Let's not hide from the injury monster, it is a part of the game that you have to play through.

I wasn't alive but I have seen several highlights of a certain offensive start that also returned punts. Good thing Devany wasn't worried about little Johnny getting hurt on special teams. We may not have won a title in the 70s if he was.

 
Kenny Bell is our top receiver, and a senior, and I'd like to see him returning kickoffs with Abdullah right next to him.

Unless you can find someone 85% as good, it's too important not to put your best guys back there. Those same young back-ups can spell them in the backfield if they need a breather.

An injury can happen on any play. Or in any practice. So why wring your hands? Let your horses run.

It's also a nice gift to Bell and Abdullah, who may want to give NFL teams an added incentive.

 
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