Punt blocking/coverage

G

godd2

Five-Star Recruit
I need someone to explain to me how a punt defense works....

I have noticed that our players that get to the blockers in front of the punter pretty much just

stop and push the blockers alittle. i understand they may be setting up the return, but it seems to

me if the opposing player is on their a$$ they can't tackle...god forbid that actually hitting those

blockers may cause them to go backwards and disrupt the kicker....

i guess to me every time there is a punt, someone should try to block it...if nothing else try to

make the punter nervous so they shank it...

somebody explain to me the concept of setting up the punt return...even when we do, they still have

gunners on the punt returner before we can block them all...doesnt make sense..

 
Theres a lot of risk when trying to block it. Running into the kicker, and having those extra guys not rushing the punt can account for any fake that might be called.

 
The reason we have two/three guys run up to the punt protection unit and stop is to guard against the fake. We got burned on a fake earlier this year, and we aren't about to let it happen again.

The reason the gunners get downfield all the time is that you can't hold them. Any skilled player is going to get away from a guy who can only bump into you nine times out of ten, and gunners are typically pretty talented.

 
i realize we have to rush some to guard against the fake..my contention is that those guys should

actually try to get a push on those blockers and not just shake hands with them...hell even jump up

and try to get a hand on the kick...something....

 
But with Niles Paul back to return the punt (and I dont care what anyone says he is dangerous as a return man) he has a chance not only to get us good field position but maybe a special teams touchdown. Plus Bo is like Coach Saban, play the field position game.

 
I like they way they are doing it. Because I think it was the iowa state games last year where everybody just turned around and they faked the punt and took of running. On that play not one person was looking at the punter.

 
Also, we had 2-3 guys back there a lot, because they let us through to go down and cover the returner. Coverage teams call 'max protect' or 'coverage block' in the huddle.

If a team thinks we aren't going to try and block it, they call for better coverage down field. If they think we are going to come after it, they call max protect.

 
I have a separate question? Isn't it legal for the return man to throw a block if the ball is heading toward the endzone to prevent someone from downing it before then?

 
knapplc said:
The reason we have two/three guys run up to the punt protection unit and stop is to guard against the fake. We got burned on a fake earlier this year, and we aren't about to let it happen again.

The reason the gunners get downfield all the time is that you can't hold them. Any skilled player is going to get away from a guy who can only bump into you nine times out of ten, and gunners are typically pretty talented.
Click to expand...
West can't. I don't know how many times I've seen him get knocked on his behind, and if he does get down there he runs right in front of the returner and loses contain. I remember one punt where both gunners got down there and I was thinking, good he's either gonna call fair catch or get tackled right away. But what happens, West loses contain by over-running him, and the returner gets 10-15 yards.

 
I've always assumed that the reason the players rushing the punter (and his blockers) don't push through with much intensity is that the penalties for hitting a kicker while he's kicking/punting are severe, and since the whole point of letting the other team punt is so that your team gets the ball... a penalty giving them a first down kinda defeats that purpose. So it's almost not worth the risk, your team is gonna get the ball anyway, concentrate on getting as much of a good return as you can.

At least that's always been my thought about the subject, not sure if it's correct or not.

 
irafreak said:
I have a separate question? Isn't it legal for the return man to throw a block if the ball is heading toward the endzone to prevent someone from downing it before then?
Click to expand...
Yes it's legal, but apparently Nebraska does not teach it. I can see it being a risk sometimes because of the chance of a weird bounce hitting the returner in the back, but other times (those times Niles inexplicably lets the ball roll past him when the defenders are still 7 yards away) he should lay one on the first guy down

 
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