Special teams.....

[admo]

When MSU ran the fake they did, we got outcoached BY A MILE.

Of all the fakes you can run, you turn your hands guy free to run up the middle?

 

You know why? Because they saw it on tape time after time that WE DO NOT SEND ANY PRESSURE off the edge to force any action if a bobbled snap, fake, potential block, hurried kick affect, etc.

 

They knew we simply sit back and expect the kick. So why not just run it up the middle?

It wasnt so surprising to me that

1) they faked it

2) they faked it the way they did

3) got it

 

Why do teams rugby punt? The punter waits a count, takes 3-4 steps to one side while his coverage descends, and punts a low line drive bouncing around inside the 10.

If we sent even ONE man to force action (not even block it, same as FG) we eliminate the time one has to kick or punt.

Simply outcoached on that front. And teams are/will exploit it.

Football is agame of inches and comes down to a few plays or a series almost every week against quality opponents. We are losing those inches and series consistently.

 

There, There, Shhhh. It's okay. Michigan State can't hurt us anymore. But on the bright side, you are right.

[admo]

From today's Lincoln paper quoting Ross Ells, the special teams coach "We've got a shot to get our offense the ball back. We're concerned about roughing the kicker. Are we willing to take that risk? Not right now....with the fakes and making sure we're not getting penalties, lets make sure we get the offense the ball back"

 

That quote maybe the most disturbing admission I've read yet about our philosophy. It is in sync with the " lets NOT blitz on 3rd and 19" theory we witnessed last Saturday...i.e....passivity rather than attacking.

 

Wow!

 

More than the turnovers, more than "failed execution, more than faulty schemes, more than game management,...............That ATTITUDE bothers me the most about this season.

well, we can let Ells go now..........anyone can coach this way...f'ing waste!

 

Wow. You and your constant anger get's a nice

[admo]

PS. Kick the dog for me

[BaytownHusker]

Our special teams are garbage. We don't try to block extra points, field goals or punts. Our Returners are terrible. looks like they run to contact instead of day light on the kick return. We give the oposing teams punters all day to punt. Just play terrible.

[Joe_5700]

The punt return rarely works because it's almost always 10 of theirs against 7 of ours.

 

We lazily rush 3 or 4 guys who have absolutely no intention of getting to the kicker. They contain in case of a fake but that's about it. The ball gets kicked, and those 3-4 'rushers' don't even bother trying to block the oppositions guys in any way. It's hard to tell from the TV but guessing by how many opposing team players are practically tripping over Westy as he is fielding the punt, it doesn't appear the gunners are getting blocked either. It's as if the only play the punt return team has is to try and catch the ball.

 

Isn't there someone on the team that can field punts besides a starting receiver? If I'm a 3rd or 4th db/safety that never sees the field I'd begging to field punts.

 

So true...

[kchusker_chris]

The punt return rarely works because it's almost always 10 of theirs against 7 of ours.

 

We lazily rush 3 or 4 guys who have absolutely no intention of getting to the kicker. They contain in case of a fake but that's about it. The ball gets kicked, and those 3-4 'rushers' don't even bother trying to block the oppositions guys in any way. It's hard to tell from the TV but guessing by how many opposing team players are practically tripping over Westy as he is fielding the punt, it doesn't appear the gunners are getting blocked either. It's as if the only play the punt return team has is to try and catch the ball.

 

Isn't there someone on the team that can field punts besides a starting receiver? If I'm a 3rd or 4th db/safety that never sees the field I'd begging to field punts.

 

So true...

so...what would make you think a 3rd or 4th string DB/Safety would have better hands than our starting receivers?

[Hunter94]

PS. Kick the dog for me

 

i love my dogs, they don't stink like Ells......seriously man, what does this guy bring to the table?

[kchusker_chris]

PS. Kick the dog for me

i love my dogs, they don't stink like Ells......seriously man, what does this guy bring to the table?

Seems like the positive changes in recruiting should be somewhat attributed to Els. LBers, STs and Recruiting Coordinator is likely too big a job for 1 person. He's got 6-7 young LBers that took their beatings early in the year. It's not like he's coaching a roster of veterans there during the week. I don't blame Els for the falloff in special teams, I blame Bo for not recognizing the burden these young line backers are going to put on the position coach this season.

 

And on punt returns...it's schematic issues...that can't be Els' call - that's coming from the top.

[Huskerfan1985]

The punt return rarely works because it's almost always 10 of theirs against 7 of ours.

 

We lazily rush 3 or 4 guys who have absolutely no intention of getting to the kicker. They contain in case of a fake but that's about it. The ball gets kicked, and those 3-4 'rushers' don't even bother trying to block the oppositions guys in any way. It's hard to tell from the TV but guessing by how many opposing team players are practically tripping over Westy as he is fielding the punt, it doesn't appear the gunners are getting blocked either. It's as if the only play the punt return team has is to try and catch the ball.

 

Isn't there someone on the team that can field punts besides a starting receiver? If I'm a 3rd or 4th db/safety that never sees the field I'd begging to field punts.

 

So true...

so...what would make you think a 3rd or 4th string DB/Safety would have better hands than our starting receivers?

true, but have you ever noticed how we have a proud tradition of simple not playing the punt well? For example, during Michigan when Newby inexplicably let the punt roll to the 1 or against MSU where Westercamp doesnt set up far enough back. Even on the fumbled punt they make everything look way too hard. we probably lead the nation in diving to catch punts. We should get an award for making fair catches as hard as possible.

 

Back to your point though, we need a specialist that actually practices and scouts punt returns whether is a db, or wr, or rb. there are plenty that wont be seeing the field.

[Landlord]

Only thing I really have to add in here is that actually aggressively going after punters in today's day of football is the exception, not the norm.

[zoogs]

If we're not going after the punter, we should be having pretty good blocking against the coverage, right?

[The Dude]

Saw something interesting on, I think, our first punt return against Michigan. We lined up in the, uh, "psycho", or "amoeba" formation, or whatever you wish to call it, and we actually went after the punt. Low and behold, Westerkamp had room for a 17-yard return. Which is astonishing because right after that the announcer mentioned we average 3 yards per return. Good for dead last in the nation.

 

Now, I'm not saying we should go after every punt, because it's risky. Someone can brush the punter and it changes the entire game. But there are moments when it's appropriate, and I like lining up in that, uh, formation on every punt return. It gives us more of an opportunity for a return if the opposing punt team doesn't know precisely who we're sending. They'll have to keep more in blocking instead of sending them after our returner.

 

Sorry if this has been covered already, I don't read threads.

[Redux]

Saw something interesting on, I think, our first punt return against Michigan. We lined up in the, uh, "psycho", or "amoeba" formation, or whatever you wish to call it, and we actually went after the punt. Low and behold, Westerkamp had room for a 17-yard return. Which is astonishing because right after that the announcer mentioned we average 3 yards per return. Good for dead last in the nation.

 

Now, I'm not saying we should go after every punt, because it's risky. Someone can brush the punter and it changes the entire game. But there are moments when it's appropriate, and I like lining up in that, uh, formation on every punt return. It gives us more of an opportunity for a return if the opposing punt team doesn't know precisely who we're sending. They'll have to keep more in blocking instead of sending them after our returner.

 

Sorry if this has been covered already, I don't read threads.

 

 

LMAO +1

[Count 'Bility]

If we're not going after the punter, we should be having pretty good blocking against the coverage, right?

Not necessarily. No pressure on the punter results in the punter reading this and taking all the time he can before kicking it allowing for the coverage to get downfield one way or another. Yes, even the punt game has been overtechnicalized. It's feast or famine one way or another.

 

No excuse for our troubles though. It's just flat out pitiful. I seen pop warner and midget football teams with more competent punt return teams than this.

[Mavric]

PS. Kick the dog for me

i love my dogs, they don't stink like Ells......seriously man, what does this guy bring to the table?

Seems like the positive changes in recruiting should be somewhat attributed to Els. LBers, STs and Recruiting Coordinator is likely too big a job for 1 person. He's got 6-7 young LBers that took their beatings early in the year. It's not like he's coaching a roster of veterans there during the week. I don't blame Els for the falloff in special teams, I blame Bo for not recognizing the burden these young line backers are going to put on the position coach this season.

 

And on punt returns...it's schematic issues...that can't be Els' call - that's coming from the top.

I agree with this. Sounds like Els does a nice job organizing and coordinating recruiting. Should probably give STCoord to someone else. Ron Brown perhaps? He'd at least bring energy....