Fo Fiddy

[The Dude]

I agree we should be getting more return on a $450,000 investment, but the confirmation bias is in overdrive.

 

Of course we're not going to set up a return when we're fielding it at the 10.

[jsneb83]

It get it if you want to argue that on a short field it is a judgement call based on philosophy as to whether you play for a return or play against the fake, but what about this one?

 

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Yeah I was surprised DPE didn't return that one. Yeah, there wasn't any blocking, but the defenders were about 10 yards away so he still could have gotten something of a return with the possibility of breaking a tackle and busting it loose

[zoogs]

Ya, I just don't get it. It's like Read thinks fake punts happen 90% of the time

They might happen 90% of the time if they're not covered. Think back to Lightbourn's fake (not atypical) where the punter has that option and he runs it if he sees the defense isn't watching for it.

 

Once they make sure the kick has happened, the coverage team is far downfield already. They're not going to be chased down from behind and shoved in the back. If the kick doesn't go out of bounds or into the endzone, it's the PR's job to fair catch.

 

A fair catch isn't an uncommon result for a punt, is it? Especially against decent punters who get good hangtime. I think other times where you have them pinned deep and they're going to try a line drive just to get some distance on it, you have a better chance of fielding the kick early enough to get a return set up. But every good return I've ever seen involves the PR making a few good moves and bursting up field past the first wave. It's not like the punt defense is there man-on-man blocking everybody as he catches the ball.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

 

It get it if you want to argue that on a short field it is a judgement call based on philosophy as to whether you play for a return or play against the fake, but what about this one?

 

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Yeah I was surprised DPE didn't return that one. Yeah, there wasn't any blocking, but the defenders were about 10 yards away so he still could have gotten something of a return with the possibility of breaking a tackle and busting it loose

You want DPE to try to return with 6 NW players around and no blockers? No f-ing way!

[Thanks_Tom RR]

I agree we should be getting more return on a $450,000 investment, but the confirmation bias is in overdrive.

 

Of course we're not going to set up a return when we're fielding it at the 10.

I agree. It is personal philosophy if you return or faircatch on a short field, but not to block at all? And what about when they are punting from the NW 30? Why not block at least 1 of the 6 NW players so your All-American Jet Award winner can try to return a punt? The philosophy behind that thinking is so hard to understand. If someone with special team's coaching experience or expertise wants to try to explain it, I think everyone would be interested to learn something.

[Moiraine]

 

Ya, I just don't get it. It's like Read thinks fake punts happen 90% of the time

They might happen 90% of the time if they're not covered. Think back to Lightbourn's fake (not atypical) where the punter has that option and he runs it if he sees the defense isn't watching for it.

 

Once they make sure the kick has happened, the coverage team is far downfield already. They're not going to be chased down from behind and shoved in the back. If the kick doesn't go out of bounds or into the endzone, it's the PR's job to fair catch.

 

A fair catch isn't an uncommon result for a punt, is it? Especially against decent punters who get good hangtime. I think other times where you have them pinned deep and they're going to try a line drive just to get some distance on it, you have a better chance of fielding the kick early enough to get a return set up. But every good return I've ever seen involves the PR making a few good moves and bursting up field past the first wave. It's not like the punt defense is there man-on-man blocking everybody as he catches the ball.

 

 

 

 

You are making way too many excuses for this. DPE is a potential weapon who is being wasted.

[zoogs]

So when people were posting these images and saying they don't understand but wanted to, did they really want to?

 

Most punts fielded around the 10 yard line are not returned. Or is that wrong? I'm not all that knowledgeable, either, so please correct me if this is mistaken.

 

DPE suffered a gruesome injury last year. He's very clearly been easing back into the game, and had some pretty bad nerves up to his big return last game. The season is four games young. He'll have plenty of returns by the time it's all said and done, if he continues working his way back into it.

[QMany]

It's not just punts fielded at the 10.

[Hayseed]

 

 

Made this for everyone to look at. This is a question for anyone who coaches or truly knows special teams, what is the goal in our punt coverage? Why release every Northwestern gunner and allow them to swarm our punt returner? Truly baffling.

 

Link

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I'll start by saying that I think Fo Fiddy needs to be fired or at least not taking up a coaching spot. Having said that, I heard that the Huskers were worried about NW faking a(some) punt(s) to try to stay in the game.

 

Fo Fiddy does get credit for his guys being ready for the fake FG.

 

This is not a one game thing. This has occurred in every game this season, during most punts to Nebraska, with the exception of the big DPE return against Oregon and a few others. This is a carryover from last year's special teams punt return scheme. It is a philosophy deal with FoFiddy, and I would like to know why. You put your punt returner on an island nearly every time and ask him to make a clutch catch or seriously risk losing it. Furthermore, you have a Jet Award winner returning your punts and you are icing him on purpose. It is just unfathomable to me.

 

Well, you won me over. I agree...it's just plain stupid. Like having DB's cover with the back of their head.

 

Edit: And if they're concerned about DPE, then we have other qualified guys like Morgan and Westy....and I'm sure a bunch of others.

[Thanks_Tom RR]

So when people were posting these images and saying they don't understand but wanted to, did they really want to?

 

Most punts fielded around the 10 yard line are not returned. Or is that wrong? I'm not all that knowledgeable, either, so please correct me if this is mistaken.

 

DPE suffered a gruesome injury last year. He's very clearly been easing back into the game, and had some pretty bad nerves up to his big return last game. The season is four games young. He'll have plenty of returns by the time it's all said and done, if he continues working his way back into it.

Yes, I do. It is one thing to say, as a fan, this coach or phase of the game is holding back the team, but I prefer to know if what I see is right or not.

[In the Deed the Glory]

More concerning that the punt returns is the fact that on multiple occasions this year we have put a ST unit on the field that didn't have enough players. That is frustrating. Yesterday we had two #15 on the field at the same time. That is basic organizational stuff that HS coaches don't miss. Two second half timeouts used for ST gaffes is reason for dismissal.

[Moiraine]

So when people were posting these images and saying they don't understand but wanted to, did they really want to?

 

Most punts fielded around the 10 yard line are not returned. Or is that wrong? I'm not all that knowledgeable, either, so please correct me if this is mistaken.

 

DPE suffered a gruesome injury last year. He's very clearly been easing back into the game, and had some pretty bad nerves up to his big return last game. The season is four games young. He'll have plenty of returns by the time it's all said and done, if he continues working his way back into it.

Yes he suffered a gruesome injury. Is it a good idea to have 6 of the opposing team's players running full speed at him, increasing the chance that he'll fumble the ball and get injured in the dogpile? Is it that hard to ask that we block a few of those guys? I just am not seeing any reason at all to block NONE of them and also NOT try to block the kick. I've seen no explanation for that.

[zoogs]

For clarity, I don't really know if it's worth it to have a full-time STs coach if he isn't a great recruiter. You only get so many spots and recruiting is a tough job.

 

I also don't think Read got this far in his career not knowing how to set up a punt return. There could be a million reasons to play it safe, whether it's with our own personnel, the situation in the game or on the field, or an opponent that likes to call fakes the way Northwestern did on a FG yesterday. It could be a 50-50 call to play it that way or "Oh my goodness, this is our only option right now." I don't know which one it is.

 

It's just that presumably, there are at least sane reasons they're choosing to do certain things. It wasn't a great day for that unit, but it hardly seems a disaster. Stopped one fake, allowed 1 return on 5 punts (for 5 yards). KOs weren't the best, although our kicks seemed short and shallow as well. I guess I'm not really in a fire anybody kind of mood this season. I'm sure if Read is offering nothing to the staff that Riley will move on in the end. The nature of special teams is kind of that it's hard to see value at a glance, though. It's a mostly ignored phase of the game and we bristle so much at Read's contract that anything less than nationally headlining play seems to invite scrutiny.

 

Is it a good idea to have 6 of the opposing team's players running full speed at him, increasing the chance that he'll fumble the ball and get injured in the dogpile? Is it that hard to ask that we block a few of those guys? I just am not seeing any reason at all to block NONE of them and also NOT try to block the kick. I've seen no explanation for that.

1) He either gets out of the way and lets the kick go (a common result for punts reaching that area of the field or so), or he makes a comfortable fair catch. He did the latter.

2) To give them a look that prevents any fake options being taken, right? Go ahead and try a coffin corner. Seems like an acceptable playcall, on that particular occasion.

 

If, by the way, DPE had fumbled another one, are we asking why we're calling for returns and not fair catches to be set up given that this 450K ST coordinator should know his guy is still building into it? Or if he should know that this is a tight game where we don't need to be risking any more bad miscues, instead letting the offense do their work? I don't know. The Dude mentioned confirmation bias. And I think that's getting to be a thing. We're not really interested in Special Teams, not that much. But we are on board with the Fo'Fiddy chant. It's going to come out at some point in every game this year, from some corner.

[huKSer]

This is getting to be very Poncho Sanchez (?) esque, except Nebraska is paying a lot of money to a ST coach and the returner is 1000x better than Mr. Fair Catch

 

Thanks Callahan

 

 

Or we can be entertained while we watch fair catches

 

[Moiraine]

For clarity, I don't really know if it's worth it to have a full-time STs coach if he isn't a great recruiter. You only get so many spots and recruiting is a tough job.

 

I also don't think Read got this far in his career not knowing how to set up a punt return. There could be a million reasons to play it safe, whether it's with our own personnel, the situation in the game or on the field, or an opponent that likes to call fakes the way Northwestern did on a FG yesterday. It could be a 50-50 call to play it that way or "Oh my goodness, this is our only option right now." I don't know which one it is.

 

It's just that presumably, there are at least sane reasons they're choosing to do certain things. It wasn't a great day for that unit, but it hardly seems a disaster. Stopped one fake, allowed 1 return on 5 punts (for 5 yards). KOs weren't the best, although our kicks seemed short and shallow as well. I guess I'm not really in a fire anybody kind of mood this season. I'm sure if Read is offering nothing to the staff that Riley will move on in the end. The nature of special teams is kind of that it's hard to see value at a glance, though. It's a mostly ignored phase of the game and we bristle so much at Read's contract that anything less than nationally headlining play seems to invite scrutiny.

 

Is it a good idea to have 6 of the opposing team's players running full speed at him, increasing the chance that he'll fumble the ball and get injured in the dogpile? Is it that hard to ask that we block a few of those guys? I just am not seeing any reason at all to block NONE of them and also NOT try to block the kick. I've seen no explanation for that.

1) He either gets out of the way and lets the kick go (a common result for punts reaching that area of the field or so), or he makes a comfortable fair catch. He did the latter.

2) To give them a look that prevents any fake options being taken, right? Go ahead and try a coffin corner. Seems like an acceptable playcall, on that particular occasion.

 

If, by the way, DPE had fumbled another one, are we asking why we're calling for returns and not fair catches to be set up given that this 450K ST coordinator should know his guy is still building into it? Or if he should know that this is a tight game where we don't need to be risking any more bad miscues, instead letting the offense do their work? I don't know. The Dude mentioned confirmation bias. And I think that's getting to be a thing. We're not really interested in Special Teams, not that much. But we are on board with the Fo'Fiddy chant. It's going to come out at some point in every game this year, from some corner.

 

 

I can't agree that we aren't interested Special Teams when we have DPE and we've seen a very strong glimpse that he's still got it. I thought the complaints were nonsense last year (just like lots against Mike Riley) but now that it's happened 2 years in a row I don't think things will improve.