Punt return. Brilliant or stupid?

[Ggodd002]

I still can’t wrap my head around Michigan st punt return.   Media reports it was a trick play that fooled Nebraska.   I have never been on a punt team but I find it hard that the entire tram goes to the wrong guy.  Shouldn’t they know where the ball is supposed to go?  How can one team trick another by 30 yards.   The 2 returners where nowhere close to each other.    Please explain!

[funhusker]

Frost said after the game that the punter kicked to the wrong sideline.  Huskers knew there was two returners, he kicked it to the wrong one.

[Packerhuskerfan]

Maybe it just tricked the punter by having two guys out there?  If Frost was just the head coach instead of also the play caller that is one of those areas before they go on to the field that he could cross his t's and dot his i's and make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do, particularly with switching back and forth with punters.  It basically looked like a short punt straight to him.

[Hedley Lamarr]

1 minute ago, Packerhuskerfan said:

Maybe it just tricked the punter by having two guys out there?  If Frost was just the head coach instead of also the play caller that is one of those areas before they go on to the field that he could cross his T's and dot his I's and make sure everyone knows what they are supposed to do, particularly with switching back and forth with punters.  It basically looked like a short punt straight to him.

It was supposed to be a punt right and the punter decided to go left with the rest of the team heading right. Just another example of poor execution and communication. So exactly what we have expected for the last 4 years

[CyHawk]

If you watch back the video (it is on youtube), the Michigan State punt returner on the right side of the field did an awesome job of luring the Nebraska players to continue to run towards the right side of the field. The non-catching receiver looked up in the air and acted like he was going to catch the ball. If he would have looked down, or started running to the left side of the field to start blocking, there never would have been a return. The guy without the ball never touched anybody, but was well coached enough to do exactly what he was told to do and made the play. Yes, it was a bad punt, but he really made the play.

That is the tiny difference between well coached and not. I have been a Scott Frost fan since he got here, but he is well over his head. If you watch his post game pressers on youtube they all say the exact same thing. He is a good guy, maybe even a great guy, but he has lost any respect that he may have had. 

I am not trying to stir the pot, just wanted to really point out the well coached non catching punt returner that executed perfectly. 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

If the punter just punts right it doesn't matter that Michigan State has two punt returners on the field. None of the "trickery" matters if the punter does his job.

 

 

[Undone]

Brilliant or stupid? Is this even a question?

 

We punted to the side of the field where we didn't have coverage. So...the answer is "stupid." We also punted a ball 7 yards earlier in the night. Also stupid.

[hskrfan4life]

What's worse the 7 yard punt or that horrible onside against Ohio State?

[Savage Husker]

22 minutes ago, hskrfan4life said:

What's worse the 7 yard punt or that horrible onside against Ohio State?

That onside was a perfectly timed call too. 

[Dogs In A Pile]

2 hours ago, Hedley Lamarr said:

It was supposed to be a punt right and the punter decided to go left with the rest of the team heading right. Just another example of poor execution and communication. So exactly what we have expected for the last 4 years

 

I looked to me like he stumbled and about fell down while punting the ball so I don't think he just decided to kick the ball to the left side. An execution failure just like the 7 yard punt earlier in the game.

[Hedley Lamarr]

1 minute ago, Dogs In A Pile said:

 

I looked to me like he stumbled and about fell down while punting the ball so I don't think he just decided to kick the ball to the left side. An execution failure just like the 7 yard punt earlier in the game.

That's what i meant. I know he didn't purposely kick left haha he just couldn't execute what was asked of him. 

[commando]

it was brilliantly stupid

[Stumpy1]

Why not just punt the ball down the middle of the field and make MSU decide on who was going to return it.  Just because they came out with 2 returners doesn't mean we have to punt to one or the other. 

[ColoradoHusk]

1 minute ago, Stumpy1 said:

Why not just punt the ball down the middle of the field and make MSU decide on who was going to return it.  Just because they came out with 2 returners doesn't mean we have to punt to one or the other. 

Punting down the middle of the field is one of the worst things you can do as a punter. That just gives the returner too much room on the return. Punting to one side wasn't the bad decision. But, having continued lack of execution at the most important times of the game is a sign of bad coaching. 

[BoNeyard]

Frost and Co had seen it before.