New kickoff, touchback rule mean new strategies

[mrandyk]

This takes away a small advantage from NU. We were #7 in the nation in kick returns last year. link Probably would've been about the same this year. But we won't return near as many now, I'm guessing. On the other side, Maher is one of the best kickers in the nation--if not THE best. Routinely kicking it out of the back of the endzone. But with the extra five yards, most teams will have a kicker on their roster who can reach the back of the endzone.

Which is greater, the advantage of being 7th in kick return yardage, or the disadvantage of being 104th in kick return yardage allowed?

I don't know.

Ouch! I dunno. I had no idea our coverage unit sucked that bad last year.

That is why Maher's touchbacks were so important last year.

But hey, now he can kick them out every time and just give them the 25 yard line instead of letting them return it past the 25 yard line every time. Don't even need kick return coverage anymore.

 

[admo]

So touchback is 25, and out of bounds is still 40 right

 

[irafreak]

This could really have a negative impact on teams that play field position and defense. Think about how some of these teams like beamerball rely on solid field position and pinning the oppostition. Wonder if we might see some teams change their strategy and elect to kick in both halves (provided the first half ended with them having possession) in order to not give up field position early with a struggling offense...

 

[gamecocks]

So touchback is 25, and out of bounds is still 40 right

I believe the out of bounds kick is 30 yards from where it was kicked off from. So that would put it back to the 35, but I could be wrong on this.