Punt Audibles

Scratchtown

Scratchtown

All-Conference
I have a question and i've seen this from multiple teams this year, and I noticed this a couple times again last night in the nebraska game.

WHY ON EARTH DOES THE PUNT TEAM LINE UP TO WHAT THE DEFENSE SHOWS?!?!?!?!

When our gunners are uncovered because the punt return team brings in their corners to help rush the punt, why don't we just throw it out to the gunners instead of bringing them back in for extra protection? THERE IS NOBODY COVERING THE GUNNER! he's got to be able to get 10-15 yards at minimum. Am i missing something or off base at all? please tell me if you know something that i'm missing here.

 
Good question. It could be the formation and if we are already "set" and can't shift out of it, a pass might cause an illegal formation call. Something about the number of people on the line of scrimmage. Who knows? I just watch wherever the ball goes when I watch football. Any refs out there?

 
Captain K said:
Good question. It could be the formation and if we are already "set" and can't shift out of it, a pass might cause an illegal formation call. Something about the number of people on the line of scrimmage. Who knows? I just watch wherever the ball goes when I watch football. Any refs out there?
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I don't really know if that should matter because the gunners would be the last guys on the line of scrimmage making them eligible for a reception. I would really like to talk to a coach about this, I coach at the junior high level and I don't see anything wrong with just whipping it out to the gunner if they are uncovered, in my opinion that should be automatic if uncovered, maybe thats why i coach at the JH level rather that Division 1 college ball. eh.... <_<

 
We were thinking the same thing on Saturday night. Just have to do that once and will keep the defense from keying in on the punt. We have not seen one fake punt/field goal all season. We definitely have it set up to take advantage of that at some point.

 
It can't be that simple can it? Surely Oklahoma would've considered that option or another team would've burned them on it already this season. I am curious to know what the guidelines are for formations and such on punts.

 
In the case of OU, their outside players were bouncing back and forth, like a LB faking a blitz - didn't know if they were or were not going to rush the punt

 
Its a big risk and a long throw for a punter to make. Also like the other poster said, there is a lot of faking that goes on with the blitzes.

 
Because you can't count on the upback or the punter 15 yards behind the LOS to throw a catchable pass before the defense runs someone out to cover. Remember the Cotton Bowl? We would have won that game if we hadn't audibled to a fake punt in our own territory. A lot more can go wrong than you might think watching on TV.

 
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Thank God! I thought I was the only one watching the game that saw this! 2 things.

1) If the gunners are lined up outside and the return team is setting up block, they do not have to come in to block. They can stay there and not have to risk a penalty.

2) If the punter can not manage to throw a ball fairly accurately 15 yards to a WIDE open gunner they should quit football and take up ballet. I could throw a football 15 yards and hit what I'm throwing at with my NON THROWING HAND. (full disclosure, it would look like a 5 year old girl threw it, but it would get there!)

I was screaming at the tv to throw it out to the gunner on the second punt in which OU lined up bringing pressure and our gunners came in. It's the return teams responsibility to cover the gunners on the outside. If they don't, make them pay.

 
gotchman said:
2) If the punter can not manage to throw a ball fairly accurately 15 yards to a WIDE open gunner they should quit football and take up ballet. I could throw a football 15 yards and hit what I'm throwing at with my NON THROWING HAND. (full disclosure, it would look like a 5 year old girl threw it, but it would get there!)
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You are making it seem a lot easier than it is. To throw a 10-yard pass downfield the punter (have you seen Henery's guns?) would have to throw the ball 25 yards, or 75 feet. Easy for a college QB but not necessarily anyone. Also, as stated already, the OU players on the edge are not necessarily going for the block. They might fake it and chase the gunner/receiver at the snap (remember these guys probably run 4.45 40s, so they can make up space quickly), at which point making a good pass becomes even harder for the punter.

 
our second time punting? wasnt it from like the 20 yard line?.. and i would say its a little longer than a 15 yard pass.. the punter is about 15 yards back, and the gunners are another 15 yards outside the blockers.. so do all that math stuff with triangles and angels and Csquared stuff and its probably like 25 yard pass, for someone who probably has not thrown a pass in 4 years its probably a very hard pass..

anyways we punted it and we won!!!

 
I remember seeing our punt formations and thinking I'd be able to block them even with my blazing 5.0 speed.

At first it looked like we didn't have enough players out there and our up-backs appeared to be in way too tight.

Still don't know why OU didn't attempt to block it from the DE position. :dunno

 
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