Punt Returns

[Goal-line]

If Rex is the guy, then so be it. I don't understand why the staff keeps running the same 3 fumblers out week after week (Abdullah, Marlowe, Turner). Just get someone to catch the ball. A lost fumble is much more disadvantageous than a good return is advantageous.

Turner has never muffed a punt. He dropped a meaningless ball on the sideline, but he was out of bounds when it happened last week. Other than that he has done fine.

Ameer dropped the ball because the wind was ridiculous today and its not excuseable but it was hard to catch the ball. And for those asking for two returners, there were two returners on the punt where Ameer fumbled.

He should have caught the ball. He had it right in is hands/body. I think he just took his eye off of the ball for a slit second. They all need to look the ball into their hands. The way we drop punts is ridiculous.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Didnt we have 2 guys back deep on Ameer's fumble? They said there was on the radio anyways. Turner and Ameer?

 

[Mavric]

Didnt we have 2 guys back deep on Ameer's fumble? They said there was on the radio anyways. Turner and Ameer?

Yes, we were using two back at least part of the time - probably when they were punting into the wind.

I'll give AA a little slack today because it had to be crazy trying to judge the flight of the ball in that wind. But I vote for Rex (and have for the last couple weeks).

 

[I am I]

I don't think we have to resort to the Santino Panico method Callahan used of just getting a good pair of hands back there. A good return threat is a very valuable weapon, and even a good catcher is going to have a screw up every now and then. I know the thinking is "just don't fumble the ball and our offense will do the rest", but it's not out of the realm of possibility that we will go against a D that will shut our O down. In situations like that a dynamite returner is HUGE. Just ask the Chicago Bears about how important PR/KR Devin Hester has been to them. If we just put our return threats back there when we're in a tough game, then they won't be as experienced which will increase the chance of a fumble or muff.

Sorry I disagree that punt returns are valuable. In big boy football a 10 yd return is "good". Not that huge of a difference, especially when we seem to have some bad joo-joo back there a fair catch and a no return policy is better than what we've had this yr.

why is Hester so valuable? Cuz he's the BEST. Most teams don't have that, so catch the damn ball or get the hell outa the way!!

I think a 2 man return would be good. A second man about 10 yds in front of the main guy. If its short, fair catch and save yds, if its long, block the 1st guy down and fair catch. If its returnable then a 7-12 yd return is good. Just get the ball.

 

[Mavric]

I don't think we have to resort to the Santino Panico method Callahan used of just getting a good pair of hands back there. A good return threat is a very valuable weapon, and even a good catcher is going to have a screw up every now and then. I know the thinking is "just don't fumble the ball and our offense will do the rest", but it's not out of the realm of possibility that we will go against a D that will shut our O down. In situations like that a dynamite returner is HUGE. Just ask the Chicago Bears about how important PR/KR Devin Hester has been to them. If we just put our return threats back there when we're in a tough game, then they won't be as experienced which will increase the chance of a fumble or muff.

Sorry I disagree that punt returns are valuable. In big boy football a 10 yd return is "good". Not that huge of a difference, especially when we seem to have some bad joo-joo back there a fair catch and a no return policy is better than what we've had this yr.

why is Hester so valuable? Cuz he's the BEST. Most teams don't have that, so catch the damn ball or get the hell outa the way!!

I think a 2 man return would be good. A second man about 10 yds in front of the main guy. If its short, fair catch and save yds, if its long, block the 1st guy down and fair catch. If its returnable then a 7-12 yd return is good. Just get the ball.

I'd have to say both of you are somewhat right. A good punt return is valuable but the chances you get are few and far between against good teams. I'd agree that a 10 yard return is "good" but you can also lose yardage by letting it bounce and roll - see today's game for an extreme example. Most of the time, someone with great hands who will simply make a fair catch is better than taking a chance on a big return.

 

[I am I]

^^

right, and where we are--we cannot count on "good" returns. So just get a sure handed guy to catch the ball or get the hell outta tjere

 

[3rd and long]

If I'm remembering correctly (which is a big ? most of the time), didn't Rex drop fumble a punt return a year or two ago? It just shows it really can happen to anyone, and right now I think it's mental with some of these guys. They're concentrating so hard on not dropping it that that is in fact what they do. For the golfers out there, it's similar to being over the ball and saying to yourself "don't hit it in the water", invariably, that is right where it heads. But we have to find someone who can simply catch it, just running away from the ball and letting it bounce has cost us a bunch of yardage this year, the majority of punts need to be fielded.

We were talking about this yesterday and it seems kind of stupid to say it out loud, but one guy who has shown really good hands this year is Ben Cotton, just to simply catch the ball. It's also made me wish we hadn't redshirted Westercamp, he seems like he would be perfect for the role, ala Swift from a few years ago.

 

[ladyhawke]

If Rex is the guy, then so be it. I don't understand why the staff keeps running the same 3 fumblers out week after week (Abdullah, Marlowe, Turner). Just get someone to catch the ball. A lost fumble is much more disadvantageous than a good return is advantageous.

Turner has never muffed a punt. He dropped a meaningless ball on the sideline, but he was out of bounds when it happened last week. Other than that he has done fine.

Ameer dropped the ball because the wind was ridiculous today and its not excuseable but it was hard to catch the ball. And for those asking for two returners, there were two returners on the punt where Ameer fumbled.

He should have caught the ball. He had it right in is hands/body. I think he just took his eye off of the ball for a slit second. They all need to look the ball into their hands. The way we drop punts is ridiculous.

Someone on the radio said they thought Ameer caught the sun in his eyes. The conditions were brutal. He had been doing well in fielding the ball. No one feels as badly about the fumble as he did. I feel sorry for the guy.

 

[Husker_x]

I can't even watch the punt returns anymore. It's like a ten second spasm of cardiac arrest.

Right now if you're Bo you have to think that even attempting to field punts is a liability. We're as likely to muff the punt as gain any yardage. There's really no point in continuing to try. This offseason our #1 area of concentration outside of finding replacement D-tackles should be completely retooling special teams. We're just flat terrible in that department, and with all this athleticism there has to be one guy who can catch a ball without dropping it and maybe even gain a yard--or perhaps, though it sounds crazy looking at recent performances, score some points.

 

[Warrior]

Nobody Back send all that you can to try and block the kick.. If you rough the punter the other team still only net 15 yards..