Special teams.....

[Hooked on Huskers]

Here's a fairly shocking stat in regards to to punt return unit.

In 12 games we had 23 punt returns for a grand total of 70! yards. That's a 1.9 yard average per punt and less than 6 yards per game. That puts us at 123rd out of 125 teams which is just plain embarrassing.

http://www.cfbstats....y04/sort01.html

Notice Whistlebritches's stats link. Georgia was only two slots ahead of Huskers. Yipee!

 

[I am I]

When MSU ran the fake they did, we got outcoached BY A MILE.

Of all the fakes you can run, you turn your hands guy free to run up the middle?

You know why? Because they saw it on tape time after time that WE DO NOT SEND ANY PRESSURE off the edge to force any action if a bobbled snap, fake, potential block, hurried kick affect, etc.

Actually, the coaches actually anticipated a fake and left the starting defense on the field. Problem was, that left us in good position to defend most fakes - run wide or a pass - but left us vulnerable to a run up the middle because we didn't have as many linemen as they did. We actually might have been better off with our FG unit because there likely wouldn't have been a hole there. But then they could have run a different fake as well.

I think we did what we thought we should to watch for a fake. Just didn't work out.

This doesn't add up. I was on my college teams FG unit for 4 yrs. Whether it was "safe", "regular", or "block", we all had assignments and knew what to do given any situation. Even when our D was left on the field in "safe" mode, we committed guys to "push" up front and "squeeze" on the edge. Simply to foce an issue or in case of bad snap or something, we'd at least have a guy there.

However, we never ever "force" an issue. Look at the pic from above--we have 9 guys all playing the fake, but still.....none of them, even ONE, is forcing any type of action by the punter.

We got outcoached in that call by MSU, period. They knew we were vulnerable and that's why they ran that particular play. Not a pass. Not a pitch, not an option or play action. A fake kick-up-the-gut-run agaisnt our "no-press" special teams.

Every play in college needs to be forced, or else it's weak. Look at our stats and film and tell me any different. Period.

 

[I am I]

Yeah, I was thinking that same thing Moiraine. Kinda a really weird punt fake protection scheme going on there. That could've easily been a TD for Penn State if they had a fake option pass drawn in there.

EXACTLY!!!

At least ONE of our guys should be forcing the punter do something. Hurry him a bit at least.

We have crappy ST teams play.

 

[swmohusker]

This is hilarious.

They're worried about fakes but anyone watching this can see that any one of those 6 guys who didn't line up as an OL could have turned around and become a wide open receiver.

- 3 personal protector so we send 4 guys to account for the 4 gaps.

- No one is an open wide receiver. All those guys on psu are ineligble besides the end two on the line of scrimmage. Those 2 are being covered.

- Dont understand why our DL cant at least hold up the T, G, Snapper, G, T.

- Our punt return team a lot of work in the off season. We are definitely defending the fake.

Our special teams are coached very conservatively. That is not surprising given that we have a defensive head coach. Defensive head coaches tend to play to get off the field and play it safe. Offensive head coaches are worried about creating good field positions for themselves and trying to create a scoring opportunity. I have coached under offensive and defensive minded head coaches and they have all leaned that way in terms of philosophy.

 

[zoogs]

Wow, good information there. Thanks, I didn't know about the eligibility stuff.

 

[swmohusker]

Wow, good information there. Thanks, I didn't know about the eligibility stuff.

No prob bud. Thats what we here for. People helping people.