Re: Is it true that GA TECH doesn\'t except playmakers?
GT Ace, to have playmakers, they must be given the freedom to take chances and play within their talents. As far as I can fathom, our DC does not give our defensive backs the freedom to play the receivers tight and does not assign a DB to the runner out of the backfield.
We have been killed all year with the short passes. These are the passes that are normally intercepted and run back for TDs. The DC has generally had our DBs playing soft, and that places the interceptions out of range.
I will cede the point that the pass defense has tightened up in the past two games on the short passes and has looked better. But to be a big play team, the better athletes have to be given the freedom to make their own judgement calls on interception attempts.
The reason we do not return kick-offs for TDs is the philosophy of the coach in charge of the kick-off returners.
The kick-off returners should be the absolutely fastest players on the squad, even if they are a fourth string substitute. Speed is the basic reason for kick-off returns, plus a little knowledge of finding the right area of the field to return the ball.
A runner with 4.2 speed has an advantage of only one second on a tackler with 5.2 speed. Now, it is common knowledge the tacklers are some of the speediest players from the other team sent downfield as fast as they can to bottle up the runner.
If a kick-off returner delays his return by as much as a second for stutter stepping or side stepping, he has allowed a tackler with 5.2 speed to catch up with him. In fact, he has allowed a bunch of slower players to catch up to him and bottle him up.
If the fastest players on the team are placed as kick-off returners, will catch the ball, take a quick scan of the field as he is originating his burst of speed, head in a direct line of sight to the best opening he sees, does not stutter step period, sidesteps only at full speed, and sustains his fastest speed without slowing an iota, he has the best chance of taking it all the way.
There are so many things that enhance this philosophy. The oncoming tacklers may be blocked, may run into each other, may trip, may not be able to catch up to the speedy runner, may even lose the runner for an instant.
There are a few runners great at eluding tacklers with the stutter or sidestep, but they are rare. Most punt returns are made with speed and a little luck.
If I had a kick-off returner insisting on stutter stepping or sidestepping on the kickoff, he would be sitting on the bench. It is somewhat different for a punt returner, he is generally more effective with the sidestep or stutter, because he has no chance to build up any speed. His first instinct is to elude the oncoming tacklers.
Make a mental note on every kick-off you see in person or on the TV and watch how quick the defense catches up with the kick-off returner when he stutter steps or side steps. Most of the time, he is gang tackled.
GTLaker, the only problem I have with a Jonathan Smith, first string WR, or first string back, returning kick-offs is the chance of injury.
I believe there are generally several extremely fast individuals on every team that are not first string because of other deficiencies. These are the players I would use to return kick-offs. With proper training, they could become adept at it and would provide extra moral support teamwise rather than sitting on a bench.
Of course, that is my take on these couple of situations.
