Special Teams

We were dead last not just in our conference but IN THE NATION in kick off coverage and returns last year....something's got to give it we want to compete with FLA Int'l.

Wish I was kidding but goodness...ST's has held us back significantly over the past few years.

***On a side note - Durant Brooks is awesome and MJ killing people after a Brooks punt is something to see.
 
wesleyd21 said:
We were dead last not just in our conference but IN THE NATION in kick off coverage and returns last year....something's got to give it we want to compete with FLA Int'l.

Wish I was kidding but goodness...ST's has held us back significantly over the past few years.

***On a side note - Durant Brooks is awesome and MJ killing people after a Brooks punt is something to see.
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Actually we were 74th in kickoff returns last year.

http://www.goldsheet.com/cfootball_statistics.php

I don't think kickoff coverage would keep us from beating FL Int. or even UNC or Duke for that matter.

Yes, it is something that needs major work, but let's not over-exaggerate to the point of armageddon.
 
Overall, our return teams and kickoff coverages have been pretty bad the last couple of years but how many games can we directly attribute a loss to special teams? The only one that comes to mind is the NC State game where we missed 2 chip shot FGs but still had a chance to win it at the end (remember the CJ "drop" in the back of the endzone for an INT).
 
We need a better distance kicker, or our placekickers need to learn to kick further. That's the long and the short of it. We yell about coverage, but coverage is all about hangtime, and when we get zero hangtime and still only get the ball to the 10, they're going to return it to the 35. That's all there is to it.
 
The extra five yards on the kickoff will make coverage more critical for every team. We have to be much improved.
 
I have noticed on several occasions that Special Teams play seems to be directly correlated to total team depth. If you are deeper, you can afford to play more second string, and occasionally starting, players on Special Teams. With these improved recruiting classes, we should see improvement on Special Teams as well. Will we see it this year...I really can't say.
 
ContactBuzz said:
Overall, our return teams and kickoff coverages have been pretty bad the last couple of years but how many games can we directly attribute a loss to special teams? The only one that comes to mind is the NC State game where we missed 2 chip shot FGs but still had a chance to win it at the end (remember the CJ "drop" in the back of the endzone for an INT).
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Both ND and UGA had scoring drives set up by long returns against our special teams. Frustrating.

Backing up to the 30 for kickoffs this year just makes it more scary...I may not even watch those!
 
hiveredtech said:
Both ND and UGA had scoring drives set up by long returns against our special teams. Frustrating.

Backing up to the 30 for kickoffs this year just makes it more scary...I may not even watch those!
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I don't recall the ND play but I thought about the UGAg return when posting. While our special teams ultimately should take responsibility for poor coverage, the first guy in on the play was blocked from behind - he would've made the play otherwise.
 
77GTFan said:
The extra five yards on the kickoff will make coverage more critical for every team. We have to be much improved.
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The five yards should actually help Tech. Think of it this way: we almost never get touchbacks and our kickoffs would have the same result with five yards tacked on. Other teams, though, will have less touchbacks and we can have more opportunities for big returns.
 
ContactBuzz said:
I don't recall the ND play but I thought about the UGAg return when posting. While our special teams ultimately should take responsibility for poor coverage, the first guy in on the play was blocked from behind - he would've made the play otherwise.
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Just one of many of the screwjobs we have gotten in past years.
 
floridajacket said:
The five yards should actually help Tech. Think of it this way: we almost never get touchbacks and our kickoffs would have the same result with five yards tacked on. Other teams, though, will have less touchbacks and we can have more opportunities for big returns.
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Dang, you really are a jolly good fellow!! :D
 
beej67 said:
We need a better distance kicker, or our placekickers need to learn to kick further. That's the long and the short of it. We yell about coverage, but coverage is all about hangtime, and when we get zero hangtime and still only get the ball to the 10, they're going to return it to the 35. That's all there is to it.
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Yeah, we had two things working against us; not so great coverage teams, with weak legged kickers who made them look even worse. I think our biggest ST need is someone who can boot the ball.
 
floridajacket said:
The five yards should actually help Tech. Think of it this way: we almost never get touchbacks and our kickoffs would have the same result with five yards tacked on. Other teams, though, will have less touchbacks and we can have more opportunities for big returns.
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Agreed.
 
Special Teams are fundamentally part of a head coach's total package. This Head Coach does not have the anwsers in this segment. If not addressed it will have an effect all year....Special Teams are a state of mind
 
Fontana 52 said:
Special Teams are fundamentally part of a head coach's total package. This Head Coach does not have the anwsers in this segment. If not addressed it will have an effect all year....Special Teams are a state of mind
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In my opinion, the biggest ST need currently is for someone who can kick the ball on kickoffs. I think last year our punt kicking and coverage was adequate. Right now, our kicking is overexposing our coverage.

I couple of years ago, we tried to give a scholarship to a high school kicker; but he ended up at FSU. I don't think we have tried to use a scholarship since on a kicker, perhaps due to our scholarship limitations. Once we get back to full scholarships, maybe we will make another attempt to recruit a kicker. Maybe someone who follows our recruiting more closely can refute what I'm saying; but I would suspect reduced scholarships to hit us at fringe positions like ST players first.
 
aeromech said:
In my opinion, the biggest ST need currently is for someone who can kick the ball on kickoffs. I think last year our punt kicking and coverage was adequate. Right now, our kicking is overexposing our coverage.

I couple of years ago, we tried to give a scholarship to a high school kicker; but he ended up at FSU. I don't think we have tried to use a scholarship since on a kicker, perhaps due to our scholarship limitations. Once we get back to full scholarships, maybe we will make another attempt to recruit a kicker. Maybe someone who follows our recruiting more closely can refute what I'm saying; but I would suspect reduced scholarships to hit us at fringe positions like ST players first.
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Very reasonable assumption and most likely the cause of our ST problems. We were using freshmen, walkons and reserves on special teams. Surely there will be improvements this year, but I am more inclined to believe we are still a year away from the kind of ST performance we would like to see.
 
aeromech said:
I couple of years ago, we tried to give a scholarship to a high school kicker; but he ended up at FSU. I don't think we have tried to use a scholarship since on a kicker, perhaps due to our scholarship limitations. Once we get back to full scholarships, maybe we will make another attempt to recruit a kicker. .
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Didn't we give a full ride to Kyle Belcher a couple of years ago as a place kicker? He was here a year then transferred to UGAg to be a commoner.
 
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