surprsing touchback statistic from 2006 season?

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hiveredtech

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...and for those of you always screaming that we just need to get a kicker that puts it through the endzone each time...

Per USAToday...last year when kicking off from the 35-yrd line...only 1 in 10 kickoffs in Div. 1A resulted in a touchback.

SEC was the 2nd highest conference with 3 in 10....and the Big 10 was just over 3 in 10 thus taking the top spot.

90% of kickoffs were returned. This number will be even higher this year.
 
That is surprising. Still, I would like to see a kicker at Tech that puts it through the endzone given the state of our kickoff coverage in past years. Hopefully, our KO team will be much improved this season and this will become a non-issue.
 
Essobee said:
That is surprising. Still, I would like to see a kicker at Tech that puts it through the endzone given the state of our kickoff coverage in past years. Hopefully, our KO team will be much improved this season and this will become a non-issue.
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Odd of that are pretty low obviously. But I would take someone who can consistently get it to the 5 with some hang time.
 
ncjacket said:
Odd of that are pretty low obviously. But I would take someone who can consistently get it to the 5 with some hang time.
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I hear that we have a new kicker that can do just that.
 
speeding up games?

I THINK I remember this being a central issue; The NCAA rescinded the rule of starting the clock upon the kick, due to UWis's creative use of that rule. Now, the clock will begin when touched by the receiving team, if no touchback. They will STILL blow the whistle upon the spot, so the offense had better be ready!
 
To the original point though...just like the NCAA to fix something that ain't broken. Do they want 100% of kicks returned? I'd be willing to bet right now that the increase in injuries on kickoffs returned will exceed the average return yard increase.
 
ncjacket said:
I'd be willing to bet right now that the increase in injuries on kickoffs returned will exceed the average return yard increase.
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And this surely will SLOW DOWN the games...Would LOVE for the Elias Sports Bureau to track THAT!
 
...and for those of you always screaming that we just need to get a kicker that puts it through the endzone each time...
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I never screamed that. I did scream that our kick offs were too short though.

There's two things that make a good kickoff, distance and hang time. Our hang time was wretched, they were catching the ball when our pursuit guys were at the 30, and getting a full head of steam before anybody got there but the gunners. The badguys need to be catching the ball when our pursuit guys are at the 25 to 20, and our gunners are at the 15.
 
Re: speeding up games?

Ringgold said:
I THINK I remember this being a central issue; The NCAA rescinded the rule of starting the clock upon the kick, due to UWis's creative use of that rule. Now, the clock will begin when touched by the receiving team, if no touchback. They will STILL blow the whistle upon the spot, so the offense had better be ready!
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The NCAA also rescinded the rule that kept the clock going after the ball was spotted. Like before the infamous 3-2-5-e rule, the clock will start at the snap after a change of possession, not at the spot.

Also, the kickoff was moved back 5 yards to shorten games. I guess it does take a second to spot the ball twenty yards downfield.
 
...and I believe the tee will be at 1" this year, not 2". This will also make the kick-off more difficult for the kicking team. Perhaps resulting in shorter, higher-scoring games?
 
Higher scoring games are invariably longer, not shorter.
 
It's a conspiracy.

I hear that's why Arkansas put the 'fish play' in - the guy is actually shorter than the ND grass.
 
Wouldn't you say that higher-scoring games tend to be longer games all other things being equal? In this case, the unequal variable is field position.

Now that I think about it, I don't see how the tee height/kick-off placement would affect duration of the game. But it seems like it could affect scoring without extending the game, no?

I'm just asking; my personal football experience extends only to smear-the-queer in the neighbors' yards, never anything organized.
 
cfbstats.com took a gander at this, and this was the conclusion:
The data from the past two seasons does not point to big effect on the game from this new rule. However, I’m not willing to rule it out because of the small sample sizes. I do wonder about the impact of the new rule becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Many coaches are so concerned about the rule that they will implement changes in strategy and personnel on return teams starting with the first game, before the real effects are determined. These coaching decisions alone could be enough to affect the kickoffs and returns.
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You can read the full article here.
 
Wouldn't you say that higher-scoring games tend to be longer games all other things being equal? In this case, the unequal variable is field position.
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Shortening everyone's scoring drive by 10 yards (two to three plays) means you can fit an extra scoring drive for each team into the game, which means an extra two commercial breaks, which means a longer game.

It's a money making scheme, is all it is. Just like the overtime rules. Think how long Arena Football games would be if they stopped after out-of-bounds and incompletions.
 
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