Our new Punt returner

#77
#77
DERELICK_MY_VOLS said:
I'd like to see Marcques Dixon or Justin Hunter.....check out Dixon with the open field and the ball in his hand on youtube.....he has a beast mode button he engages and looks like he was simply born to return kicks and punts for TD's!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Dixon does look great on tape. I was under the impression that a major reason Orgeron went after Dixon is because he could be a killer on special teams.

How do the coaches decide who returns punts and who returns kicks? And what's the skill difference?
 
#78
#78
How do the coaches decide who returns punts and who returns kicks? And what's the skill difference?
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the same way with any other position. Drills and practice.
so Obviously Janzen is making things happen

Janzen got his hands on one pass last year and he didn't seem too electric with it.
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I may be misremembering but Janzen got a good 30 yards or so on that INT return, correct?
 
#79
#79
I remember another safety great returning int's that wasnt so great returning punts or kicks. Anybody remember the Eric Berry experiment? Didnt pan out.
 
#80
#80
volaballa said:
I remember another safety great returning int's that wasnt so great returning punts or kicks. Anybody remember the Eric Berry experiment? Didnt pan out.
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Like one game. If Berry had been a full time returner, he would have housed a couple.
 
#81
#81
I think it's a good move to have the best returner, regardless of the other position that particular individual may play, fielding the punts. The last time UT had a really explosive return game, Terry Fair was fielding punts and playing corner.

It worked out very well. I don't remember Fair ever missing a game due to injury. (I could be wrong, just don't remember Terry Fair being injured as a Vol.)

It's a mistake to make coaching decisions based on the probability of someone being injured. Successful coaches do not "coach scared."
 
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#82
#82
TommyOler said:
I think it's a good move to have the best returner, regardless of the other position that particular individual may play, fileding the punts. The last time UT had a really explosive return game, Terry Fair was fielding punts and playing corner.

It worked out very well. I don't remember Fair ever missing a game due to injury. (I could be wrong, just don't remember Terry Fair being injured as a Vol.)

It's a mistake to make coaching decisions based on the probability of someone being injured. Successful coaches do not "coach scared."
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wasn't peerless price a pretty good returner also?
 
#83
#83
TrueOrange said:
wasn't peerless price a pretty good returner also?
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Yes, he was! He sure broke Bama's back with 100 yarder in 1998.

That game was competitive, as Alabama had just scored a TD. The Tide had just pulled to within 3 (I think) and had a ton of momentum. Peerless bringing the ensuing kick-off to the house put things back in their proper order.

Just imagine what could have happened to the national championship run if Coach Fulmer had been afraid to have Peerless returning kicks, fearing the loss of his best receiver to injury.
 
#84
#84
TommyOler said:
Yes, he was! He sure broke Bama's back with 100 yarder in 1998.

That game was competitive, as Alabama had just scored a TD. The Tide had just pulled to within 3 (I think) and had a ton of momentum. Peerless bringing the ensuing kick-off to the house put things back in their proper order.

Just imagine what could have happened to the national championship run if Coach Fulmer had been afraid to have Peerless returning kicks, fearing the loss of his best receiver to injury.
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I'm going to be honest with you:

we won that game. and the championship. I really could care less about what ifs with that one



don't take that the wrong way


like the rest of the post though :)
 
#85
#85
TrueOrange said:
I'm going to be honest with you:

we won that game. and the championship. I really could care less about what ifs with that one



don't take that the wrong way


like the rest of the post though :)
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Ha! No offense taken, TrueOrange. I know exactly how what you mean. I wasn't trying to take anything away from that game, or that season.

I was illustrating the differences between the way Coach Fulmer did things during the championship season, as opposed to the last few years of his time at UT.

In the 90's, Fulmer wasn't afraid to have his best tailback (James Stewart) cover punts, his best corner (Terry Fair) return punts or his best wide receiver (Peerless Price) bring back the kick-off. Al Wilson & Sean Ellis played on special teams, too.

Later, special teams consisted mostly of guys who never saw much time on the field, otherwise. Kiffin did things much the same way and both he and Coach Fulmer paid for it.
 
#86
#86
TommyOler said:
Ha! No offense taken, TrueOrange. I know exactly how what you mean. I wasn't trying to take anything away from that game, or that season.

I was illustrating the differences between the way Coach Fulmer did things during the championship season, as opposed to the last few years of his time at UT.

In the 90's, Fulmer wasn't afraid to have his best tailback (James Stewart) cover punts, his best corner (Terry Fair) return punts or his best wide receiver (Peerless Price) bring back the kick-off. Al Wilson & Sean Ellis played on special teams, too.

Later, special teams consisted mostly of guys who never saw much time on the field, otherwise. Kiffin did things much the same way and both he and Coach Fulmer paid for it.
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Kiffin's was a bit different. Kiffin spent the season trying to play to a returner's potential, see Nukeese returning punts the first what 5-6 games, well before he was ready

I think Fulmer had experimented with Jones returning punts in the 08 season

They both did a bit of playing up to whoever they felt had the potential to be good, not necessarily who was best or best ready
 
#87
#87
TrueOrange said:
Kiffin's was a bit different. Kiffin spent the season trying to play to a returner's potential, see Nukeese returning punts the first what 5-6 games, well before he was ready

I think Fulmer had experimented with Jones returning punts in the 08 season

They both did a bit of playing up to whoever they felt had the potential to be good, not necessarily who was best or best ready
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You're exactly right. I think they were both "reaching" deep into the depth chart trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat to keep from risking injury to a proven performer.

I just think that special teams is the deciding factor in almost every game involving two teams where all other factors are equal. If a coach wants to have a great season, especially in the SEC, he has to be commited to having elite special teams. To do that, I believe you have to put your best players on special teams & take your chances.

All championship caliber teams do it. Case in point, Mount Cody and Julio Jones were both on the kick block team for Alabama last year.
 
#88
#88
Janzen is so much faster and way more explosive than anyone one else we have on those return teams,

Im callin it, he run at least 2 returns back for TDs and post a very healthy Avg.
:superman:

Im AMPED!

:rock:
 
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#89
#89
TommyOler said:
You're exactly right. I think they were both "reaching" deep into the depth chart trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat to keep from risking injury to a proven performer.

I just think that special teams is the deciding factor in almost every game involving two teams where all other factors are equal. If a coach wants to have a great season, especially in the SEC, he has to be commited to having elite special teams. To do that, I believe you have to put your best players on special teams & take your chances.

All championship caliber teams do it. Case in point, Mount Cody and Julio Jones were both on the kick block team for Alabama last year.
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Actually though, I realize that Fulmer had put Lamarcus Coker back at returning kickoffs after he had won the starting job in 2006, which incidently it was returning a kick in the Bama game that got him injured for like 4-6 weeks....that might be the instance that deterred him in the last few years
 
#90
#90
I was wanting to see Meline on punt and kick returns. I'm too worried that Janzen might get hurt.
 
#93
#93
I am all for putting your best players on special teams.. if JJ is the best we have then he is the man.
 
#100
#100
tri_vol said:
Maybe Dools isn't registered on VolNation. Freak should hook him up. He could learn a lot here.
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Oh yeah.. No doubt about it.. This place definately has it ALL figured out..
 
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