Punt Returns

[GAVol]

I commented on this in the game thread earlier . . . What the heck happened to our punt return team?? We fielded all the punts of any distance, hit on a few returns and Hefney looked flat out elusive a couple of times. It was like night and day out there.

 

[milohimself]

Blocking. It was inconsistent, he still managed some decent stuff even without help. No doubt he'd be able to run a couple back if we blocked. Methinks we need to find the special teams, get Neyland's maxims put on the end of some brass knucks and clock them in the forehead.

BLOCK.

 

[GAVol]

Blocking. It was inconsistent

I thought the blocking was markedly improved. Maybe Bama's coverage team is just bad, but something was going on that created a LOT more space for Hefney to move around once he fielded the punts.

 

[tidwell]

Morley had a fine block on the first punt return for 30+ yards. The blocking was better overall for the entire game. You don't get multiple 30+ yard returns without someone other than the returner doing something right.

 

[JAllen18MVP]

It seems like every time Hefney breaks a long one, he gets tackled by the kicker.

 

[volinbham]

And we didn't have block in the back penalties.

That was a punt return performance we can live with.

 

[GAVol]

It seems like every time Hefney breaks a long one, he gets tackled by the kicker.

It's been so long since we had a return man gain more than 5 yards on a return that he was probably shocked when he broke through the first wave.

 

[checkerboard_charly]

Blocking. It was inconsistent, he still managed some decent stuff even without help. No doubt he'd be able to run a couple back if we blocked. Methinks we need to find the special teams, get Neyland's maxims put on the end of some brass knucks and clock them in the forehead.

BLOCK.

I totally disagree with your blocking argument Milo. I think it vastly improved tonight.

 

[HawaiiVol]

I honestly expected a good day on returns with 2 weeks to work on the special teams performance. I was glad to see I wasn't wrong.

 

[milohimself]

I thought the blocking was markedly improved. Maybe Bama's coverage team is just bad, but something was going on that created a LOT more space for Hefney to move around once he fielded the punts.

Maybe it's just 'cause we're not used to seeing anything short of failure on the return game... Even inconsistency with a few good blocks is a marked improvement for us.

With how well the flat routes were working all second half, though, I don't think it matters all that much where we got the ball. Just throw it sideways, move down the field five yards at a time.

 

[kptvol]

Too bad our kickoff returns are still absolutely terrible. I wish our guys would just realize that a UT player taking it out of the endzone has about a 2% chance of crossing the 20 yard line. Down the ball in the endzone. Never take it out. Not ever.

 

[OWB]

Ole Hefney might have returned two for touchdowns if he wouldn't have run into the kicker twice..

 

[tidwell]

Taylor could've demolished the punter on the second long return... then again, he's probably never had to make a block that far downfield, so whiffing on that one is understandable. :lol: