What about our kick off/ punt return coverage?

#1
volfan2024

volfan2024

“Wanna play ball scarecrow “
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Messages
13,064
Likes
2,890
#1
The Daily Californian

After reading this article it made me wonder about the trouble we had with our special teams.I hope the coaches are on top of that this year!:no:
 
#4
#4
Fulmer said the return game and coverage has gotten a lot better from last year. Let's hope he is right.
 
#6
#6
GAVol said:
That rule change could turn out to be very significant.
Click to expand...


I'm both excited and scared about it at the same time. We have a couple of good returners who just need more touches but our coverage is usually very poor. Even Stevens.
 
#7
#7
You've got to figure that with all the returns that are going to be created, the starting field position after kickoff is probably going to be about 7-10 yards further downfield which may not sound like much, but that's one less first down an offense has to get in order to get in FG range/score a TD.
 
#10
#10
Having a guy that can bang it into the endzone on kickoffs is going to become very valuable. Touchbacks are getting ready to go way down.
 
#11
#11
govols182 said:
Fulmer said the return game and coverage has gotten a lot better from last year. Let's hope he is right.
Click to expand...

of course that's what he said... it's a PC answer... cpf wouldn't come out and just say, "well, it still sucks." that would cast a negative light on him. time will tell.... UT certainly has the athletes needed to have a great ST unit...
 
#12
#12
govols182 said:
Fulmer said the return game and coverage has gotten a lot better from last year. Let's hope he is right.
Click to expand...

I'm just going to have to have some faith here I guess. What concerns me most is that I don't feel like I've seen a enough in several years now to qualify that either coverage or returns should be gauged against one another.

Not trying to be pessimistic but what does it really tell us if our return game looks good? They're returning against our achilles heel of a coverage team. Or vice versa. I'd almost rather hear at this point that one of them is just destroying the other. At least that gives me comfort that there will be improvement in the next 25 days.
 
#13
#13
karvassal said:
of course that's what he said... it's a PC answer... cpf wouldn't come out and just say, "well, it still sucks." that would cast a negative light on him. time will tell.... UT certainly has the athletes needed to have a great ST unit...
Click to expand...
He wouldnt say it sucks but i think he would say something about it needing improvement instead of blowing smoke up are butt about it being better if it wasnt true.
 
#14
#14
GAVol said:
You've got to figure that with all the returns that are going to be created, the starting field position after kickoff is probably going to be about 7-10 yards further downfield which may not sound like much, but that's one less first down an offense has to get in order to get in FG range/score a TD.
Click to expand...
I think this is why they consider it critical to have Lincoln kicking the extra points and chip shots to save Colquitt's leg for the longer FGs and trying to get kick offs into the endzone. If things don't go to well with the rule change, I really hope it will serve as the precipitating event to finally make CPF hire a full-time special teams coach rather than having mutliple position coaches dabble in the area.
 
#15
#15
Touchbacks are definitely going to be a thing of the past. Our ST started to turn a little when we started using Hefney/Coker to return punts and kicks. Granted, oru coverage was still absolutely horrendous, but the return game started to show signs of life. I think Fulmer is going to have to start using very good players, even starters, to block for our returners because I think that has been one reason why our return game has sucked, because we use below-average players to block.
 
#16
#16
Jackson will be returning kickoffs this year because of the rule change. :rock:
 
#17
#17
TuskALoosa said:
I'm both excited and scared about it at the same time. We have a couple of good returners who just need more touches but our coverage is usually very poor. Even Stevens.
Click to expand...

You will be returning many, many kickoffs on October 20. You will need more than a couple otherwise they will get very tired.
 
#18
#18
Our kick return game was dismal last year. Anyone know who will be back there? Coker/Johnson/Rogan/Jones/Vinson/O'Neal/Foster?
 
#19
#19
I don't have stats to back this up, but hasn't Va Tech had one of the best ST's for awhile now? And don't they utilize their best players? So many underestimate the importance of special teams, but one play can flip a tight game just like that...at the very least, flip momentum. Please, let's get our best players out on the field.
 
#20
#20
Football Freak said:
Our kick return game was dismal last year. Anyone know who will be back there? Coker/Johnson/Rogan/Jones/Vinson/O'Neal/Foster?
Click to expand...

I think you'll see a host of different guys returning kicks/punts until one emerges. I've seen Rogan doing a lot of punt and kick returns in practice and it wouldn't surprise me to see Maples back there some as well. Rogan, Maples, Berry, Jones, Vinson and Coker will all probably see some touches on special teams.

And yes, VaTech usually has one of the best special teams, especially in the kick-blocking department.
 
#21
#21
great thread....I'm scared to death at this new rule change with our ST's being a low priority. I hope out fundamental tackling is better this year, it better be.
 
#23
#23
I read in the paper Sunday that Hef is still number 1 on the PR depth chart. I don't want to risk him getting injured. He's our best DB. Maybe Rogan or another frosh will step up and just focus on that this year.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.
Advertisement



Back
Top