Can anyone explain our philosophy on fair catching PUNTS inside the 10?
- Thread starter CYDJ
- Start date
That’s just as frustrating to me, especially when it was a field position game for stretches.
Frankly just embarrassing special teams coaching and execution today. They’ll mostly get a pass from the press/fans because they won but hopefully today was a wake up call.
Too answer the OP’s question the only advantage to catching it at the 4 is that you don’t get it at the 3. That one specifically has to be a lack of field awareness by Milton, no one is coaching returners to fair catch a ball inside the 5.
Yeah...that unit has been wanky all year. It would really stink to have a potentially special season wiped out by poor special teams play.
It's got to be rather rare for a team to give up 2 touchdowns in a season by blocked kicks. It seems that the opponents are seeing something and starting to take advantage.
The last time they punted we were in a punt safe formation and Milton fair caught it at our ~45 while 5 TT players were running at him with no blockers.
Even on our made kicks, there is a ridiculous amount of pressure coming right up the middle.
I agree that we seem to be struggling on kicks and kick returns. However, I put the last one on the coaches. Milton was looking to the sideline and asking for advice all through the set up for the kickoff, but it didn't seem like he gotten help.
special teams coach needs to be fired. No time to waste trying to teach the present special teams coach. Bring someone in that has a sense of urgency in what needs to be done.
Last edited:
I have a lot of very critical things to say about our special teams coach, if we have one at all. But the fair catch on the kickoff was the right thing to do. It was tarique vs 10 unblocked guys. He was on the 10 yard line and they were on the 35 when he caught it!
Best case scenario, he gets to the 25 and then annihilated and potentially injured
Best case scenario, he gets to the 25 and then annihilated and potentially injured
Our ST has been terrible all year. And not just our punt return game or FG/Punt protection.
I'd also like to know what Corey Dunn's punt averages are when he uses the "rugby" style punt vs the traditional method. It seems to me like he's been WAY better at the traditional method, but I don't know if the stats would prove that out or not?
I just know that his "rugby" style punts have usually been terrible. I don't understand why we feel the need to do those?
And yesterday I think he used the "rugby" style punt all day if I'm not mistaken?
I'd also like to know what Corey Dunn's punt averages are when he uses the "rugby" style punt vs the traditional method. It seems to me like he's been WAY better at the traditional method, but I don't know if the stats would prove that out or not?
I just know that his "rugby" style punts have usually been terrible. I don't understand why we feel the need to do those?
And yesterday I think he used the "rugby" style punt all day if I'm not mistaken?
I think Milton should have taken that return after the safety. I realize he was going with the safe option to get ball at 25 but I think he would have gotten much further up field. I guess I also understand though it might not have been worth the risk of fumbling.
I think he got chewed for not fielding the previous punt and wasn't going to make that mistake again. Only this time he should have left it. It happens at every level of play.
There’s not time to teach 18-22 year olds, but there’s time to fire a coach and bring in someone new? What exactly do you think the new guy would do besides teach? Unless the new coach would have eligibility, teaching is all that can be done.
So.... We have gotten one answer thus far that relates to punt fair catching. Basically... "You should stand on the 10 and let it go by if it is going over your head." That is what I have heard in the past too. Are there any arguments against this?
Now, any answers to my second question? Why are we doing this again and again? Is it coaching? Is it philosophy? Is it possible that football players loose track of where they are on the field? Do some players just like to catch the ball more than others? Is there an argument about this in the football world? I just don't understand and I can't believe it is lack of knowledge from the coaches or discipline from the players as both seem pretty darn good right now.
Now, any answers to my second question? Why are we doing this again and again? Is it coaching? Is it philosophy? Is it possible that football players loose track of where they are on the field? Do some players just like to catch the ball more than others? Is there an argument about this in the football world? I just don't understand and I can't believe it is lack of knowledge from the coaches or discipline from the players as both seem pretty darn good right now.
You're right, it does happen at every level, but it doesn't make it right.
Some returners just have that built in ability to know when to field a punt and when not to, and others just seem confused about what to do back there?
I do like the idea of planting your feet on the 10 yd line and NEVER backing up though. Should be easy enough to understand. Had Milton done that on the one he fair caught on the 4 yd line, there was a decent chance the sack fumble TD for TT never happens.
Conservative coaching would be "follow the basic football rule at all times, even if you think you've got a reason not to." Not, "fair catch it at the 4, that's conservative." That's actually stupid coaching if it is the case.
Now for the freshman thing. "Hey Milton, stand at the 10. If it even looks like you need to raise your arms to catch it, run away and yell like heck to get everyone else away too. And if you catch it inside the 10 again, you'll be playing 100% of your downs on offense (which we really appreciate.) Got it?" That should take care of it.
Freshmen are not stupid, they've already played at least 4 years, if not 8 years, of football and know a lot of football rules of thumb. This is one of them and they shouldn't even have to be told. However, they should be able to be told once and follow it every time!
Please, someone that has returned punts, tell me it isn't this simple.
That’s only the best case if you don’t trust Milton to get the easy yards and then get down.
That play exemplifies the hidden cost of our tendency to overly avoid risk imo. Playing conservatively with ball control is a good way to win when coupled with good ST and defense. But when you’re so risk averse that you’re restrictive- losing easy field position, not getting first downs- it is nearly the opposite of ball control.
Last edited:
Exactly. It’s possible that fair catch at the 4 cost us 7 points. Touchback, and we have the ball at the 25. If their 2 defenders down it at the 1, we are likely running it twice or three times to get breathing room and avoid what happened.
