Special Teams

[AppSt94]

Matt McQuinn has been an absolute stud in kickoff coverage. The reserve LB is always around the ball carrier disrupting the play.

[JMappfan5]

How about the job that true Freshman, Christian Johnstone, is doing as ou Long Snapper. Great use of a scholarship!!!

Hope we kick every ball out of the back of the end zone against So Ala. Tra Minter is one heckuva return man and RB.

[bigdaddyg]

I love the high kickoffs to the 5. Any stop short of the 25 is great

[The Rock]

Obviously coach Link is doing a great job; but having a dedicated coach who only focuses on special teams is a huge benefit to the special teams squad. Kudos to Drink for having the foresight for this

[WASU 93]

While I enjoy seeing our special teams make big hits and stopping their returners anywhere short of the 25, I tense up just a bit when there is a return. Those collisions after a 40 yard full sprint are often violent, causing injuries. That's the biggest benefit of touchbacks. That and if their returner doesn't have a chance to touch it, there is zero chance of us missing a tackle and them breaking off a long return.

One thing we are forgetting is that the receiving team has an option to fair catch the ball and take possession at the 25. We might start seeing teams do that more against us rather returning the kick with our good coverage results.

That is something you have to coach. When you catch the ball outside of the endzone it is hard to fair catch. I don't like that rule and feel like if you fair catch it the ball should be placed where the player is standing. Best thing to do is squib if it they start doing that. A lot harder to do then.

ULM’s returner caught a fair catch inside the 10 on the final kickoff. Evans fair caught their only kickoff of the second half, but the ball carried into the end zone anyway.

[AppStFan1]

While I enjoy seeing our special teams make big hits and stopping their returners anywhere short of the 25, I tense up just a bit when there is a return. Those collisions after a 40 yard full sprint are often violent, causing injuries. That's the biggest benefit of touchbacks. That and if their returner doesn't have a chance to touch it, there is zero chance of us missing a tackle and them breaking off a long return.

One thing we are forgetting is that the receiving team has an option to fair catch the ball and take possession at the 25. We might start seeing teams do that more against us rather returning the kick with our good coverage results.

That is something you have to coach. When you catch the ball outside of the endzone it is hard to fair catch. I don't like that rule and feel like if you fair catch it the ball should be placed where the player is standing. Best thing to do is squib if it they start doing that. A lot harder to do then.

ULM’s returner caught a fair catch inside the 10 on the final kickoff. Evans fair caught their only kickoff of the second half, but the ball carried into the end zone anyway.

It is not natural for these guys so it was taught to them. I remember when I played and our return man was very good. He always wanted to bring it out. You have to coach players not to do that and we apparently are doing a good job of it.

[WASU 93]

We are 47th in kickoff return defense (we gave up big returns to UNCC and UNC, 13th in punt return defense, tied for 1st in blocked kicks and 32nd in net punting.