Special Teams must improve to win hardware

[trapper82]

Look no further than Auburn to see that special teams can cost you championships. They missed a field goal, allowed a return for a TD and missed a fake punt on a 4th down that basically turned the momentum around in that championship game.

I fear the same will be true for our team if we don't do something different this year, and so far I have heard nothing that we are doing to make it better.

1. We ranked dead last in punting and punt returns in the SEC for the year.
2. We ranked 10th in kickoff returns in the SEC for the year.
3. In 2012 we ranked 12th in punting and 13th in returns.
4. In 2011 it was 11th in punting and 10th in returns. (with 12 SEC teams)
5. In 2010, the one year we went to the SEC championship game, we were 6th in punting and 8th in returns.

I am not saying we need to be first in these categories at the expense of others, but ranking last and expecting good results is a recipe for disaster. The field position game is extremely important on the road where your offense can stall and crowd noise can effect your offensive efficiency. Anyone notice that we are a very different team on the road? The one year we had average statistics for the conference in these areas happened to be the one year we ended up in the championship game. Now I am not saying that having decent punt and return units put you in championship games, what I am saying is you can't be dead last or right at it year after year with good results. Sooner or later it will bite you, and you will lose a close game that you should win because the other team focuses on it more than you.

Fast forward to 2014, we are losing Ellington and Hampton, and frankly we haven't heard a single thing even addressing how subpar this performance is. It would be one thing if it was talked about and acknowledged it needed improving but I haven't seen anything yet? Am I missing something?

[Cock Kool-Aid]

I don't know what to tell you except the coaches are obviously not oblivious and will do what they think is best.

[Kuhn]

I love the HBC but wouldn't count on him changing anything. Completely agree with your assessment and prediction: we will never win the SEC with lame and unphysi cal STs that we put on the field. Ive been after Spurrier for years to put starters on STs (especially for SEC games!) I've called his show and he will make noises about doing this annually but never does.

The crappy tackling on KO and punt returns is inexcusable and no, in our caze, its not depth, its coaching and attitude.

[trapper82]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

I don't know what to tell you except the coaches are obviously not oblivious and will do what they think is best.







...and you have too much time on your hands.

That post took about 10 minutes with this website:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...sec-conference

Knowing how to find things must make certain things look tough, but it's pretty easy with Google. Thanks for the concern though.

[Cock Kool-Aid]

Originally Posted by trapper82

That post took about 10 minutes with this website:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...sec-conference

Knowing how to find things must make certain things look tough, but it's pretty easy with Google. Thanks for the concern though.

I was more referring to the fact that you are worried enough about our special teams to even create this thread. Sorry for stifling everyone's outlet for discussion. It's a football discussion forum, yea yea I know. Proceed.

[rioninusc]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

I was more referring to the fact that you are worried enough about our special teams to even create this thread. Sorry for stifling everyone's outlet for discussion. It's a football discussion forum, yea yea I know. Proceed.

Says the guy with over 2,000 post after a little over a year.

Interesting to know Trapper, that the one year USC had average results in the punting squad they made the SECCG. Imagine now if they could finish 6th or above. Would of went to the SECCG this past year, and the year before. Heck LSU spanked teams in 2011 because they had a wicked ST, and Defense. Their offense has been horrid for the most part, until this past year.

[Gamecocks1137]

Special Teams other than Elliot Fry this year was downright awful. Cooper did ok on kick/punt returns but at some points he should have let it bounce into the end zone. Some of the runs were suspect at times, but I attribute that to the blocking. Joe Robinson has his work cut out for him, that's for sure.

[CarolinaSpur12]

ST lost us the UT game. Or should I say, should have/could have won it for us. With our offense sputtering, we punted a lot and most of the time, UT would receive the ball darn near close to the 50. And our D played well, so when UT would punt, they pooch punt it down to our 20 or less and give us bad field position. If we'd given them bad Field Position once or twice, we could have capitalized on it. But unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.

[bryarx]

Special teams has been far from special for a long time. Ace sanders was a stand out based on his individual ability.

As the OP said, everything outside of place kicking was very bad. Really hoping it's addressed. More worried about that than the 8 we lost. It's just so bad.

[Acockolypse Now]

Agree. Our team constantly has to work harder than it needs to in order to score and the defense is constantly put into bad situations. The Capital One bowl was over and then special teams.

I love Spurrier, but his refusal to fix special teams is the most galling thing about his tenure.

[henmania]

Originally Posted by CarolinaSpur12

ST lost us the UT game. Or should I say, should have/could have won it for us. With our offense sputtering, we punted a lot and most of the time, UT would receive the ball darn near close to the 50. And our D played well, so when UT would punt, they pooch punt it down to our 20 or less and give us bad field position. If we'd given them bad Field Position once or twice, we could have capitalized on it. But unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.

We started 6 drives against UT inside our 20 and I believe 4 were inside of our 10. that really puts a lot of pressure on a offense.

[henmania]

Originally Posted by bryarx

Special teams has been far from special for a long time. Ace sanders was a stand out based on his individual ability.

As the OP said, everything outside of place kicking was very bad. Really hoping it's addressed. More worried about that than the 8 we lost. It's just so bad.

When Spencer Lanning was here, we did pretty good on place kicking and punting. We seem to suck on kickoff returns all the time, either ours or receiving theirs. Other than Spencer our punting has sucked.

[Cock Kool-Aid]

Originally Posted by Acockolypse Now

Agree. Our team constantly has to work harder than it needs to in order to score and the defense is constantly put into bad situations. The Capital One bowl was over and then special teams.

I love Spurrier, but his refusal to fix special teams is the most galling thing about his tenure.

He's continually brought in new special teams coaches to try and rectify the issue. I assume that he's made what he felt to be the best hires. Do you want Spurrier to coach the special teams more "hands on"?

[Cock Kool-Aid]

Originally Posted by rioninusc

Says the guy with over 2,000 post after a little over a year.

Interesting to know Trapper, that the one year USC had average results in the punting squad they made the SECCG. Imagine now if they could finish 6th or above. Would of went to the SECCG this past year, and the year before. Heck LSU spanked teams in 2011 because they had a wicked ST, and Defense. Their offense has been horrid for the most part, until this past year.

We also had a worse conference record the year we made the SECCG than the following years. The East was just garbage that year. It just didn't work out in '11-'13. In '13, We lost to UGA because of our defense and we lost to UT because of our offense. Obviously special teams is a factor, but come on.

[LegalCock]

The offense had some real stinkers as well.

[palmettosc]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

He's continually brought in new special teams coaches to try and rectify the issue. I assume that he's made what he felt to be the best hires. Do you want Spurrier to coach the special teams more "hands on"?

The one thing I like about Meyer is his approach to special teams. They do everything first, eat, pick hotel rooms, everything. The best players thus try to make these teams and show out to keep their jobs.

[Acockolypse Now]

Originally Posted by Cock Kool-Aid

He's continually brought in new special teams coaches to try and rectify the issue. I assume that he's made what he felt to be the best hires. Do you want Spurrier to coach the special teams more "hands on"?

We've been through a LOT of special teams coaches. None of them could get the job done despite impressive resumes. Leads me to believe the problem is elsewhere and not a focus in practice or in philosophy.

[ipull4usc]

I'm sorry but it's time for Joe Robinson to produce results. The man provides absolutely nothing in recruiting and is solely on staff for his special teams "prowess," which appears to be anything but special. Considering that we had one of the absolute worst special teams units in America this year, the man should feel lucky to have a job, much less get a raise (which he inexplicably got)

[Thenardier]

Originally Posted by trapper82

Look no further than Auburn to see that special teams can cost you championships. They missed a field goal, allowed a return for a TD and missed a fake punt on a 4th down that basically turned the momentum around in that championship game.

I fear the same will be true for our team if we don't do something different this year, and so far I have heard nothing that we are doing to make it better.

1. We ranked dead last in punting and punt returns in the SEC for the year.
2. We ranked 10th in kickoff returns in the SEC for the year.
3. In 2012 we ranked 12th in punting and 13th in returns.
4. In 2011 it was 11th in punting and 10th in returns. (with 12 SEC teams)
5. In 2010, the one year we went to the SEC championship game, we were 6th in punting and 8th in returns.

I am not saying we need to be first in these categories at the expense of others, but ranking last and expecting good results is a recipe for disaster. The field position game is extremely important on the road where your offense can stall and crowd noise can effect your offensive efficiency. Anyone notice that we are a very different team on the road? The one year we had average statistics for the conference in these areas happened to be the one year we ended up in the championship game. Now I am not saying that having decent punt and return units put you in championship games, what I am saying is you can't be dead last or right at it year after year with good results. Sooner or later it will bite you, and you will lose a close game that you should win because the other team focuses on it more than you.

Fast forward to 2014, we are losing Ellington and Hampton, and frankly we haven't heard a single thing even addressing how subpar this performance is. It would be one thing if it was talked about and acknowledged it needed improving but I haven't seen anything yet? Am I missing something?

To be fair on the kick-off return, one of our cover guys pulled a hamstring when he was running down the field, that created the gap that the returner used. Special teams can also win you games, see AU vs UTenn and AU vs UA.

[Thenardier]

Originally Posted by Acockolypse Now

We've been through a LOT of special teams coaches. None of them could get the job done despite impressive resumes. Leads me to believe the problem is elsewhere and not a focus in practice or in philosophy.

Its because Spurrier doesn't recruit kickers and punters.