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2026 Special Teams

TriStarCane

TriStarCane

Take em to the deep end
Joined
Jun 13, 2012
Messages
12,328
Obviously a huge part of the game that got us behind the 8 ball in this year’s championship game….with no major staff or personnel changes, this is what we got:

Punting: Joyce comes back and was okay last year. 44 avg with 41 net and 23 In20. I thought he did a good enough job this year avoiding bad kicks. Coverage team was solid. Pruitt needs to stay on as a gunner. He kills people. No Bauman on protection is a net win for mankind

Kickoff will need to be replaced in a big way. Davis put almost everything into the end zone. Not sure which kicker handles this, but more of the same is needed

Kick return: I was let down by KR this year given we had an all American back there. Who do think returns them this year? Maybe one of the transfer WRs? Would like to get more out of this.

Punt return was a weapon this year with 10 back there. He flipped games multiple times. Would like to see more of that 2 returner set to make them kick it to him more. I expect to see a lot more angle kicks OOB this year if Baby Jesus is returning again. I expect a touchdown or two

FGs: Neither FG kicker makes me think we will have an elite kicking game. I imagine we will be a 50 and in team and limit distance kicks. We need better in crunch time, but neither kid has experience kicking in the clutch so we will see. Olsen has never made a kick beyond 50 and has only 2 attempts in his career, but is pretty accurate at 90% last year.. He will have probably be XP and 40-in guy, though he did miss 2 from inside 30 last year. Weinburg has never made a 50+ yarder with 2 attempts and has a career long of 46. Only made 63% of his kicks. Not sure he’s anything more than a stash for 2027. Need one to emerge though
 
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TriStarCane said:
Obviously a huge part of the game that got us behind the 8 ball in this year’s championship game….with no major staff or personnel changes, this is what we got:

Punting: Joyce comes back and was okay last year. 44 avg with 41 net and 23 In20. I thought he did a good enough job this year avoiding bad kicks. Coverage team was solid. Pruitt needs to stay on as a gunner. He kills people. No Bauman on protection is a net win for mankind

Kickoff will need to be replaced in a big way. Davis put almost everything into the end zone. Not sure which kicker handles this, but more of the same is needed

Kick return: I was let down by KR this year given we had an all American back there. Who do think returns them this year? Maybe one of the transfer WRs? Would like to get more out of this.

Punt return was a weapon this year with 10 back there. He flipped games multiple times. Would like to see more of that 2 returner set to make them kick it to him more. I expect to see a lot more angle kicks OOB this year if Baby Jesus is returning again. I expect a touchdown or two

FGs: Neither FG kicker makes me think we will have an elite kicking game. I imagine we will be a 50 and in team and limit distance kicks. We need better in crunch time, but neither kid has experience kicking in the clutch so we will see. Olsen has never made a kick beyond 50 and has only 2 attempts in his career, but is pretty accurate at 90% last year.. He will have probably be XP and 40-in guy, though he did miss 2 from inside 30 last year. Weinburg has never made a 50+ yarder with 2 attempts and has a career long of 46. Only made 63% of his kicks. Not sure he’s anything more than a stash for 2027. Need one to emerge though
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That kid Weinberg we got from FSU had a reputation of having a bomb for a leg when FSU signed him. Seems like all of FSU’s players regress these days so maybe the staff thinks they can fix him. Saw a video of him kicking a 70-yarder in practice.
 
TriStarCane said:
Obviously a huge part of the game that got us behind the 8 ball in this year’s championship game….with no major staff or personnel changes, this is what we got:

Punting: Joyce comes back and was okay last year. 44 avg with 41 net and 23 In20. I thought he did a good enough job this year avoiding bad kicks. Coverage team was solid. Pruitt needs to stay on as a gunner. He kills people. No Bauman on protection is a net win for mankind

Kickoff will need to be replaced in a big way. Davis put almost everything into the end zone. Not sure which kicker handles this, but more of the same is needed

Kick return: I was let down by KR this year given we had an all American back there. Who do think returns them this year? Maybe one of the transfer WRs? Would like to get more out of this.

Punt return was a weapon this year with 10 back there. He flipped games multiple times. Would like to see more of that 2 returner set to make them kick it to him more. I expect to see a lot more angle kicks OOB this year if Baby Jesus is returning again. I expect a touchdown or two

FGs: Neither FG kicker makes me think we will have an elite kicking game. I imagine we will be a 50 and in team and limit distance kicks. We need better in crunch time, but neither kid has experience kicking in the clutch so we will see. Olsen has never made a kick beyond 50 and has only 2 attempts in his career, but is pretty accurate at 90% last year.. He will have probably be XP and 40-in guy, though he did miss 2 from inside 30 last year. Weinburg has never made a 50+ yarder with 2 attempts and has a career long of 46. Only made 63% of his kicks. Not sure he’s anything more than a stash for 2027. Need one to emerge though
Click to expand...
Id like to see a better effort to block punts imo
 
TriStarCane said:
Obviously a huge part of the game that got us behind the 8 ball in this year’s championship game….with no major staff or personnel changes, this is what we got:

Punting: Joyce comes back and was okay last year. 44 avg with 41 net and 23 In20. I thought he did a good enough job this year avoiding bad kicks. Coverage team was solid. Pruitt needs to stay on as a gunner. He kills people. No Bauman on protection is a net win for mankind

Kickoff will need to be replaced in a big way. Davis put almost everything into the end zone. Not sure which kicker handles this, but more of the same is needed

Kick return: I was let down by KR this year given we had an all American back there. Who do think returns them this year? Maybe one of the transfer WRs? Would like to get more out of this.

Punt return was a weapon this year with 10 back there. He flipped games multiple times. Would like to see more of that 2 returner set to make them kick it to him more. I expect to see a lot more angle kicks OOB this year if Baby Jesus is returning again. I expect a touchdown or two

FGs: Neither FG kicker makes me think we will have an elite kicking game. I imagine we will be a 50 and in team and limit distance kicks. We need better in crunch time, but neither kid has experience kicking in the clutch so we will see. Olsen has never made a kick beyond 50 and has only 2 attempts in his career, but is pretty accurate at 90% last year.. He will have probably be XP and 40-in guy, though he did miss 2 from inside 30 last year. Weinburg has never made a 50+ yarder with 2 attempts and has a career long of 46. Only made 63% of his kicks. Not sure he’s anything more than a stash for 2027. Need one to emerge though
Click to expand...
Weinberg had 56 touch backs
Think 100% besides on side
So kickoffs look covered
 
Kick returns are overrated. Most teams have a strong legged kicker putting them into end zone, so returns are limited. On rare instance they are returnable, officials take great joy throwing a flag.
 
bacane said:
Kick returns are overrated. Most teams have a strong legged kicker putting them into end zone, so returns are limited. On rare instance they are returnable, officials take great joy throwing a flag.
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Yeah this is true. Indiana kicked them in play and tried to pin is deep. That’s the only game I remember with multiple attempts.
 
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tdjones34 said:
Weinberg had 56 touch backs
Think 100% besides on side
So kickoffs look covered
Click to expand...
I couldn’t find this number, but that’s major. Davis excelled there. Hopefully he can develop as a field goal kicker with distance capabilities
 
Who would you like to see on PR and KR in 26? Is Mali too important to keep on PR or is his gamebreaker ability worth the risk?
 
TriStarCane said:
Yeah this is true. Indiana kicked them in play and tried to pin is deep. That’s the only game I remember with multiple attempts.
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They didn’t try to, their kicker couldn’t make the EZ pregame or at half. I think they kicked one into the EZ during the game.

Marion was a great kid, but his vision was lacking. If we had a ST coach, he should have told Marion to just take a TB on the kicks, because we ended up net negative on most of their KO’s.
 
Duke was a top 5 in 4th down attempts and conversions. Partly because their defense sucked and partly because Mensah is good.
 
Torch_Da1 said:
Who would you like to see on PR and KR in 26? Is Mali too important to keep on PR or is his gamebreaker ability worth the risk?
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You have to keep Mali back there in some capacity. He is a difference maker. Maybe we can get some other guys some reps, but he’s the man
 
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Leave no detail to chance… should be Mario’s mindset entering next season.

And that includes special teams.

Ensure that UM has the best special teams coordinator available.
 
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