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canefrank

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I love Todd Hartley as a recruiter, I love what he is doing with our TEs. BUT as the coach of special teams I need to see improvements in 2018. Not just the punter issues which we have discussed, I want to see our team speed and size being put to use, blocking punts, pinning folks back behind their 20. A few runbacks for TDs or placing us in scoring position after return kicks. If he needs assistance here, then add another coach to help. But we can be and should be dominant in all aspects of special teams independent of the improvement in consistency of our punter.
 
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thoughts:

We've blocked three punts (McIntosh, Bethel, Garvin) that I can remember since 2016.

Berrios broke huge returns the last couple years against FSU.

Berrios remained the PR despite continued cries for Jeff Thomas. Hartley never wavered.

Jeff Thomas should not be returning kicks imo.

KO coverage is the only consistent blight but I don't think we've allowed any return TDs (Pitt 2016?)

Not sure how much Hartley is to blame for Feagles. That was all mental.
 
Special Teams is mostly about the Jimmy and the Joe’s. Our roster is better top to bottom. More talent everywhere. Which should lead to better special team play. But I agree Jeff Thomas isn’t natural back there. No knock on him as a player. Everyone can’t be a returner. I think DJ will be primary PR. I think coaches will have JT and DJ as KR to start season. We have a lot of dudes who could do both. I’d rather always go on the safer side with returns. Can’t have dudes back there fumbling, running backwards, etc
 
rokulika said:
thoughts:

We've blocked three punts (McIntosh, Bethel, Garvin) that I can remember since 2016.

Berrios broke huge returns the last couple years against FSU.

Berrios remained the PR despite continued cries for Jeff Thomas. Hartley never wavered.

Jeff Thomas should not be returning kicks imo.

KO coverage is the only consistent blight but I don't think we've allowed any return TDs (Pitt 2016?)

Not sure how much Hartley is to blame for Feagles. That was all mental.
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The onside kick against GT to start the second half last year after the halftime hall of fame inductions...
 
Mark pope clearly needs to be at punt return and at kick return. He is special back there
 
Definitely need to increase our prowess on ST’s. You would think with all the talent we have PR/KR duties would be a mute point but alas here we are discussing it. I’m not sure who would be the best fit back there although I like DJ doing one of the roles. Perhaps Pope or Hightower can handle PR?
 
All coach roster spots should be full. Overall better talent talent then prior years will help this year. Blaming Hartley for Feagles would be like blaming him for Baxa misses.
 
brock said:
Mark pope clearly needs to be at punt return and at kick return. He is special back there
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There's soooo many athletes on this team now. I could see any 1 of 15 dudes back there.

We will probably see less of Thomas as he will have an expanded role now in the O.
 
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Thomas returning punts and Harley and DJ or Lingard return kicks. Maybe let Thomas return some kicks in the beginning but if he can’t get anything going then pull him off kick returns.
 
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ST is one of this biggest questions, if not the biggest, IMO going into camp. Feagles left much to be desired last year, Baxa is a true Frosh who wasn't enrolled early and faces a major national spotlight in his first game, and the already mentioned coverage issues that have been apparent the last two years. ST can kill you, and it's not discussed much, at least not by the media. Looking forward to hearing how things are going once camp starts.
 
Rule of Thumb, and you'll see this in the NFL as well.

KOR skill set is mainly based on straight-line speed. The reason for this is because of the 1 wave of defenders coming on KO. They break that one wave of hit that crease fast, its a home run (other then the Kicker).

PR skill set should be a guy who can make plays in a phone booth. Individuals who can make players miss and break ankles. You want this because on Punt you have Gunners (guys who don;t block but go straight for the returner) which is the 1st wave, then a 2nd wave which are the individuals who stay in for protection (see upbacks).

KR this year should be Lorenzo Lingard as the main returner, with Gilbert Frierson as the 2nd KR, who also acts as a blockers in best case.
PR should be Mike Harley OR DeeJay Dallas.
 
With the new kickoff rules, I predict that kickers will use long squibs so as to prevent fair catches and stave off the first touch until within the 10 yard line. Also, didn't Berrios lead the ACC in punt returns last year and he was very sure handed.i
 
I know Lingard doesn't have much wiggle but I would like to see him with his straight line speed on Kickoffs, to get him acclimated to the big leagues.
 
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Thomas is much better suited to return punts than kicks.

No way in **** Deejay should be returning, do people forget he weighs 220 lbs now? If he's returning ya'll will be calling for a change after week 1, I guarantee it.

I'd have Lingard or Pope on kicks, Thomas or Pope on punts
 
Arehel said:
Rule of Thumb, and you'll see this in the NFL as well.

KOR skill set is mainly based on straight-line speed. The reason for this is because of the 1 wave of defenders coming on KO. They break that one wave of hit that crease fast, its a home run (other then the Kicker).

PR skill set should be a guy who can make plays in a phone booth. Individuals who can make players miss and break ankles. You want this because on Punt you have Gunners (guys who don;t block but go straight for the returner) which is the 1st wave, then a 2nd wave which are the individuals who stay in for protection (see upbacks).

KR this year should be Lorenzo Lingard as the main returner, with Gilbert Frierson as the 2nd KR, who also acts as a blockers in best case.
PR should be Mike Harley OR DeeJay Dallas.
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In the 1st Barry Jackson article that he wrote the other day, Thomas Brown said that Trayone Gray has some crazy straight line speed. Along with his size do you think it might be a good fit since a lot of wiggle is not needed. At worst he is going to truck the living **** out of some poor defender.

PS. This isn't meant to be a serious suggestion, more as a hypothetical.
 
TheU1986 said:
In the 1st Barry Jackson article that he wrote the other day, Thomas Brown said that Trayone Gray has some crazy straight line speed. Along with his size do you think it might be a good fit since a lot of wiggle is not needed. At worst he is going to truck the living **** out of some poor defender.

PS. This isn't meant to be a serious suggestion, more as a hypothetical.
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Didn’t we fiddle around with Davenport back there returning kicks in the early 2000’s?
 
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