Special Teams

terdferguson

Junior
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
1,678
This has kind of been beaten to death, but I'm really in disbelief about the level of play here. We're not bad on special teams, we're downright terrible. Across the board. Every. Single. Unit.

- Kicker: Baxa looks bad, his kicks are all over the place. His extra points even look ugly, barely squeeking in and then finally hitting the upright.
- Punter: Sigh.
- Kickoff coverage: Several kicks out of bounds and when teams do return it they often find yardage.
- Kickoff returns: there's never anything there, no crease or hole.
- Punt coverage: when feagles does manage to get off a decent punt, we celebrate, but have you noticed they are almost all returned? Not forcing enough fair catches.
- Punt protection: I've lost count at how many punts have almost been blocked this season. 5 or 6?
- Punt return: We fair catch everything.
- FG defense: I was stunned when they missed today. I think we all were. In general we apply no pressure and opposing fg kickers look like it's a leisurely kick in practice.
 
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Instead of hiring a full time special teams coordinator we hired a GA LB coach who has actually managed to make his group worse than they were the previous year
 
For all the other stuff Rick has done wrong, this honestly irks me the most. Totally ignoring 1/3 the game for 3 straight years. Miami should be able to house a kickoff or punt return more frequently and the fact that we have DEs that can post double digit sack numbers yet we find it virtually impossible to block a FG attempt is an absolute indictment of the special teams coaching.
 
For all the other stuff Rick has done wrong, this honestly irks me the most. Totally ignoring 1/3 the game for 3 straight years. Miami should be able to house a kickoff or punt return more frequently and the fact that we have DEs that can post double digit sack numbers yet we find it virtually impossible to block a FG attempt is an absolute indictment of the special teams coaching.

I agree, this might be the thing that makes me the most upset as well. Having Hartley coach two position groups while hiring a second lb coach is stupidity at the highest level.
 
Yea ST is a joke. I’m not gonna hit a freshman hard because he has a leg and can improve but Feagles isn’t consistent and we cover like crap.
 
How can hartley coach TE and special teams. So when the TEs are running drills nobody is watching the kickers and punters. I wouldnt be surprised by looking at how it looks in the games.
 
The biggest surprise of Mark Richt for me is how amatuer his approach is to some fundamental aspects of the game. Putting together right staff, competitive depth, red zone/ 3rd down efficiency, T.O.P., play calling (setting up plays), recruiting (getting played), overall game plans, etc.. I would think a 15 year vet of the SEC would have better ATD on such important areas.
 
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For all the other stuff Rick has done wrong, this honestly irks me the most. Totally ignoring 1/3 the game for 3 straight years. Miami should be able to house a kickoff or punt return more frequently and the fact that we have DEs that can post double digit sack numbers yet we find it virtually impossible to block a FG attempt is an absolute indictment of the special teams coaching.
Blocked a field goal for a touchdown last week. Have you actually looked at the actual numbers nationally to see how truly rare all three of these events are?
 
Blocked a field goal for a touchdown last week. Have you actually looked at the actual numbers nationally to see how truly rare all three of these events are?

Against a high school team when up 66-0. You are celebrating that?
 
Instead of hiring a full time special teams coordinator we hired a GA LB coach who has actually managed to make his group worse than they were the previous year
I understood that hire when he was there to pick up the slack from Coach Kul on the recruiting front.

Simpson is meant to be a good recruiter, so Richt needs to fire this guy and hire someone useful.
 
Blocked a field goal for a touchdown last week. Have you actually looked at the actual numbers nationally to see how truly rare all three of these events are?

Let's look at NFL numbers.

Return Touchdowns Were Way Down in 2016

Average most years is 3.5 to 4 return TDs per team per year. That's with no cupcakes. College has fewer games but a lot more cupcakes.

Total Return TDs (KO and PR)
2018- 0 TDs
2017- 0 TDs
2016 - 1 TD (Berrios)
2015 - 1 TD (Elder

That is abysmal with the athletes we have.
 
Instead of hiring a full time special teams coordinator we hired a GA LB coach who has actually managed to make his group worse than they were the previous year
That’s my biggest qualm right now you have no idea our lbs looked like dog **** today
 
The biggest surprise of Mark Richt for me is how amatuer his approach is to some fundamental aspects of the game. Putting together right staff, competitive depth, red zone/ 3rd down efficiency, T.O.P., play calling (setting up plays), recruiting (getting played), overall game plans, etc.. I would think a 15 year vet of the SEC would have better ATD on such important areas.

Dude you are constantly griping and have no facts to back it up. We are literally like 100% RZ TD's this year. Defensive 3rd down is like in 20% range. Offensive 3rd down is around 40%, which is way better then last year. If you want to gripe then fine. But don't bring your BS with no facts at all to support it.
 
Dude you are constantly griping and have no facts to back it up. We are literally like 100% RZ TD's this year. Defensive 3rd down is like in 20% range. Offensive 3rd down is around 40%, which is way better then last year. If you want to gripe then fine. But don't bring your BS with no facts at all to support it.

I can't look up what you claim. Outside pressure washing. I'm basing my assessment on Richt's tenure here. Not 1 Power 5 opponent & 2 cupcakes. I do know we were 0 for 9 on 3rd down in first half of LSU game & had way too many 3rd and longs today. We do a bad job at executing & being predictable. If you want me to look up stats and debunk your theories I can but it won't be until Monday (getting paid).
 
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1. It’s really hard to exaggerate how bad we are.

2. It is, in no uncertain terms, absolutely unacceptable.
 
Can't punt
Can't kick FG
Even our XP kicking is shakey.
Can't cover punts
Can't block for punts
Can't cover kickoffs
Can't block on returns
Our returner doesn't have break away speed

It allll baddd.
 
The good news is that Feagles actually had a good game today, averaged close to 42 per punt and got some down inside the 20. If he could do that every week he would be okay.

Baxa, on the other hand, kicked two out of bounds and pinged a PAT in off the upright. Not good.

The biggest question might be the punt protection. Why are opposing teams (even Toledo) getting so much pressure up the middle on punts? That's ridiculous.
 
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