The 2012 Roster -- Special Teams

[businesslawyer]

O.K., it's time. As much fun as it's been for seven months of having nothing to look back at but a disappointing and dreary season, it's time to start looking at the roster position by position, and then figuring out where that leaves us for the 2012 season. Let's start with our specialists and special teams.

David Teggart was special. Now two ways about it. And there is no basis to say that we won't step backwards this year iwth our placekicking. That having been said, I have no reason to think that Chad Christen, now a RS Jr., won't be more than adequate at least. And, remember, Teggart didn't win us a game last year the way it worked anyway (he had a chance to win the ISU game for us, with two over 50, but missed 2 in the 40s that was the margin of our loss.) What do we know about Christen? Well, we know that he's experienced and has a leg, as he's handled the kickoffs for two years. We also know that during a game in '10, he was good enough that Teggart got benched and he kicked. And, by all reports at that time, he had pushed Teggart pretty hard for the job. So I really expect to be o.k. here. Backing him up will be the true Frosh from Florida, Bobby Puyol, who may turn out to be very good but would have to be great from day one not to redshirt (assuming Chad stays healthy), and James Goodrich, a walk-on RS Frosh from Maine. I would be shocked if Christen didn't continue to handle the kicking off as well, where he's done a better than average job to date and should presumably improve as he gets stronger.

At Punter, the walk-on (at least when he entered the program) Cole Wagner returns for his third year as a starter. Wagner started the '10 season like he didn't belong, and ended it as a big reason why we won the Big East. However, he seemed to regress at times his sophomore year. Might have had something to do with the new staff's emphasis on directional punting. maybe not. Who knows. But while he did a very competent overall job in '11, I really think the potential is there for a huge year from him. The roster lists a freshman, walk-on named Justin Wain also, although the depth chart in the media guide names Christen as the backup.

Adam Mueller, now a RS sophomore long snapper from Illinois, returns for his second year as a starter. While he didn't to my recollection get downfield on punt coverage the way that Derek Chard or Martin Bedard did the prior few years, his snapping was without incident. That gives us stability there. The roster lists two walk-ons as backups -- RS Frosh Dom Manco and true frosh William Oldach.

One of the things that led to the fall off from '10 to '11 was that kick and punt returns went from being a plus to being a minus. Coverage really tailed off. Loss of key personnel (like Bama)? Different schemes? Less of an emphasis? Who knows. But it would be great to see it come back. On returns, Nick Williams (now back for his Senior season), while o.k., was not what it was or what we expected (other than the RU game that he played a huge role in). Blocking? Him spending more time in the WR mix? Again, who knows. But he's back and this needs to be a strength. The depth chart lists Taylor Mack and Deshon Foxx, both extremely quick and explosive (and thus more prototypical as punt returners than Williams, who relies more on shiftiness and feel) as competing for the backup, and lists Mack and Wilbert Lee as competing for the other KR shot. Nice to know they really want Lee on the field, and more on him when we get to the defensive backfield.

Bottom line, is that even with the loss of Teggart the return of Christen, Wagner, Mueller and Nick Williams will make us at least o.k. on specials overall. But, if this team is going to have a special season, specials needs to start dominating again like it did in the second half of '12. That will require all the cover guys and blockers to go back to how they played in the second half of '10, and not how they played last year. I have a good feeling about that.

 

[HuskyFan16]

I would say Williams is quicker than either Mack or Foxx in the open field, but lacks the shiftiness to elude contact that the other two rely on.

 

[uconndogs]

Biz - Thanks for doing these. Very informative and enjoyable.

Good analysis above. I think Frey was a big loss on specials, especially on coverage.

 

[metsfan2323]

Nick Williams should be returning kicks on Sunday's next year.

Foxx had a nice return in the Spring game and he just looks fast. The coaches should tell Foxx to follow Nick Williams around all day long and do everything that he does.

Hopefully our new linebacking depth will translate into great kick coverage this year.


If Nick Williams connects with Whitmer and starts catching 6 - 8 balls per game, will P deem Williams too valuable to the offense to risk injury as a kick returner? You don't usually see star receivers returning kicks for that reason.

 

[whaler11]

They seem fine at K and P. No reason they can't be good returning kicks. Need to prove they can cover in the kicking game. As long as you can cover kicks you can't lose much ground on specials.

To have a big surprise year they probably need a huge advantage on specials to go with the defense, but it's hard to predict how those big plays will fall.

 

[Srqhusky]

Let's hope Wagners leg gets some rest this year

 

[CTMike]

This "View" is much better than the one on TV

 

[CTHUSKY74]

Great analysis. One of the things we missed on specials was Sherman stuffing the returner. He always seemed to find the returner and limit his progress. I hope that Clax can be a similar fullback/specials type of player that can really thump the opposition.

 

[Santini35]

Don't forget they are changing the KO rules with them being from the 35 and not the 30

http://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2012-02-24/changes-approved-2012-season

Its supposed to result in more touch backs, which will now be at the 25

 

[Palatine]

Puyol had touchbacks on 85% of his kickoffs in high schools. College kickoffs are at the 35-yard line (new rule moved from 30). High school kick offs come from the 40.

Christen had 22% of his KOs result in touchbacks in 2011, up from 12% in 2010.

I expect a battle.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Oh specials. Where games are won and lost, on single plays.

Replacing a guy as reliable as Teggart on the field goal trys, is a huge part of how 2012 season will turn out. Three guys factor directly into that, and we'll have two returning, the long snapper, the holder. I believe that Wagner was the holder last year, correct me if I"m wrong, and our LS is returning.

The new rules, on top of getting the new schemes down in the second year, after the changes last year, should make for better kickoff coverage. As long as the ball isn't kicked out of bounds, we should see a lot of touchbacks, and I expect that any kicks brought out, are going to be stopped cold. Last year, the blocking wedge rules were changed, and the kick returns and coverages had to be adjusted for that - and the fact that we had a new coach doing it. Second year, with a whole bunch of thoroughbreds, that redshirted last year, and practiced the new schemes, and are itching to get some game time and contact, should make for an excellent kickoff coverage and return unit. Nick Williams talked to the group last night at Rentschler about it. He said that we've got some really phenomenal athletes that will be out there this year on the kick units, and if you look at the guys like Vann, Ashiru, McQuillan, Donohue, etc......that can potentially be out there and running full speed to put the hat on the somebody.....somebody in that group needs to emerge to be the next Deon Anderson on specials when it come to making impacts, and I'm sure somebody will.


The key, you nailed it BL - is the punting game. But I think for different reasons than I do. I'm more concerned about who's fielding kicks, than yardage. Wagner needs to be as consistent as ever with placement and distance on kicks, but our coverages on kicks. and our blocking on returns, should also improve, for same reasons I wrote above about live ball kickoffs. But I"m not too concerned about punt return distances. The most important part of a punt, is catching the ball cleanly. If you can't rely on that ball to be caught, statistics people will tell you that it's better to just let it go regularly, and maintain the dead ball. THere are coaches at various levels of football, that rush all 11 people regularly, and don't ever have a return man.

I'm not sure who's goign to be fielding the kicks though, and that's the most important part of our punt return game for 2012. I'd be comfortable with Williams back there regularly, but last night, P made it clear that Williams is next line line for Kashif's Y-slot receiver position in the base offense, so I'm not sure that they're going to want him out there fielding punts at the same time they're factoring him into that position, b/c you need to practice punt catches constantly, and I don't know if he'll get that time, in practice, if he's indeed going to take that Y receiver position.

This might be a big opportunity for a guy like Foxx, or Mack, to step up and start making a case for a job at the next level.

That job, if you ask me, fielding a punt - is the most difficult single job in the entire game, and requires the most raw, uncoachable, talent. Hands, eye, body coordination. Williams fits the bill there. I'm not sure about anybody else, becuase I haven't really seen anybody else enough in games, and I don't see practices.

Three rules if you're catching punts.

Spot the ball in the air and SPRINT to get under it.
Set your feet, do NOT drift.
Catch the ball.

Everything after that is gravy. 99% of muffed punt cathches happen, because a guy gets under the ball, and then starts to drift, and shift his feet. GOt to have the eye, body coordination and sense to spot that ball in the air, like a baseball player, and make a judgment, sprint under it, and then set your feet and stay in the spot until you catch the ball. and then, bea ble to absorb the contact, without coughing it up. Sometimes, like a baseball player, you're fielding a ball while on the run, and that's actually easier, believe it or not, but the vast majority of the time on a punt, you're catching a ball from what needs to be a set foot, unmoving position. At the same time that 21 other bodies are running full speed down the field toward you and half of them want to take your head off and you're a stationary target.

Toughest job in football, need to be super disciplined and smart, and have ice water in your veins - or just be plain crazy and coordinated. Better to be both.

 

[Excalibur]

Puyol had touchbacks on 85% of his kickoffs in high schools. College kickoffs are at the 35-yard line (new rule moved from 30). High school kick offs come from the 40.

Christen had 22% of his KOs result in touchbacks in 2011, up from 12% in 2010.

I expect a battle.

Different tee in high school.

 

[Palatine]

Different tee in high school.

Yep, I still expect a battle. Take a peek. http://kohlskicking.com/profile/bobby-puyol/2728/

Bobby is a fast legged kicker/punter who also plays QB at a Florida Powerhouse, has fast leg speed and ability to compete, does need to work off the ground on his FG, his KO's are impressive, his punting needs some refinement but is a D1 kicking prospect. He has tremendous potential and power, he is a legitimate D1 prospect.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Oh specials. Where games are won and lost, on single plays.

Replacing a guy as reliable as Teggart on the field goal trys, is a huge part of how 2012 season will turn out. Three guys factor directly into that, and we'll have two returning, the long snapper, the holder. I believe that Wagner was the holder last year, correct me if I"m wrong, and our LS is returning.

The new rules, on top of getting the new schemes down in the second year, after the changes last year, should make for better kickoff coverage. As long as the ball isn't kicked out of bounds, we should see a lot of touchbacks, and I expect that any kicks brought out, are going to be stopped cold. Last year, the blocking wedge rules were changed, and the kick returns and coverages had to be adjusted for that - and the fact that we had a new coach doing it. Second year, with a whole bunch of thoroughbreds, that redshirted last year, and practiced the new schemes, and are itching to get some game time and contact, should make for an excellent kickoff coverage and return unit. Nick Williams talked to the group last night at Rentschler about it. He said that we've got some really phenomenal athletes that will be out there this year on the kick units, and if you look at the guys like Vann, Ashiru, McQuillan, Donohue, etc......that can potentially be out there and running full speed to put the hat on the somebody.....somebody in that group needs to emerge to be the next Deon Anderson on specials when it come to making impacts, and I'm sure somebody will.


The key, you nailed it BL - is the punting game. But I think for different reasons than I do. I'm more concerned about who's fielding kicks, than yardage. Wagner needs to be as consistent as ever with placement and distance on kicks, but our coverages on kicks. and our blocking on returns, should also improve, for same reasons I wrote above about live ball kickoffs. But I"m not too concerned about punt return distances. The most important part of a punt, is catching the ball cleanly. If you can't rely on that ball to be caught, statistics people will tell you that it's better to just let it go regularly, and maintain the dead ball. THere are coaches at various levels of football, that rush all 11 people regularly, and don't ever have a return man.

I'm not sure who's goign to be fielding the kicks though, and that's the most important part of our punt return game for 2012. I'd be comfortable with Williams back there regularly, but last night, P made it clear that Williams is next line line for Kashif's Y-slot receiver position in the base offense, so I'm not sure that they're going to want him out there fielding punts at the same time they're factoring him into that position, b/c you need to practice punt catches constantly, and I don't know if he'll get that time, in practice, if he's indeed going to take that Y receiver position.

This might be a big opportunity for a guy like Foxx, or Mack, to step up and start making a case for a job at the next level.

That job, if you ask me, fielding a punt - is the most difficult single job in the entire game, and requires the most raw, uncoachable, talent. Hands, eye, body coordination. Williams fits the bill there. I'm not sure about anybody else, becuase I haven't really seen anybody else enough in games, and I don't see practices.

Three rules if you're catching punts.

Spot the ball in the air and SPRINT to get under it.
Set your feet, do NOT drift.
Catch the ball.

You read from the Parcells Encylopedia.

 

[Carl Spackler]

BIll Parcells knows his when it comes to football. I've seen him do it.

 

[huskymedic]

Yep, I still expect a battle. Take a peek. http://kohlskicking.com/profile/bobby-puyol/2728/

Bobby is a fast legged kicker/punter who also plays QB at a Florida Powerhouse, has fast leg speed and ability to compete, does need to work off the ground on his FG, his KO's are impressive, his punting needs some refinement but is a D1 kicking prospect. He has tremendous potential and power, he is a legitimate D1 prospect.

... the kid is so pumped to be @ UConn.

 

[joey3$trike$]

can joe williams return punts or kickoffs. I want to see some speed out there.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'm thinking that Williams will be the punt returner. But it looks like he's also going to be the starting Y in the base offense. My ideal would be that Williams embraces that Y slot role 100% and somebody else takes over the punt returning. I don't like the idea of Williams doing both for the course of an entire season.

Enjoy this clip on punt returning. Parcells started the lessons with McConkey - Meggett was apparently worse than whoever he's dealing with in this clip w/ the Jets.

"these guys are coming in this league now...this isn't like playing Wake Forest now"

 

[Palatine]

I'm thinking that Williams will be the punt returner. But it looks like he's also going to be the starting Y in the base offense. My ideal would be that Williams embraces that Y slot role 100% and somebody else takes over the punt returning. I don't like the idea of Williams doing both for the course of an entire season.

Enjoy this clip on punt returning. Parcells started the lessons with McConkey - Meggett was apparently worse than whoever he's dealing with in this clip w/ the Jets.

"these guys are coming in this league now...this isn't like playing Wake Forest now"

Do you mean Joe, Nick or Trevardo Williams?

 

[Carl Spackler]

Do you mean Joe, Nick or Trevardo Williams?

Clearly, I could only have meant Trevardo.