GT Special Teams Versus MSU

[GTNavyNuke]

Rodwell punting and punt coverage was atrocious. 21 yard OOB shank; 32 yarder returned 17 yards; and 48 yarder returned 34 yards. That’s an average net yardage on 3 punts of 17 yards a punt. Easily the worst ST aspect I can remember since the AF Bowl debacle where AF best play was to punt to us and have us fumble.

In this game Butker had 4 TBs, 2 for 65 and one for 62 and a pooch to the 28 yard line. Pretty good – at 60% TBs for the year, Butker is 11th best. http://www.cfbstats.com/2014/leader/national/team/offense/split01/category29/sort04.html All his extra points were good and clean. No field goal attempts with the high octane offense that took no prisoners.

No great returns but then no turnovers on the KOs or ONE punt from MSU.

Overall due to uninspiring ST play in the last few games, we have dropped all the way to 31st. http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feist And that is after the STs being in the teens most of the year. And a drop off from #22 last year. This is definite areas for improvement in FG accuracy and punting next year. And returns could do better too. KOs are great.

I think we'll be better in ST next year ...... sure hope so.

Past game ST records at:
FSU https://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-versus-fsu.5463/
UGAg https://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-versus-ugag.5208/
Clemson https://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-versus-clemson.4854/
NCState http://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-vs-nc-state.4687/
UVa http://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-vs-uva.4564/
Pitt http://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-vs-pitt.4483/
UNC http://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-vs-unc.4409/
Duke http://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-versus-duke.4268/
Miami http://gtswarm.com/threads/gt-special-teams-versus-miami.4212/
VT http://gtswarm.com/threads/st-v-vt.3877/#post-81068
GSU http://gtswarm.com/threads/st-in-ga-southern-game.3760/
Tulane http://gtswarm.com/threads/tulane-game-sts.3655/

 

[GTNavyNuke]

 

[CuseJacket]

Thanks for putting these summaries together all year @GTNavyNuke. ST are often an afterthought until you lose a game due to them.

My take on the year:

• Positives
  • Thankful for Butker's touchbacks. Not only did those help field position, they may have also saved us from injuries that could have further depleted depth.
  • Punting - Orange Bowl aside I'd say Rodwell exceeded expectations going into the year. Expectations weren't necessarily high, so not noticing the punter most of the year is a benefit I was not anticipating.
• Opportunities for next year
  • FG accuracy - not sure how much to attribute to the kicker vs. snaps/holds but there is certainly room for improvement. Still I'll take this year's performance based on "the kick" alone.
  • Return game - prior to the year the question in my mind wasn't "if" but "how many" kicks Golden would take back. Thought that would be the difference in turning an L into a W. Didn't happen. Golden may have been hesitant at times but I think a lot had to do with executing the scheme/blocking.
• Other 2014 highlights I'll remember
  • Rodwell's fake punt vs. Miami. One more reason we won TOP so big that game.
  • Butker's pooch/sky kickoff vs. UGA. More than likely neither "the kick" nor "the pick" (nor JT's pass/fumble) happen without that freak play occurring when it did.

 

[awbuzz]

...
Butker's pooch/sky kickoff vs. UGA. More than likely neither "the kick" nor "the pick" (nor JT's pass/fumble) happen without that freak play occurring when it did.

IIRC - CPJ said that the kick was actually supposed to have gone 7 - 10 yds further. Goes to prove that there is some luck in the game.

 

[GlennW]

Personally, I thought our Special Teams play was anything other than "special" this past season other than being consistent on hitting our extra points. I thought our kick and punt coverage was disappointing, and our kick and punt return game was also very spotty at best. Outside the long FG at UGA that tied the game and put us into overtime, our kicking game has also been somewhat suspect.

I was very hopeful of improvement of this phase of of game when we made this coaching change, yet it seems we made a serious step back.

 

[slugboy]

First, this is great. Must have taken a lot of work.

Noticed something in the table. On play 25, it says "Butker 48 yard punt...". Is that a typo?

Also, I wonder if losing some people in the spring might have affected our coverage teams?

 

[FatPat]

You also have to think about: 1) we lose a special teams coach that - all he did was ST. 2) we gain one that coaches the o/line also. I think everyone will agree o-line was special this year and I have not heard anyone complaining about Coach S. Job lately.
However, in my opinion, you get out of special teams what you put into it!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

First, this is great. Must have taken a lot of work.

Noticed something in the table. On play 25, it says "Butker 48 yard punt...". Is that a typo?

Also, I wonder if losing some people in the spring might have affected our coverage teams?

Thanks, it took more work to start then I had a format I followed. Yup, that was Rodwell and not Butker punting.

I don't think the attrition we had affected our STs much. It seems that we were more than happy to fair catch punts and not be super aggressive on the returns. Allowed for more people to stay back and prevent fakes. Also on Kick Off returns, I don't think we were real aggressive.

Again, like Cuse listed here are my good, indifferent and bad ratings for the year:

• Good - KOs by Butker, Extra points made, blocked FGs and blocked opponent punts.
• Indifferent - KO and punt returns, Rodwell punting consistency (started off real good and faded).
• Bad - Butker FG consistency (except for UGAg last FG!)

We have a lot of room to improve in punting and FGs this year. I don't know that we will get more aggressive in returns - the upside is a shorter field and the downside is less TOP and having our D on the field more.

But I sure hope our STs are better than #31 next year. The big reason Fluke went as far as they did is they were #1 for a bit of the season; we should do better too.

 

[SavannahBee]

Also consider the number of KO and punt returns taken "to the house". Conservative works in ST coverage when these are minimized over the course of a season.

 

[presjacket]

Thanks, it took more work to start then I had a format I followed. Yup, that was Rodwell and not Butker punting.

I don't think the attrition we had affected our STs much. It seems that we were more than happy to fair catch punts and not be super aggressive on the returns. Allowed for more people to stay back and prevent fakes. Also on Kick Off returns, I don't think we were real aggressive.

Again, like Cuse listed here are my good, indifferent and bad ratings for the year:

• Good - KOs by Butker, Extra points made, blocked FGs and blocked opponent punts.
• Indifferent - KO and punt returns, Rodwell punting consistency (started off real good and faded).
• Bad - Butker FG consistency (except for UGAg last FG!)

We have a lot of room to improve in punting and FGs this year. I don't know that we will get more aggressive in returns - the upside is a shorter field and the downside is less TOP and having our D on the field more.

But I sure hope our STs are better than #31 next year. The big reason Fluke went as far as they did is they were #1 for a bit of the season; we should do better too.

How would you rate the kickoff coverage and punt coverage?

Butker also had the game winner at Va Tech. Do you have the info readily available to break down his FG% by quarter?

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I think kick off coverage and punt coverage was C+.

Punt return we allowed an average of 6.56 yards per return (48th in CFB).

KO return allowed 22.64 yards (102nd in CFB). But there were only 33 returns all year since Butker put 52 in for TBs (60%). Since Butker's average kick was around 63 yards, I think we were ok there.

For Butker's FG here's the raw data on the 18 attempts - 11 good. All I can say is he was erratic, but his season long came at the right time!

Game, Quarter, distance, missed/good.
Woff 2, 31 M
2, 30 G
Tulane 2 34 M
2 46 G
GSU - none
VT 1 43 G
3 30 M
4 24 G
Mia None
Fluke 1 27 G
2 27 G
3 52 M
UNC 2 27 G
Pitt 2 37 M
UVa None
NC State None
Clem 2 25 G
2 48 M
3 32 G
4 41 G
UGAg 2 37 M/Blocked
4 53 M
FSU None
MSU None

 

[sweeper]

Thanks but come on-
UGAg 4 53 GGGGGGGGGGGGG

 

[presjacket]

I think kick off coverage and punt coverage was C+.

Punt return we allowed an average of 6.56 yards per return (48th in CFB).

KO return allowed 22.64 yards (102nd in CFB). But there were only 33 returns all year since Butker put 52 in for TBs (60%). Since Butker's average kick was around 63 yards, I think we were ok there.

For Butker's FG here's the raw data on the 18 attempts - 11 good. All I can say is he was erratic, but his season long came at the right time!

Game, Quarter, distance, missed/good.
Woff 2, 31 M
2, 30 G
Tulane 2 34 M
2 46 G
GSU - none
VT 1 43 G
3 30 M
4 24 G
Mia None
Fluke 1 27 G
2 27 G
3 52 M
UNC 2 27 G
Pitt 2 37 M
UVa None
NC State None
Clem 2 25 G
2 48 M
3 32 G
4 41 G
UGAg 2 37 M/Blocked
4 53 G
FSU None
MSU None

So......
2/2 1st q
5/10 2nd q
1/3 3rd q
3/3 4th q
He is money when it counts, but now I am curious as to why we had so many more attempts in the 2nd quarter than the others.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Thanks but come on-
UGAg 4 53 GGGGGGGGGGGGG

Yup, that was good - the biggest of the year.

 

[gtcrew]

whoh, whoh, whoh.

you can' t evaluate the special teams properly unless you take into account the O. seriously. think about it.


if your O is unstoppable, return yards dont mean much. what is most important in such a scenario is turnovers. this is an extremely important point.
if your O is impotent, but your D is the ****, (VT style) You need to take a more risky approach on returns. Go for it, so to speak.

 

[alaguy]

a downside to having a great Offense,the punter forgets how to punt

 

[GTNavyNuke]

whoh, whoh, whoh.

you can' t evaluate the special teams properly unless you take into account the O. seriously. think about it.


if your O is unstoppable, return yards dont mean much. what is most important in such a scenario is turnovers. this is an extremely important point.
if your O is impotent, but your D is the ****, (VT style) You need to take a more risky approach on returns. Go for it, so to speak.

I agree that we aren't aggressive and value possession much more than return yards. And it makes sense since our O is so good; the further we have to go the more TOP and the less time for our D on the field. I've noticed it's hard for the other team to score when they don't have the ball.

Also, we didn't get/force that many punts this year - only 41 times did our opponent punt. That was tied for 5th lowest in CFB. I think the low number was a combination of our poor D, especially between the 20s and other teams being in a drag race and having to go for it.

For KO returns, we were tied for 31st fewest as a % in returns. The rest were TB or OOB. In 2013, we were 80th fewest and in 2012 we were 64th fewest, so it appears we got less aggressive (which is what I would have guessed).

 

[GTJackets]

I agree that we aren't aggressive and value possession much more than return yards. And it makes sense since our O is so good; the further we have to go the more TOP and the less time for our D on the field. I've noticed it's hard for the other team to score when they don't have the ball.

Also, we didn't get/force that many punts this year - only 41 times did our opponent punt. That was tied for 5th lowest in CFB. I think the low number was a combination of our poor D, especially between the 20s and other teams being in a drag race and having to go for it.

For KO returns, we were tied for 31st fewest as a % in returns. The rest were TB or OOB. In 2013, we were 80th fewest and in 2012 we were 64th fewest, so it appears we got less aggressive (which is what I would have guessed).

Well, for most teams. I remember a certain NC St game this year where they possessed the ball for the first 11 minutes of the second quarter and we outscored them 14-0. That was fun.

 

[GTech63]

IDR any lost fumbles on KO or punts. Am I wrong? Snoddy almost cost us a safety. I think the comments about having an offense that can move the ball plays into return strategy of not being as aggressive and make sure we get the ball back. Also I don't know how many block in the backs we got but they are killers because they seem to happen inside the 15 yd line. We did not have any KO or Punt returns for TD against us that I recall. Our ST were better than is being given credit especially when add in the Rodwell first down against Miami. Blocked field goals against VT and GA. Last minute FG against GA and VT. With both experienced kickers returning we will be better especially if we stay conservative so the O can make the TDs.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Our ST, when ranked by Football Outsiders was 31st for the total season after being #22 in 2013. That's what I would give them credit for. And be the basis to say we should be better in 2015.

As I continually say, it is special teams and not special team since there are so many different and uncorrelated facets to STs. Here's my thumb nail summary:

• Good - KOs by Butker, Extra points made, blocked FGs and blocked opponent punts.
• Indifferent - KO and punt returns, Rodwell punting consistency (started off real good and faded).
• Bad - Butker FG consistency (except for UGAg last FG!)

This year Butker's FG accuracy should be better. Last year we were 106th (but hey better than 22 teams) with a FG accuracy of 61%. Butker was 11th best in touch backs last year. I'd expect that to get better as he matures / gets stronger. Scary good in that respect.

Also, I think the the KO/punt coverages and KO/punt returns will be better since we have better athletes on the field. At least that's my bias since I think we have a much better 1-90 as the years go by.

With 15-20% of a game's plays being STs, STs are an aspect of the game which is under appreciated IMHO.