GT Special Teams Vs UNC

[GTNavyNuke]

Another solid ST performance – no wonder we are still 17th in the country in STs. http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feist

Butker was very good.

• Four of 8 KOs were TBs, three high 65 yarders, and one good attempt at an on-side kick that we had a good chance to recover but didn't.
• Not to be lost, on the three 65 yard KOs, the average return was 21 yards (64 total yards). So the return coverage is getting better.
• I think his 65 yard KOs may be intentionally high and just to the goal line to try and keep people inside the 25 and maybe force a fumble. Just a theory. If it is what was intended, it worked.
• Butker made the one 27 yard FG attempt of the day. About 4 feet inside right hash, which has been his problem side. Looked like he set up with more of an angle than before and the kick went right through the center of the uprights.

Rodwell’s one punt was 41 yards and high enough to force a fair catch. Not fabulous, but solid.

Our KO and punt returns were only average.

Overall grade I’d give STs for just the UNC game is a B. Unfortunately, STs were not good enough along with a great O to overcome the stinking D. Recovering the on-sides to win the game would have warranted an A+ for ST, but STs didn’t hurt us on any play and only helped. We will get an on-sides because the way Butker is kicking them since we are getting real chances ……

One thing I didn’t realize until I went through the stats was how much more UNC dominated on number of plays. We had 69 (18 pass attempts and 51 rushes) and they had 88 plays (27.5% more) even though we had a TOP of 31:30.

Not to beat the cyber bullied D more (Monica where are you?), maybe we should on sides attempt every time and keep the D off the field or on the field less time. That way we aren’t exposed to the agony of our D. If we recover ¼ of the time ……..

Past game ST records at:
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]

Java upload problems .... listing of plays to follow whenever .......

 

[GTNavyNuke]

 

[yellojello]

Nice breakdown Nuke!

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Rodwell’s one punt was 41 yards and high enough to force a fair catch. Not fabulous, but solid.

He had a second punt for 19 yards as well.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Thanks on Rodwell, I now remember that shank. It was in 2nd qtr at 6:09. Went out at 35. His worst of the year, but otherwise he has been very good.

His average is only 41.3 but many have been to around the 10 which hurts average. We have punted 18 times this year (2.6 times a game). The only team to punt less is Ohio State at 13. The median team has been about 35 times (5 a game).

I really like that CPJ has his mojo going and we are going for it on fourth or faking. We are 6 of 7 on fourth downs ..... 5th best % in the country. Other teams have gone for it more times, but we just don't get the opportunity ...... we score too much!

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Thanks on Rodwell, I now remember that shank. It was in 2nd qtr at 6:09. Went out at 35. His worst of the year, but otherwise he has been very good.

His average is only 41.3 but many have been to around the 10 which hurts average. We have punted 18 times this year (2.6 times a game). The only team to punt less is Ohio State at 13. The median team has been about 35 times (5 a game).

I really like that CPJ has his mojo going and we are going for it on fourth or faking. We are 6 of 7 on fourth downs ..... 5th best % in the country. Other teams have gone for it more times, but we just don't get the opportunity ...... we score too much!

Just curious, if you subtracted his punts inside the 20, what would his average be? Does anyone keep a stat like that?

 

[Jean-Baptiste Rochambeau]

Certainly takes the sting out of losing the game. Thanks.

 

[Whiskey_Clear]

I won't mind seeing more onsides attempts but don't advocate doing so every kickoff. We gotta give our D at least a chance to show they can play. I'm frustrated with it but haven't given up on em. But Butker does a very good job with the onsides kicks...gives us a better than average shot at jumping on some eventually. I bet ya Pitt will be extra careful up the middle on any repeat attempts like in the UNC game...that has a benefit as well.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Just curious, if you subtracted his punts inside the 20, what would his average be? Does anyone keep a stat like that?

I don't know anyone who keeps those stats. I looked at Rodwell's since I have all the stats in a spread sheet. 10 of his 18 were inside the 20! 1 was a successful fake punt. The remaining 7 averaged 40.6 yards (compared to 41.3 for all), but that includes the 19 yard shank. Take out the shank (really can't do that since everyone has bad punts occasionally) and he averages 43.6 yards with a long of 55 against VT which was returned 7 yards.

He's pretty consistent and best of all puts them real high so he doesn't out kick his coverage. We've all seen the really long punts returned a long way since the returner gets to get up to speed and out maneuver the coverage.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

I don't know anyone who keeps those stats. I looked at Rodwell's since I have all the stats in a spread sheet. 10 of his 18 were inside the 20! 1 was a successful fake punt. The remaining 7 averaged 40.6 yards (compared to 41.3 for all), but that includes the 19 yard shank. Take out the shank (really can't do that since everyone has bad punts occasionally) and he averages 43.6 yards with a long of 55 against VT which was returned 7 yards.

He's pretty consistent and best of all puts them real high so he doesn't out kick his coverage. We've all seen the really long punts returned a long way since the returner gets to get up to speed and out maneuver the coverage.

I was thinking after I posted that even subtracting the inside the 20 punts might not be a good indicator. If you boom a 46 yard punt to nail them inside the 20 it would be removed as well. Punter might be one of the few positions where you really have to rely on the eyeball test. I do know I have been generally pleased with his punting this year.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

To evaluate punting, you also need to know hang time (no where have I ever seen this). I could kick it 40 yards, but it never was more than 20 feet above the ground and got a good roll ....... Most of Rodwell's punts are fair caught which is what you want.

Forgot to mention that Rodwell is a RSo!

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

Now I think I know why it took so long for Ray Guy to make the NFL HoF. We need to turn some Sabermetricians loose on the punting stats.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I'm going to write a "book report" on the book "Study Hall, College Football, Its Stats and Its Stories". Written by Bill C0nnelly, it talks a lot about Football Outsiders stats and the lack of CFB stats compared to NFL, baseball, etc. Needless to say, ST are more important than most realize (but of course no where near as important as the O or the D).

Thanks to @jchens_GT for recommending it!

 

[jchens_GT]

I'm going to write a "book report" on the book "Study Hall, College Football, Its Stats and Its Stories". Written by Bill C0nnelly, it talks a lot about Football Outsiders stats and the lack of CFB stats compared to NFL, baseball, etc. Needless to say, ST are more important than most realize (but of course no where near as important as the O or the D).

Thanks to @jchens_GT for recommending it!

Welcome! It's a great read if you are interested in gaining more useful knowledge about CFB stats. Connelly does a good job explaining which are more useful and why.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

This is a great analysis.

My only gripe - Butker could have been a little more aggressive on grabbing the onside kick. He was right there, but if you watch the replay, he looked a little timid when he "dove" for the ball. It was like he "short-armed" it or something.

But with that said, he has been great on kick-offs.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

This is a great analysis.

My only gripe - Butker could have been a little more aggressive on grabbing the onside kick. He was right there, but if you watch the replay, he looked a little timid when he "dove" for the ball. It was like he "short-armed" it or something.

But with that said, he has been great on kick-offs.

I agree that kickers probably don't like to put their heads into meat grinders the way "regular" football players do. Butker slid a bit early going for the ball but we had the UNC guy outnumbered 5-1 and the UNC guy made a great play.

 

[ibeattetris]

Why is a kick off returned to anything less than the 25 yard line a C+? If we are capable of covering these kickoffs as we have been, then I truly hope to see more of these so called "C+" kickoffs.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Ok, tough curve. After appeal, B-. Actually, a C would be about on the 28.5 since that's the average for all teams on kickoffs. So getting between the 20 and 28.5 with a return would be slightly (C+) above average, 10-20 a B and inside 10 or recovery an A.

For me, a Touch Back with no potential for a return is an A. I don't like tempting fate. Just kick the ball into the stands and let the D take over.

Edit: the stat above about average for all teams is wrong, I'll fix tonight.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

OK, I looked at the stats more. I still think Butker needs to try to kick a TB every time, especially as we face better teams for the rest of the season.

That's because when the other team returns, we are 120th at Kickoff return defense. http://www.cfbstats.com/2014/leader/national/team/defense/split01/category05/sort01.html

You could make the argument we are getting better as the games go on, but why tempt the football gods? http://www.cfbstats.com/2014/team/255/kickreturn/defense/gamelog.html

I'm not going to figure out the exact average starting position after kickoffs, but the median kickoff is 61.5 yards and the median return is 20.5 yards. If you forgot about TBs, this would be on the 24 yard line. TBs are on the 25.