Special Team Plays Vs BC

[GTNavyNuke]

Here are the ST plays from yesterday.

• The blocked FG by Gamble was a massive play. Best of the ST game IMHO as BC gets that score and the dynamics change entirely. And it's not a fluke that we get a blocked FG since we got 3 in 2015 (tied 23rd) and 6 in 2014 (tied 1st).
• Butker was great, 4 TBs in 4 attempts. And one 40 yard FG. The last TB was the first which wasn't straight down the middle and was about 5 yards from OOB on left side. Beautiful since a no chance for a miracle return.
• Nice returns by Stewart (15 yards on a punt) and JJ Green (22 yards on a KO). No muffs on the fair catches.
• Rodwell was a bit worse than last year when he was 96th out of 100 punters with a 2015 average of 39.3 yards per punt. Yesterday he was 37.4 yards in the air but only 30.2 after the return since his punts were low and returnable (other than OOB or too short). 5 punts which netted 24, 37, 27, 26 and 37 yards. With a real punter averaging 40 yards a punt, our field position would have been a net 50 yards better. Special Teams 2015 Review and Look Forward
  • If someone could ask CPJ what Shea Underwood's punt average has been in camp. He was 43.6 yards in HS and had great hang time. The only thing that makes sense is Shea is hurt.
• If it seems like there weren't a lot of plays, there weren't. There are usually about 160-170 plays in one of our games. Only 134 by my count yesterday. The next lowest I could find was Clemson 2 years ago with 140 plays. Makes sense for BC to want few plays since they don't have the strength and stamina that we do. At least that's my guess. Fewer play games favor the underdog.

 

[inGTwetrust]

Basically all good with the exception of our punting game.

I'd like to see Shea give it a go next week.

 

[4shotB]

I am hoping that Rodwell's performance was due in part to the conditions. He may have been overly concerned with just making the catch/not slipping/ getting the kick off. I guess we will see though. if it continues, a change is indeed in order.

 

[sidewalkGTfan]

At this point Rodwell is what he is. The best solution is for the offense to make sure he doesn't have to come on the field.

 

[ilovetheoption]

I am hoping that Rodwell's performance was due in part to the conditions. He may have been overly concerned with just making the catch/not slipping/ getting the kick off. I guess we will see though. if it continues, a change is indeed in order.

This is probably somewhat fair.
In conditions like those, averting disaster is more important than having great plays.

 

[bass ackwards]

What number is Desmond Branch? I did a slow-mo of the blocked kick because I couldn't tell who got it live. The TV guys gave credit to Gamble, but the angle wasn't right for him to get it. I did a blurry fame-by-frame on my DVR and it looks like it went off the left arm of #41, but that's Rook-Chungong.

 

[Greenjackets]

It looked to me like 41 blocked the kick as well. Unlike the FSU kick the trajectory was pretty low but a key play nonetheless.

 

[Animal02]

This is probably somewhat fair.
In conditions like those, averting disaster is more important than having great plays.

It really hurt with the backward bounces. Not sure if that was do to conditions or just something he is doing wrong.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

It really hurt with the backward bounces. Not sure if that was do to conditions or just something he is doing wrong.

The hang time, distance and direction (OOB on one) also sucked. So yeah there is something he is doing wrong or can't do. Again, the only logical explanations I can think of for Rodwell punting are that Shea is hurt or has regressed.

After week 1 (almost done), we are comfortably/consistently at 95th best in punting. http://www.cfbstats.com/2016/leader/national/team/offense/split01/category06/sort01.html

 

[pinglett]

I was very impressed with the returns by Stewart and Green. JJ is going to break one sooner or later, and even if he's not a threat, Brad looks like he will be very dependable.