Special Teams Coordinator

[forensicbuzz]

Unlike offense and defense, special teams is all about doing your assignment, doing it correctly, and sure tackling. Too many of our issues were due to not maintaining our lanes, not tackling well, going rogue trying to make the play. Knowing WHAT to do and then DOING it makes special teams special. That takes practice.

 

[TromboneJacket]

I could see him taking on additional responsibilities if he’s successful. As things stand, he has his work cut out for him. There’s a lot that needs fixing on Special Teams. If he manages to get it fixed in Year 1 or Year 2, I could see him taking over coaching the TEs since he’s apparently had a good track record with that position too. I imagine it’s a lot less effort to sustain good Special Teams play than to instill it.

 

[alagold]

Unlike offense and defense, special teams is all about doing your assignment, doing it correctly, and sure tackling. Too many of our issues were due to not maintaining our lanes, not tackling well, going rogue trying to make the play. Knowing WHAT to do and then DOING it makes special teams special. That takes practice.

You left out my favorite--blocking for a punter. What happened last yr bordered on the unbelieveably incompetent.

 

[iceeater1969]

You left out my favorite--blocking for a punter. What happened last yr bordered on the unbelieveably incompetent.

A few years ago TFP had a great punter who would launch punts so high that the gunners got great coverage . AFTERWARDS TFG decided to put in the rugby still directional punting and we were effective some times. Last year somebody decided we could release a part of the punt protection to head down field early.

This release was not practiced enough to be sure it was coordinated w the rush, the quality of the snap, the punter stride length and and number of steps to get off the of punt.

Even when it didn't fail it looked disjointed. After watching the NFL playoffs - our punting looked like high school players trying to run a pro - scheme. You are right.
We were unbelieveably incompetent.

 

[Techwood Relict]

You left out my favorite--blocking for a punter. What happened last yr bordered on the , was FFS! I just spit my beer in my cheap ice cream because it happened again!, unbelieveably incompetent.

So my take went more like that.....

 

[forensicbuzz]

You left out my favorite--blocking for a punter. What happened last yr bordered on the unbelieveably incompetent.

Everyone had a hand in that.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I could see him taking on additional responsibilities if he’s successful. As things stand, he has his work cut out for him. There’s a lot that needs fixing on Special Teams. If he manages to get it fixed in Year 1 or Year 2, I could see him taking over coaching the TEs since he’s apparently had a good track record with that position too. I imagine it’s a lot less effort to sustain good Special Teams play than to instill it.

To me, there's nothing that can't be fixed with reps and beating into the younger guys that this isn't the way to stand out. Do your job, don't go Rambo.

 

[forensicbuzz]

A few years ago TFP had a great punter who would launch punts so high that the gunners got great coverage . AFTERWARDS TFG decided to put in the rugby still directional punting and we were effective some times. Last year somebody decided we could release a part of the punt protection to head down field early.

This release was not practiced enough to be sure it was coordinated w the rush, the quality of the snap, the punter stride length and and number of steps to get off the of punt.

Even when it didn't fail it looked disjointed. After watching the NFL playoffs - our punting looked like high school players trying to run a pro - scheme. You are right.
We were unbelieveably incompetent.

There's nothing I don't love about this post.

 

[Tech Lawyer]

I trust our new ST Coach will take a good look at our 2022 tape. Here are my old school thoughts : 1. Definitely insert quicker, more mobile TEs , RBs and LB types as the blocking back protectors on the punt team. Why do we need 300 pound DTs serving this role? Do we really need (3) guys or will (2) work? 2. Please consider using an up back on punt returns, especially on cold, windy or rainy games (See Lou Hedley/ Miami game.) 3. Is there any college ST Coach that teaches using the coffin corner on placing punts inside the 20 yard line? The NFL punters are so accurate with their range they can put it on the ten yard line with a fair catch every time. Most college punters simply don't have that skill or control. It's the punt it and, "hope for the best" strategy. Playing a smart special teams scheme is worth 50 yards of field position every game. We've got smart players at Tech- let's put them in a position to be successful.

 

[alagold]

A few years ago TFP had a great punter who would launch punts so high that the gunners got great coverage . AFTERWARDS TFG decided to put in the rugby still directional punting and we were effective some times. Last year somebody decided we could release a part of the punt protection to head down field early.

This release was not practiced enough to be sure it was coordinated w the rush, the quality of the snap, the punter stride length and and number of steps to get off the of punt.

Even when it didn't fail it looked disjointed. After watching the NFL playoffs - our punting looked like high school players trying to run a pro - scheme. You are right.
We were unbelieveably incompetent.

Thanks. In hi school I was the lone pass blocker in the back.NEVER had a punt blocked.Its not the same-- but gee whiz!!!!

 

[alagold]

I trust our new ST Coach will take a good look at our 2022 tape. Here are my old school thoughts : 1. Definitely insert quicker, more mobile TEs , RBs and LB types as the blocking back protectors on the punt team. Why do we need 300 pound DTs serving this role? Do we really need (3) guys or will (2) work? 2. Please consider using an up back on punt returns, especially on cold, windy or rainy games (See Lou Hedley/ Miami game.) 3. Is there any college ST Coach that teaches using the coffin corner on placing punts inside the 20 yard line? The NFL punters are so accurate with their range they can put it on the ten yard line with a fair catch every time. Most college punters simply don't have that skill or control. It's the punt it and, "hope for the best" strategy. Playing a smart special teams scheme is worth 50 yards of field position every game. We've got smart players at Tech- let's put them in a position to be successful.

Some teams have a "less -strong "punter specialist (if your main puntter is too strong--hmmmm) to pooch the ball down to about ten yd line or so.The main skill is kicking it high about 35 yds-gives the PR the chance to fumble ball and gives our coverers time to get down.Its not rocketscience.

 

[bobongo]

Some teams have a "less -strong "punter specialist (if your main puntter is too strong--hmmmm) to pooch the ball down to about ten yd line or so.The main skill is kicking it high about 35 yds-gives the PR the chance to fumble ball and gives our coverers time to get down.Its not rocketscience.

I'd love to see a punter who could reliably make coffin-corner kicks. Seems a lost skill and you don't even see it much in the pros anymore.
John James had it down to a science with the Falcons back in the 70's.

 

[pinglett]

I'd love to see a punter who could reliably make coffin-corner kicks. Seems a lost skill and you don't even see it much in the pros anymore.
John James had it down to a science with the Falcons back in the 70's.

One of the problems with coffin corners is the refs making the right call on the spot. I punted in HS and if you hit it inside the 5, a lot of times, the refs would call it a touchback.

 

[Techastrophe]

As far as I can tell, Coach Brumfield is staying. I think the ST unit made some much-needed improvements vs 2022 and resolved some issues along the way. Seems like his name shows up on recruiting pretty frequently as well.

 

[jojatk]

As far as I can tell, Coach Brumfield is staying. I think the ST unit made some much-needed improvements vs 2022 and resolved some issues along the way. Seems like his name shows up on recruiting pretty frequently as well.

They did make some strides but in KO coverage they were atrocious. Once Gavin was too hurt to regularly kick it into the end zone for a touchback we were rocked by our completely inability to cover a KO return. We were 129th out of 130 in average KO return allowed at 26.85 yards per return. That was over 26 returns. Clemson was actually worse than us by quite a bit with 38.14 yards per return BUT they only had 7 kicks returned against them and I suspect the 1 TD they gave up might have helped skew the results. One thing we didn't give up was a TD and most of the other teams that were close to as bad as us did give up at least 1 and sometimes more.

 

[stinger 1957]

Seems like on our KO returns we are real slow getting to the 20 YDL, the ones that seem to do it well really fly from the GL to the 20-25 YDL. I do feel like we were much better overall with our ST.

 

[57jacket]

Kick off return team was awful. When we did not get it to endzone. That must be priority one!

 

[Root4GT]

They did make some strides but in KO coverage they were atrocious. Once Gavin was too hurt to regularly kick it into the end zone for a touchback we were rocked by our completely inability to cover a KO return. We were 129th out of 130 in average KO return allowed at 26.85 yards per return. That was over 26 returns. Clemson was actually worse than us by quite a bit with 38.14 yards per return BUT they only had 7 kicks returned against them and I suspect the 1 TD they gave up might have helped skew the results. One thing we didn't give up was a TD and most of the other teams that were close to as bad as us did give up at least 1 and sometimes more.

You realize 26.85 is 1.85 yards farther than kicking thru the EZ every time. We must have had a few good stops as some longe returns dis occur.

 

[bobongo]

You realize 26.85 is 1.85 yards farther than kicking thru the EZ every time. We must have had a few good stops as some longe returns dis occur.

I presume 26.85 is the yardage they got from where they caught the ball, not the distance they ended up from the goal line.

 

[57jacket]

You realize 26.85 is 1.85 yards farther than kicking thru the EZ every time. We must have had a few good stops as some longe returns dis occur.

No Root. The average returns After our kickoff guy ( Stewart?) got hurt were far gretaer than 25. UCF returned them to midfield. If you kick them all in the endzone the average is 25. Since there were so many of those before he got hurt, the average does't show the terible coverage out side the endzone.