2010 tOSU Special Teams Discussion

[woofermazing]

Anyone have a link to touchback statistics? It feels like we rarely get them without a pretty strong tailwind.

 

[osugrad21]

I see poor lane integrity, 'soft' fits in the wall, and ineffective scraping/squeezing...the gaps are created naturally by a lack of execution as opposed to solid blocking.

 

[LitlBuck]

I see poor lane integrity, 'soft' fits in the wall, and ineffective scraping/squeezing...the gaps are created naturally by a lack of execution as opposed to solid blocking.

Maybe I am misinterpreting what you are saying but I thought the lane integrity was almost too good with all the guys maintaining their lanes and once the "returnur" broke the first wall he was history. I also agree with the poster above regarding our kicker not getting much height on the kickoffs. Plus, we had absolutely no one at safety. I agree that guys were not getting off their blocks but they were maintaining their lanes.

 

[osugrad21]

Maybe I am misinterpreting what you are saying but I thought the lane integrity was almost too good with all the guys maintaining their lanes and once the "returnur" broke the first wall he was history. I also agree with the poster above regarding our kicker not getting much height on the kickoffs. Plus, we had absolutely no one at safety. I agree that guys were not getting off their blocks but they were maintaining their lanes.

Lane integrity works as one connected 'unit'...they should be bending lanes and squeezing together as one...lane integrity does not refer to only 2-gapping. What you are seeing on Saturdays is a group of guys busting it down field without taking the proper angles or fits. Getting off blocks on the kickoff team is secondary to space management...some spots are designated fits with the goal of getting blocked in the contact zone. When you see a return straight up the gut, those fits were obviously bad...

 

[gracelhink]

Thanks for articulating the issue well, Grad.
A couple questions, without bashing;
Is lane integrity and soft gap execution fixed by film examination and coaching up the coverage team or is this a personnel issue?
Someone mentioned that there is no Staff Assistant given assignment as Special teams coach, is this something that you think JT will address?

 

[osugrad21]

Thanks for articulating the issue well, Grad.
A couple questions, without bashing;
Is lane integrity and soft gap execution fixed by film examination and coaching up the coverage team or is this a personnel issue?
Someone mentioned that there is no Staff Assistant given assignment as Special teams coach, is this something that you think JT will address?

Definitely can be fixed and I'm 110% positive the issues have been drilled, repped, and pounded into their heads over and over for 2.5 months.

Personnel is seemingly a concern since it has not been fixed.

Without a designated ST coordinator, usually the teams are broken up by positions...D staff usually handles kickoff and punt, O staff the returns and FG/PAT units. However, that varies amongst staffs.

 

[buckeyesin07]

grad--on the opening kickoff on Saturday, would you say that poor execution on the part of the coverage team was more at fault, or lack of hang time on the kickoff itself? And why did OSU have success on the remaining kickoffs Saturday night?

 

[osugrad21]

grad--on the opening kickoff on Saturday, would you say that poor execution on the part of the coverage team was more at fault, or lack of hang time on the kickoff itself? And why did OSU have success on the remaining kickoffs Saturday night?

You can definitely place blame on both but the kick should be covered regardless. A gut shot without a blatant missed tackle or some other defensive miscue is inexcusable. You had guys with poor fits inside and others who did not squeeze/scrape at all...that equals disaster.

 

[BuckNut65]

The kick coverage has been soft since last year, especially since Pettrey got injured and was not handling the kickoffs. The inability to kick the ball out of the end zone has definitely had an impact.

I know the new rule changing the kickoff to the 30 has had an impact on our touchbacks, however I have to wonder whether our coverage teams were better in the past or were they covered up by kickers that could consistently boot the ball out of the endzone?

 

[utgrad73]

The kick coverage has been soft since last year, especially since Pettrey got injured and was not handling the kickoffs. The inability to kick the ball out of the end zone has definitely had an impact.

I know the new rule changing the kickoff to the 30 has had an impact on our touchbacks, however I have to wonder whether our coverage teams were better in the past or were they covered up by kickers that could consistently boot the ball out of the endzone?

I think Drew basil has a great leg, but he tries to kick it deep rather than high and maybe not so deep. The hang time on the ball is less allowing the returner to catch the ball before our special teams guys can get down the field. I think this may be why Saine has been on this squad. He can fly and reach the returner faster. Then, with all the talent on the special teams, there should be no excuse for missed coverage etc. This has been a problem from game one. How many have been returned this year for long yardage or TDs? Too many.

 

[CalvinistBuck]

The o-zone's Brandon Castel in his "Ten Things We Learned..."

2. Kick coverage has gone beyond concerning. Tressel will say David Gilreath took the opening kick back for a touchdown because one or two guys on the coverage team did not maintain gap integrity. It's time to call it out for what it is: bad football. For nine years Jim Tressel-coached teams have not had these kind of problems covering kicks and now all of a sudden nobody can go out there and make a tackle? Gilreath wasn't even touched. He went 97 yards and wasn't even touched, all because he made one little stutter-step in the hole. Ridiculous. The excuses are as bad as the coverage itself. The punt coverage team is full of starters like Brian Rolle and Ross Homan, yet the kick off squad still features guys who have never played a meaningful down of football at Ohio State. This was a disaster waiting to happen and whoever is allowing this deserves to have it cost them a game. The rest of the football universe can run down, break up a block and tackle a guy except Ohio State. It makes no sense and it's unacceptable for any good football team.

http://www.the-ozone.net/football/2010/Wisconsin/postgame/tenthings.html

 

[fourteenandoh]

You can definitely place blame on both but the kick should be covered regardless. A gut shot without a blatant missed tackle or some other defensive miscue is inexcusable. You had guys with poor fits inside and others who did not squeeze/scrape at all...that equals disaster.

I saw three guys in one lane on that kick return.

Glen Mason broke down special teams on behind the schemes last week, and he had a good point. When you aren't getting touchbacks, you need to overload one third of the field and kick it to that side. For instance, you put 4 guys outside the right hash, 4 (counting the kicker) on the middle third, and 3 outside the left hash. Then you tee it up to the right, and kick it to the outside hash where you have the numbers. We continue to kick the ball right down the middle of the field, and we are only lining up with 3 guys in that middle lane (counting the kicker) which gives the returner his choice of where to go. He went right up the gut where we only have 2 defenders. Not to mention the fact that the kicks are very low and don't get to the goal line. The kick return against Miami was fielded on the 13 yard line, and he also broke it up the middle before breaking it outside. Posey's return was right up the gut as well. He never even stepped outside of the hash marks once he fielded the ball. I'm not a coach, but I think a good place to start would be to angle the kicks slightly and put an extra guy in the center lane.

 

[kn1f3party]

My entire head will be grey if this continues. Call me spoiled, but I've gotten used to not having to worry about making tackles on special teams. It is awful to watch this year. I'm about to start closing my eyes on kickoffs and punts.

 

[utgrad73]

I saw three guys in one lane on that kick return.

Glen Mason broke down special teams on behind the schemes last week, and he had a good point. When you aren't getting touchbacks, you need to overload one third of the field and kick it to that side. For instance, you put 4 guys outside the right hash, 4 (counting the kicker) on the middle third, and 3 outside the left hash. Then you tee it up to the right, and kick it to the outside hash where you have the numbers. We continue to kick the ball right down the middle of the field, and we are only lining up with 3 guys in that middle lane (counting the kicker) which gives the returner his choice of where to go. He went right up the gut where we only have 2 defenders. Not to mention the fact that the kicks are very low and don't get to the goal line. The kick return against Miami was fielded on the 13 yard line, and he also broke it up the middle before breaking it outside. Posey's return was right up the gut as well. He never even stepped outside of the hash marks once he fielded the ball. I'm not a coach, but I think a good place to start would be to angle the kicks slightly and put an extra guy in the center lane.

I saw this too - anyone have Tressel's email?

 

[CleveBucks]

I saw three guys in one lane on that kick return.

Glen Mason broke down special teams on behind the schemes last week, and he had a good point. When you aren't getting touchbacks, you need to overload one third of the field and kick it to that side. For instance, you put 4 guys outside the right hash, 4 (counting the kicker) on the middle third, and 3 outside the left hash. Then you tee it up to the right, and kick it to the outside hash where you have the numbers. We continue to kick the ball right down the middle of the field, and we are only lining up with 3 guys in that middle lane (counting the kicker) which gives the returner his choice of where to go. He went right up the gut where we only have 2 defenders. Not to mention the fact that the kicks are very low and don't get to the goal line. The kick return against Miami was fielded on the 13 yard line, and he also broke it up the middle before breaking it outside. Posey's return was right up the gut as well. He never even stepped outside of the hash marks once he fielded the ball. I'm not a coach, but I think a good place to start would be to angle the kicks slightly and put an extra guy in the center lane.

I was wondering that the entire game. OSU seems to always kick between the hashes. Maybe that is JT's way of minimizing the mistake of kicking OOB. I don't know. I'd be telling Basil to kick nowhere but between the numbers and the sideline. If he hits his target, the returner has less room to maneuver and the sideline is an extra defender. If he kicks OOB, well no biggie. The returner was probably going to get to the 40 anyways. At least they have to go 60 yards for a TD instead of housing it.

Seemed like every Wisconsin kickoff was outside the hashes.