Hugh Freeze is without a doubt my favorite coach ever - but we have been awful on special teams pretty much since he got here. Do we not practice it enough? Do we not have a good enough special teams coach? Whatever the situation, we need to get it fixed. We need to identify and hire whoever the absolute best special teams coach in the nation is - and fast. With the talent we have on this team we could and should contend for a national championship during the next few years. We can't be content to be good on offense and/or defense and ignore special teams or it could be the difference in winning or not.
Special Teams
- Thread starter RebReb
- Start date
The most glaring deficiency of this team since CHF arrived. Coach Freeze quote, " nobody can return a punt " pretty well sums up the thoughts on special teams. Given the success of other teams against us it would suggest we revisit the importance of how special teams play can impact the outcome of games. We have the athletes to field excellent special teams play but the philosophy and coaching must change.
Special teams were pretty good when Tom Allen was here...the guy had some fire! We need to break the bank to get him back.
With Gleeson dropping punts inside the 20 yard line, Wunderlich nailing one field goal after another, and both having pretty decent punting averages, we are doing fine. Carlos Davis doesn't have to be spectacular. The way we are moving the ball, I am OK. My opinion. Just don't fumble the damned football.
We've tried many return guys for punts and kickoffs in practice. Very few have reliable hands. Even the guys who were great return specialist in high school haven't done well. Freeze isn't going to use starters on special teams. Too many chances of injury. Any one remember losing McCluster for his entire sophomore year due to an injury on the opening kickoff against Vandy?
Honestly, liked him too because of his enthusiasm but we were not very good on special teams when he was here either. We were better than we are now - but we need to go after someone who will put us in a situation of having the absolute best special teams in the nation - not just better than this. If you are going to try to win championships then you can't settle for being less than the absolute best in every area of the game. Just my opinion.
Returning punts and kickoffs is a crappy job where you know you're going to get killed. Punters float the ball way up in orbit, you have to wait for it, and catch it, knowing 11 guys want your head. Kickoffs usually end up in the end zone with little chance of a return. Most difficult and underappreciated position in football in my view-punt returner.
