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***OFFICIAL 2019 CU FOOTBALL FALL CAMP THREAD***











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Viska has one year left at CU. He needs to make it through the year, but his usage on offense shouldn’t be anywhere near what it was through 5 games last year. Yes, PR adds a little more injury possibility, but not much.

The thing is, CU needs to have as many opportunities to score as possible this year. Viska is a threat to take it to the house anywhere on the field, anytime he touches the ball. Not sure KD is that same threat, but would be intrigued with Stanley.
 
But top 5-10 pick? If he goes as high as expected I don’t see any team putting him on the punt team.
No NFL team will put him at PR, but college is a different ball game, and a team like CU that lacks an abundance of true playmakers needs every opportunity to get the ball in the hands of their All American.
 
The Buffs have decent to very good options at PR besides Shenault. Stanley being perhaps the best option.

They can utilize Shenault effectively without having to rely on him to do it all (i.e. last year).
 
DeSean Jackson returned punts in college and still does in the NFL. This ifea you dont put one of your top guts at punt returner is silly.
Randy Moss returned both punts and kickoffs in college.

I'm much more against him running between the tackles on wildcat plays than returning kicks. It's those 300lb dudes just falling wrong into his legs or driving a shoulder into the ground that worries me. On a special teams play, he's probably the biggest and strongest guy on the field.
 
Randy Moss returned both punts and kickoffs in college.

I'm much more against him running between the tackles on wildcat plays than returning kicks. It's those 300lb dudes just falling wrong into his legs or driving a shoulder into the ground that worries me. On a special teams play, he's probably the biggest and strongest guy on the field.

Those plays make me nervous too. Randy Moss was something else though man, he should be a HOF by now. Off topic, Viska has the size, strength and talent to be a HOF in the NFL too. I’m really excited to watch him for the rest of his career. I just really hope it’s not as a Cowboy, Charger, Chief, Raider or Patriot.
 
I also think the notion of a returner being a dangerous position is a little outdated. With all the rule changes you are much more likely to get blown up by a block. I miss the days we had a difference maker at returner. We really haven't had one since Bloom.
 
I don’t want him to be our full time punt returner but it’s good to train him at it. If we are down by 3 in the fourth quarter and the offense has been stagnant then we can use him to try and spark something. Also, I doubt teams kick to him anyways so it could be a field position game to get them to punt it out of bounds and short.
 
I always think back to Isaiah Oliver icing the UCLA game in 2016 with his TD as a reason to have your best players returning, even if not full time. It can absolutely make a difference.
Luckily we have a ton of receivers that should be plenty capable this year so hopefully he doesn’t need to be used very much.
 
Smart coaches make the best strategic use of their talent.

Viska should not be our "regular" punt returner but as stated earlier having him available to use in the second half of a close game could be the difference between a win and a loss. Bill McCartney used a number of different guys returning punts who who were all-Americans at other positions when he needed a big play.

Also worth noting that the incidence of injuries for punt returners is probably greatly overstated. Lots of the guys doing the blocking and tackling on those plays get hurt because they are making plays from awkward positions while they and the other guy they contact are running in space.

From an injury standpoint with Viska I am much more worried about him running those slants into the LB zones and extending himself out to catch the ball while a LB or a S is taking a free shot at his back or his ribs.
 
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