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Special teams concerns

sackman

sackman

Hates the Counting Crows.
Club Member
Somebody talk me off the ledge, here. I am encouraged by Jim Leavitt and the defense should be improved significantly this year. The offense has some weapons, a seasoned line, and a three year starter at QB.

Then we have special teams. This has been our Achilles heel for years, and that was when we had decent kickers and punters. Now we have a freshman punter and two guys who are entirely underwhelming at PK.

I'm worried. I think this could be the area that keeps us from taking that next step. Special teams won't win you many games, but they can lose a few. We don't have much margin for error, unfortunately.
 
We're going to have to make up for what will likely be mediocre kicking teams with above average return teams. :wow:
 
We have talented kickers. They just aren't good overall kickers

Diego has a cannon for a leg

Kinney is a nationally rated punter

Graham was a decent FG guy in high school

The thing that bothers me the most about ST is that we have those 3 kickers on scholarship for 3-4 years.

Diego will get kickoffs because he can crush the ball, just not very accurate.
Kinney will get punts because he is great at them.
Graham will probably get FG's because he seems to be the most accurate of the 3 for PK.

As long as Graham can be >90% from 40yds or less, we will be ok. Diego just needs to boot the ball out the endzone every time. Kinney just needs to do what he does. The way I see it, our specialists will be very specialized this year, and they need to do their own job well. The coverage teams I am ok with and I think the returners have some explosive talent.

Probably some gold colored glasses in my analysis but I am expecting mediocre from ST. Not too nervous, yet, that they will cost us games.
 
It's one of those situations that you can try to talk out and rationalize how it might be okay. At the end of the day they'll either click or not. If not, at least you can look back and feel clairvoyant.
 
I see no reason to believe the ST play will be any better...but a few to think it will be worse. I can see ST costing us at least 1 game this year.
 
BuffsNYC said:
We're going to have to make up for what will likely be mediocre kicking teams with above average return teams. :wow:
Click to expand...

Yeah, kicking is one thing, let's see if we can't also shoot ourselves in the foot with the coverage teams.
 
We're finally building some depth so I expect our coverage and return teams to improve substantially.
 
Truf.

I can see Kinney kicking a 50+ yard punt, only to have the return guy take it to the house. Our coverage has been absolutely horrific recently.
 
I'm pretty sure diego missed an extra point during the spring game. and this was after he missed a field goal while they were interviewing mac. mac was pissed.
 
Colobuffs21 said:
I'm pretty sure diego missed an extra point during the spring game. and this was after he missed a field goal while they were interviewing mac. mac was pissed.
Click to expand...

Ya. Diego is going to be our emergency long distance FG guy. Unless something drastically changed this summer.
 
Shldr2Shldr said:
Ya. Diego is going to be our emergency long distance FG guy. Unless something drastically changed this summer.
Click to expand...

From what I've seen, Diego only takes the field to make a last second 50+ yarder, where a miss doesn't hurt us. Other than that, I have more faith in Goodman making a normal FG than I do Diego.

As many of us hope that we can get to 7 and a bowl game, I can see ST being the one leg that keeps us out of one.
 
CU will be just fine.
1) We will not be needing special teams that much.
2) Punters and kickers are positions where you can come in and be great at what you do.
3) They are getting the BEST coaching on the whole staff.

Back away from the ledge
 
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BuffUp said:
CU will be just fine.
1) We will not be needing special teams that much.
2) Punters and kickers are positions where you can come in and be great at what you do.
3) They are getting the BEST coaching on the whole staff.

Back away from the ledge
Click to expand...

not sure if serious. Really have no idea.
 
J.R. Ewing said:
We're finally building some depth so I expect our coverage and return teams to improve substantially.
Click to expand...

+1. I expect our coverage and return teams to improve quit a bit. In regards to kicking, I'm just hoping for the best.
 
I'm expecting the combination of kickers and punters to perform within one standard deviation of the national average. So maybe average, maybe a little over, maybe a little under. Diego regularly boots it out of the end zone, Kinney regularly makes decent punts, Goodman hits about 80-90% under 35 yards.

The area where coaching can make the biggest difference on special teams is coverage, and to a slightly lesser degree, returns. Unless the Leavitt effect carries over to ST, I expect more of the same in these areas.

Which could leave us saying "coulda, woulda, shoulda" at the end of the season; sorry, Sacky, not talking you off the ledge, just pointing out that you have to worry about a different part of the ledge.
 
This is Neinas year to be fairly evaluated. I was never excited about the hire and think to date he has been the weak link in our staff. Both on the field and on the recruiting trail; but, in truth it is likely that he did a decent job with a units that was overmatched(not talking about the kicker and punter). This year we should have enough depth to field mature and athletic return and coverage teams. If we continue to give up big returns at critical times while fair catching every punt Mac will have to show him the door. if we win a couple games on big special teams plays and Neinas brings home Kemp, I'll gladly eat crow.
 
I think we've upgraded speed while getting older and more experienced. I'm hoping for this to be the year I stop holding my breath every time the Buffs try to cover a punt or kickoff. I'm also hoping that I have a feeling of anticipation that something good might happen when the Buffs are about to receive a punt of kickoff. Been a while on that stuff.

I'm not all that concerned about our kickers and punter. I doubt that either will be a weapon like a Crosby or Berger. I doubt either will be a liability. I'm expecting somewhere around average. And I think it helps a lot that we've got a damn good senior snapper to work with them and get that timing down.
 
5 of our games were decided by 5 points or less last year. We lost 4 of those. We replace 2 four year starters with absolutely no game day experience. The kicking aspect of our special teams scares the hell out of me.

Of course we were in the same place 4 years ago, maybe we'll strike lightning twice.
 
I'm trying to think of something eloquent to add to this conversation, but I've got nothing.
It's good to remember that punters and kickers CAN get better during a season with the right coaching and right attitude and a little luck.
They can also get worse.

There you go.
 
bigskybuff said:
5 of our games were decided by 5 points or less last year. We lost 4 of those. We replace 2 four year starters with absolutely no game day experience. The kicking aspect of our special teams scares the hell out of me.

Of course we were in the same place 4 years ago, maybe we'll strike lightning twice.
Click to expand...

And in two of those games, those Buffs 4 yr. starters Fubared big time, with Oliver missing three very makeable FGs at Cal and O'Neil hitting a line drive punt on punt situation that called for a high, long hang time kick while the coverage was converging to the right. That line drive gave the UW return guy only three strides to get outside the called coverage. When he did, it all over.

Experience as "four year starters" didn't count for sh*t either game!
 
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Buffnik said:
I think we've upgraded speed while getting older and more experienced. I'm hoping for this to be the year I stop holding my breath every time the Buffs try to cover a punt or kickoff. I'm also hoping that I have a feeling of anticipation that something good might happen when the Buffs are about to receive a punt of kickoff. Been a while on that stuff.

I'm not all that concerned about our kickers and punter. I doubt that either will be a weapon like a Crosby or Berger. I doubt either will be a liability. I'm expecting somewhere around average. And I think it helps a lot that we've got a damn good senior snapper to work with them and get that timing down.
Click to expand...
I think people are going to be a little surprised with Graham. He doesn't have a big leg, but is very accurate from what I've seen and what I've heard.
 
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