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Posted on 2/3/21 at 11:00 am to Carlton
Kick cover and punt cover are the only two areas where I actually worry about special teams. The first could largely be solved by us just allowing Reichard to boom it to the end zone instead of intentionally kicking it to the 2-3 to draw a return. I'd be interested to see average starting position when teams try to return a kickoff against us. I assume it's worse than the 25, which is why we continue to do it.
Punt cover is a little trickier because of how inept our specialist has been at that position since JK left. However, Saban putting top notch guys out there as gunners and coverage men makes a big difference. Lots of teams try to get by with rolling their backups or third teamers out there.
Punt cover is a little trickier because of how inept our specialist has been at that position since JK left. However, Saban putting top notch guys out there as gunners and coverage men makes a big difference. Lots of teams try to get by with rolling their backups or third teamers out there.
This post was edited on 2/3/21 at 11:01 am
Posted on 2/3/21 at 11:35 am to Bham Bammer
quote:
The first could largely be solved by us just allowing Reichard to boom it to the end zone instead of intentionally kicking it to the 2-3 to draw a return.
I wish
As for that, and I don't know what the statistics will tell, but I'd be all for fair catching the kickoffs and take possession at the 25 in most cases due to risk of injury (Waddle comes immediately to mind) and so damn many penalties on the return.
This post was edited on 2/3/21 at 11:36 am
Posted on 2/3/21 at 11:42 am to Bham Bammer
quote:
The first could largely be solved by us just allowing Reichard to boom it to the end zone instead of intentionally kicking it to the 2-3 to draw a return.
I was always under the impression that we would do that if possible but Reichard doesn't have the leg for that.
It looks like Reichard got touchbacks approx 20% of the time and got a combination of TBs and Fair catches around 63-65% of the time. Average returns was about 14 yards so kick coverage was pretty stellar. Hope that continues unless I am misreading Reichard's leg strength and he can just put them out the back.
This post was edited on 2/3/21 at 11:43 am
Posted on 2/3/21 at 11:50 am to Carlton
I think his leg is strong enough to kick it into the end zone. In the title game all of the sudden out of nowhere he was putting them back there where he hadn't seemed to do it in several games. My assumption has always been that Saban preferred to play the odds of pinning the other team inside the 20, and if his average return was 14 yards, I'd say we did that more often than not.
I just don't know if 7 yards of field position is worth the risk of someone taking one back or at least busting a big one. But I can't really argue with the GOAT too much.
I just don't know if 7 yards of field position is worth the risk of someone taking one back or at least busting a big one. But I can't really argue with the GOAT too much.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 11:59 am to Bham Bammer
quote:
In the title game all of the sudden out of nowhere he was putting them back there where he hadn't seemed to do it in several games.
That was due to adrenaline and getting screwed out of the Gorza
. He will be back kicking to the 3 next season. (J/k)
Posted on 2/3/21 at 1:38 pm to Carlton
I think it's pretty obvious Reichard (and almost all of our PKs) have had the leg strength to kick it into or out of the end zone anytime they wanted. The decision to kick short is intentional. In fact, I could have sworn somebody posted a link to an interview with Saban a while back that confirmed this.
My assumption is somebody on the staff has crunched the numbers and determined we stand a better chance of a positive play (fumble, boneheaded play by the returner, or just excellent coverage stopping the opponent before the 25) by kicking to the 5- or 10-yard line.
Personally I like kicking it out of the end zone, but I always enjoy seeing the other team starting their possession at the 15 or 20 rather than the 25.
My assumption is somebody on the staff has crunched the numbers and determined we stand a better chance of a positive play (fumble, boneheaded play by the returner, or just excellent coverage stopping the opponent before the 25) by kicking to the 5- or 10-yard line.
Personally I like kicking it out of the end zone, but I always enjoy seeing the other team starting their possession at the 15 or 20 rather than the 25.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 1:50 pm to Sauron
Probably. I don't think Reichard is putting them out the end zone but he could have definitely put it in the end zone to draw more touchbacks if he was instructed to do so, but he probably wasn't. Objectively whatever the strategy was it worked.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 2:16 pm to Carlton
case in point was the opening kickoff in the notre dame game. if that other nd player wasnt in position, thats bama ball on the 5 yardline.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 2:36 pm to Sauron
quote:
My assumption is somebody on the staff has crunched the numbers and determined we stand a better chance of a positive play (fumble, boneheaded play by the returner, or just excellent coverage stopping the opponent before the 25) by kicking to the 5- or 10-yard line.
I'd guess that risk of a kickoff return for a TD vs. boneheaded plays is very much in kick coverage's favor in college.
In the pros, every team has a couple guys that can easily break one so you try not to give them the chance.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 2:48 pm to Sneaky__Sally
I noticed during the games that a lot of teams would initially return kickoffs, but add the game wore on they started to do more fair catches to start at the 25. I assumed we were able to kick the ball at higher angle to get more hang time for better coverage. It seemed like we were done there a lot faster than most teams.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 2:49 pm to Sneaky__Sally
quote:
I'd guess that risk of a kickoff return for a TD vs. boneheaded plays is very much in kick coverage's favor in college.
Seems like a few years ago, one of our more experienced kick returners (Drake, or maybe Cyrus Jones) caught the kickoff around the 3-yard line, near the sideline, and then couldn't stop their momentum and went out of bounds. It was an incredibly stupid thing to do, and the announcers talked about it for a bit.
I think we ended up going 97 yards and scoring on that drive, though, so it didn't hurt us. But if an experienced returner can make that mistake, an inexperienced one is even more likely to screw up.
Posted on 2/3/21 at 2:52 pm to Sauron
Pretty sure that was Christian Jones in the 2014 opener versus West Virginia. Or maybe 2013 versus Virginia Tech?
Posted on 2/3/21 at 2:57 pm to CapstoneGrad06
arenas had one like that also
Posted on 2/3/21 at 3:00 pm to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
Pretty sure that was Christian Jones in the 2014 opener versus West Virginia. Or maybe 2013 versus Virginia Tech?
You know, I think you're right. Not sure which game, but seems like it was Christian Jones.
Posted on 2/4/21 at 10:53 am to TidalSurge1
Nick Saban excited about working with Bill O'Brien, new assistants (BOL)
Alabama expected to add longtime Bill O’Brien staffer as analyst (AL.com)
This post was edited on 2/4/21 at 11:08 am
Posted on 2/6/21 at 11:34 am to TidalSurge1
Posted on 2/6/21 at 11:37 am to South Alabama Tide
Ha, guess Coach O f*cked us by hiring Daronte.
Posted on 2/6/21 at 11:39 am to South Alabama Tide
a lateral move? or does he want the NFL route?
Posted on 2/6/21 at 12:00 pm to mrbroker
Move Golding to DB coach, bring in Glenn Schumann as associate DC/ILB coach and bump his salary to $850,000.
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