Short Punts and Kickoffs Saturday

[spierceisu]

I want to say, I am not at all complaining about Saturday, but I was watching on TV and noticed both teams struggled to punt and kickoff for much distance. I was outside almost all day and it didn't seem windy, but it sure seemed like the punts especially were all very short. Was the weather windy in Ames, or was something else going on?

 

[BACyclone]

Something else.

I was thinking that the KO were intentionally being kicked short, but have no explanation for the punts.

However, our punter had a much better day than theirs...

 

[Gary_ISU]

I do think the kickoffs were intentional with the goal of being caught inside the 5 and along the sideline. It worked several times and we pinned them inside the 20 but also there were a couple of big returns.

I thought the punting was terrible. Several punts from the 50 were fielded around the 20.

 

[acoustimac]

I made the same comment in another thread. Responses were similar that kickoffs were intentional. Punts were just terrible and gave TCU great field position several times.

 

[NetflixAndClone]

Didn’t Perkins get flattened by a block during the OU game? Maybe slightly dinged up.

I also thought TCU came close to getting a block so maybe he was rushing things a bit.

Either way slightly concerning since he looked so good earlier in the season. I trust it is something they will be working on.

 

[kevdiv48]

agree with punting specifically, I recall it being one of the lone bright spots of the Iowa game.

 

[FallOf81]

I do think the kickoffs were intentional with the goal of being caught inside the 5 and along the sideline. It worked several times and we pinned them inside the 20 but also there were a couple of big returns.

I thought the punting was terrible. Several punts from the 50 were fielded around the 20.

The coffin corner punt is one of the easiest ways to pin your opponent inside the 20. Most punters for many years now have been taught to "sky it" and try to "kill it" while your speed players chase it down. Dumb.
It's really just a matter of drawing a line in your head toward your target. First step that direction. Tell your coverage team which side you're going to corner the ball. Etc. Etc. It ain't rocket science.

 

[JM4CY]

Some of those punts were rushed due to pressure and I'm ok with that outcome versus the alternative.

 

[3TrueFans]

The coffin corner punt is one of the easiest ways to pin your opponent inside the 20. Most punters for many years now have been taught to "sky it" and try to "kill it" while your speed players chase it down. Dumb.
It's really just a matter of drawing a line in your head toward your target. First step that direction. Tell your coverage team which side you're going to corner the ball. Etc. Etc. It ain't rocket science.

"easiest"

 

[Cyclonepride]

Didn’t Perkins get flattened by a block during the OU game? Maybe slightly dinged up.

I also thought TCU came close to getting a block so maybe he was rushing things a bit.

Either way slightly concerning since he looked so good earlier in the season. I trust it is something they will be working on.

Good point. He did get hit pretty hard. His average was really low for TCU, so maybe he is a bit dinged up.

 

[Cyforce]

The coffin corner punt is one of the easiest ways to pin your opponent inside the 20. Most punters for many years now have been taught to "sky it" and try to "kill it" while your speed players chase it down. Dumb.
It's really just a matter of drawing a line in your head toward your target. First step that direction. Tell your coverage team which side you're going to corner the ball. Etc. Etc. It ain't rocket science.

On a bet I once hooked a kick left footed (not my dominant) through the uprights from the goal line OB intersection. Never tried it again because it was dumb luck. That's what a coffin corner is.

 

[Clonehomer]

Did the colder weather play into it? It had only been cold for a day or two. Ball is a little harder, might need a little extra time to get warmed up. Might take some time to transition from hot weather to fall and winter.

 

[Cyclonscin]

Did the colder weather play into it? It had only been cold for a day or two. Ball is a little harder, might need a little extra time to get warmed up. Might take some time to transition from hot weather to fall and winter.

That's what I attributed the shorter kicks to. Especially since it seemed to impact both teams pretty equally.

 

[Cyhig]

Some of those punts were rushed due to pressure and I'm ok with that outcome versus the alternative.

I also thought the missed long field goal was pulled left because of the heavy rush. Watching it live it seemed he had to pull it left to prohibit it from being blocked. At the time, I thought it was a good miss since it wasn't blocked.

I haven't watched the play since, I could be way off here

 

[Clonefan94]

Some of those punts were rushed due to pressure and I'm ok with that outcome versus the alternative.

This is what the issue seems like to me. Definitely since the OU game, I think the emphasis seems to be, "Get the punt off quicker." Sure, a 60+ yard punt is nice, but trading a couple 60 yarders and 1 blocked punt a game for 40 and below is worth it if it saves a block.

 

[BACyclone]

Did the colder weather play into it? It had only been cold for a day or two. Ball is a little harder, might need a little extra time to get warmed up. Might take some time to transition from hot weather to fall and winter.

 

[nrg4isu]

This is what the issue seems like to me. Definitely since the OU game, I think the emphasis seems to be, "Get the punt off quicker." Sure, a 60+ yard punt is nice, but trading a couple 60 yarders and 1 blocked punt a game for 40 and below is worth it if it saves a block.

This is what it was. If you watch, the punt team made some pre-snap adjustments to at least 1 of the punts. It was because they identified that TCU was coming for the block and they made sure the protection was good. I have zero complaints about the punting in this game - in fact, I'm pleased to see the intelligence of whoever the up-back was to call the pre-snap changes. TCU saw the OU tape and knew they had an opportunity, but good for us we have a special teams coach that made the right adjustments. Other teams will see this and won't always be bringing the rush because of it.