Special Teams

[Slaton10]

I am mystified why Special Teams at Wv has been such an adventure for what 20 years now...seems like every season there are issues..I know the majority of us have talked about it for at least 8 years on the CBS boards....

I don't get it really...kick off coverage should be easier since they outlawed the Wedge...stay in your lanes and get off your blocks...you can even run a stunt with your two or even 4 inside busters to spread the return blockers..seems easy...the kicker stands at the opponents 40 yard line as a safety...also pretty easy to do..

punt coverage?..seems as though that whole rugby thing Rich did had been best solution for this program..funny how you don't see anyone doing that anymore for some reason...there are simple fundamentals for punt return...like first catching the ball...and the second you dig your heels in on the 10 yard line and if you need to back pedal...you let it go...seems pretty easy?..if you wave for a fair catch..either you catch it or you get out of the way.. seems easy enough..

Field Goal...just like a normal offensive play its a run block scheme from Tackle to Tackle and a pass block scheme on the corners...its been that way for 100 years....so why is it so hard at Wv?...must be the turf??

Yes Deforrest should come under fire....but man...we can go back to Carlen's days and find that there were special teams issues.......

 

[bbwvfan]

Not sure I get it either. Such an important part of the game too.

 

[WVUDAD]

I don't get it either, WVU has tried so many different tacks for STs, yet nothing seems to help. Starters playing STs, 2nd team guys, different schemes, yet we still cant cover a KO, or a punt, we cant field a punt, we kick a 54 yard FG, then get a 40 yarder blocked, we continue to bring kickoffs out from five yards deep in the endzone, fair catch punts at the 5. Yes there are long term issues, but it seems to be getting worse, maybe it is the air in Morgantown??? Like you say, DC, the rugby roundhouse punt seemed to work best for WVU, yet it has been abandoned through most of college ball.

 

[wvu_man]

Speaking of the rugby style of punting, did any of you guys watch the OSU/Maryland game? The OSU punter would run sideways and then up field before he would punt the ball. It seems like he was buying even more time for the coverage to get down the field.

 

[Anotherwvufan]

On thing that I noticed is that we do not block the offensive lineman. We rarely seem to have room to catch the ball or have time to get the fumble when he drops it. We have to slow those guys down some.

 

[mad2mc]

On thing that I noticed is that we do not block the offensive lineman. We rarely seem to have room to catch the ball or have time to get the fumble when he drops it. We have to slow those guys down some.

I haven't noticed too many directional kicks or punts. May have to sacrifice some yards on punts and kick it out of bounds. The one thing I do not know is if the punter has the skills to do directional kicking. I'd worry about the rugby style kicking do to the way oppents have been crashing the ends.

 

[Slaton10]

It is interesting...I watch other teams and what they do and all of them are not too dissimilar to what Wv does..and to be honest they struggle to.( See Alford already two kickoff returns for TD's)..not to on the same level as Wv but it's more than clear teams are no longer just falling back into blocking coverage's..and I am speaking of punts here...everyone seems to be more aggressive in putting pressure on a kicker...( Which maybe Wv issue BTW) which leaves some exposure on the back end with a returner not needing to avoid numbers after the catch.... On kickoffs...it appears more teams are putting even larger bodies out in midfield which creates some issues for gunners to get off of blocks...just some small sample observations...

 

[bbwvfan]

Remember this name… WVU never wants to hire him as a ST coach…

Bruce Feldman ‏@BruceFeldmanCFB 12m12 minutes ago
Special teams coordinator Eric Russell is out at #WashingtonState after WSU allowed back-to-back kickoff returns for TDs vs Cal.

 

[mad2mc]

DeForrest may be next on that train out of town.