Return Game

Do we have any burners this year? With them moving the kick offs back, the return game will be more imporatant than ever. I for one am sick of being demoralized by watching an undersized punt/kick returner being massacred every return. With the new rules, a returner specialist is worth a scholie. I hope the Chiz era takes all special teams up a notch. Special teams seemed to be the biggest weakness of the previous staff. There were a few bright spots over the years but the threat of a big return or blocked kick was hardly a constant.

I thought I read somewhere that Allen Bell was a very good return man in juco.

actually ISU was pretty good at KO returns last year. Not sure where the ended up, but near to top of the Big 12. Of course several other teams had guys that simply kicked the ball out of the endzone.

BTW: Kent State absolutely sucked at kicking off and punting last year. Thier punt average was something like 29 yards. I hope it doesn't make a dramatic improvement tomorrow night.

The kickoff return and coverage teams will be very critical this year. Don't be surprised to see some of our best players (starters) on these teams. Some of the better college coaches have been doing this for some time...Nick Saban, for example, always had some starters on these teams...Michael Clayton (starting wide receiver a few years ago) was tremendous on kickoff coverage...a real "head-hunter".

Deandre did pretty good for us last year on returns, I also remember seeing Moses have some good returns. I wonder how this new staff will put people on special teams. Last year we used mostly all skilled players on the field, receivers on the front line and such, does anybody know if they will do that this year are use bigger bodies for blocking.

Heck we should have had a great return game - we certainly had enough chances at it! In all seriousness, teams that don't have a great leg kicking the ball deep are going to have to find creative ways on not letting their opponents start consistently past the 30 yard line.

In Gene We Trust!