Kickoffs

[shagcarpetjesus]

That's one philosophy. The other is that the additional potential field position is worth it. A good kick coverage can fire up the D, and set the tone for the series. Sure, there are risks. Field position and injury are the primary ones, (risk of a penalty is not high, however. The vast, vast majority of penalties on kickoffs are on the receiving team) but there's an upside to it as well.

Not to mention you'll never give your coverage team a chance to force a fumble. Or for a returner to botch the catch. While these aren't common occurrences, I do think they are possibilities that you have to include in the pro-con equation.

It seems pretty obvious that CPR is comfortable with the high kick/cover strategy at this point. Given the change in the touchback rule this year, I think it's worth it to see if you can gain an advantage by actually letting the team return the kick. If it ends up not working long-term, you can always go back to blasting the ball through the end zone.

 

[wartknight]

Keep in mind offensive playcalling changes drastically as well when you are starting drives deep in your own end.
I like it. I think its a very aggressive style that matches with everything else Rhoads has coached on special teams since he has been here.

 

[Mr Janny]

I would rather give them the ball on the 25 every single time. If our defense plays even mediocre and gives up 25 yards its a punt. If they give up a big return and then our defense plays mediocre the other team gets 3 or 7 on the board.

You would rather. CPR would rather not.

That's what it boils down to, difference in philosophy. One is aggressive. The other is conservative. Neither is wrong.

 

[IcSyU]

Kirby will probably never tee it up for Iowa State. Punting and kicking are nothing remotely close to alike. Good kickers don't necessarily make good punters and good punters don't necessarily make good kickers.

I would rather give them the ball on the 25 every single time. If our defense plays even mediocre and gives up 25 yards its a punt. If they give up a big return and then our defense plays mediocre the other team gets 3 or 7 on the board.

And when you stop them at the 12, get 3 and out and get the ball back at the 50 instead of your own 37?

 

[VeloClone]

Kirby will probably never tee it up for Iowa State. Punting and kicking are nothing remotely close to alike. Good kickers don't necessarily make good punters and good punters don't necessarily make good kickers.

You do see a lot more NFL teams using their punter for kickoff duties these days then you used to, though.

 

[ksclone2]

Kirby will probably never tee it up for Iowa State. Punting and kicking are nothing remotely close to alike. Good kickers don't necessarily make good punters and good punters don't necessarily make good kickers.


And when you stop them at the 12, get 3 and out and get the ball back at the 50 instead of your own 37?

Its all about personal strategy preference. If that had gone down last week, then the game would have gone to overtime or we would have lost.

 

[shagcarpetjesus]

Here are the results of ISU's kickoffs so far this year....

Tulsa
Kickoff caught on 4/returned 60 yards to ISU 36
Touchback
Kickoff caught on 0/returned 38 yards to TLS 38
Kickoff caught on 0/returned 20 yards to TLS 20
Kickoff caught on 0/returned 12 yards to TLS 12
Touchback

Iowa
Kickoff caught on 6/returned 11 yards to IOWA 17
Kickoff caught on 7/returned 20 yards to IOWA 27
Kickoff caught on 0/returned 17 yards to IOWA 17

The strategy worked perfectly against Iowa and had mixed results against Tulsa. I still think it's worth it to stay with the kick/cover strategy and see how things play out.

 

[DhaCheann]

I love how some people on here "know exactly what they coaches want." Have you talked with the coaches and know that for a fact? I have no doubt that Edwin has the leg to get it there, but who's to say he's not trying to get it into the endzone?

 

[Mr Janny]

I love how some people on here "know exactly what they coaches want." Have you talked with the coaches and know that for a fact? I have no doubt that Edwin has the leg to get it there, but who's to say he's not trying to get it into the endzone?

you're right it's pure speculation. None of us know for sure. I think the point I was trying to make is that while going for the touchback on every kickoff is definitely one approach to kickoffs, it's certainly not the only one. And just because Edwin isn't booming it through the back of the endzone, it doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have the leg strength. It could easily be by design.

 

[cyclones12321]

So far it seems we've been in better shape thanks to good special team coverage but you always have the chance of a big return.

 

[shagcarpetjesus]

I didn't get to see the game and I was wondering if there are any more thoughts on this? 6 total kickoffs against WIU - 3 touchbacks/3 returned short of the 25. Were the touchbacks deep in the end zone?

 

[VeloClone]

I didn't get to see the game and I was wondering if there are any more thoughts on this? 6 total kickoffs against WIU - 3 touchbacks/3 returned short of the 25. Were the touchbacks deep in the end zone?

If I recall correctly 2 he buried deep in the endzone, one looked like he put it just longer than he wanted to so they received just a couple of yards deep. If you looked at the plays situationally it really appeared that for the most part he buried it deep when the coaching staff wanted him to and he kicked it roughly between the 5 and 1 when they wanted to try to stop them short of the 25.

Situational kicking would be for example the kickoff with less than a minute left in the half he almost kicked it out of the endzone so there was no chance for a return to set something up. Giving them the 25 with that short amount of time gave them nothing.

I would have to rewatch the game, but this was my perception from the stands.