Anatomy of a Punt Block

Damn, amazing write-up. Good summary here also:

"Punt protection is not like run blocking, you don't find your guy and then try to pancake him because that would leave you out of your lane for coverage and these guys are all linebackers, not linemen. The typical teaching process in protection on the line is to work the guy you're responsible for laterally for two beats and then release. From long snap to ball on foot should be around 2 seconds in a well functioning punt unit so you do not need to block them long, just get them off their direct path line and move on."
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S*** coaching gets guys into a situation where they're not doing it like this guy describes it, there is no other better explanation.

By the way, @Cdog923, I think you were one of the only people calling for 4-8 prior to the season. Or maybe I'm remembering that wrong? If it was you, you were more right than just about anybody else on the board.    :)

 
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Undone said:
Damn, amazing write-up. Good summary here also:

S*** coaching gets guys into a situation where they're not doing it like this guy describes it, there is no other better explanation.

By the way, @Cdog923, I think you were one of the only people calling for 4-8 prior to the season. Or maybe I'm remembering that wrong? If it was you, you were more right than just about anybody else on the board.    :)
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I saw 5 wins being the most likely outcome, and it's sad that I was too optimistic in that. I thought our linebackers were too young and wouldn't be ready for B1G play when Honas went down. 

But there is no excuse for getting a punt blocked like that in that situation. I'm in complete agreement that crap coaching is mostly to blame.

 
BigRedBuster said:
Unbelievable and so damn frustrating.  How can nobody on the punt coverage not know who the punter is behind them if the coverage has to be that different between the two punters?

Again, Nebraska beating themselves instead of a great team beating us.
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Red Five said:
Or someone in the booth notice it and tell the sidelines they need to call a TO?
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The litany of failures, from HC to assistants, linemen to punter, is astounding. 

Undone said:
Damn, amazing write-up. Good summary here also:

S*** coaching gets guys into a situation where they're not doing it like this guy describes it, there is no other better explanation.

By the way, @Cdog923, I think you were one of the only people calling for 4-8 prior to the season. Or maybe I'm remembering that wrong? If it was you, you were more right than just about anybody else on the board.    :)
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I honestly don't remember doing a prediction this year, mainly because of the grief that got flung my way for predicting 2 wins last year :D

 
Red Five said:
Or someone in the booth notice it and tell the sidelines they need to call a TO?
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I thought the same thing.  Where was anyone on the staff?  I know our ST coordinator is also an LB coach.  But, wouldn't you think that when your team is going out to do anything on ST, you would be the one that is taking at least a few minutes to make sure everything is exactly how it's supposed to be?

 
Here's the thing: Fixing the offensive line in one offseason? Not all that easy. Expecting better running back play in one offseason? Not really something you should reasonably expect, probably. Better QB play? Probably depends on if we get a throwing QB out of the portal.

But fixing special teams is absolutely fixable between now and the Ireland trip. That's why I'll lose all confidence in Scott's ability to actually manage and lead this program if he doesn't cook up a plan to actually get the right attention on special teams that it so obviously needs.

I've said it probably a dozen times: it can't be as hard as Frost is making it look, just can't.

 
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Undone said:
Here's the thing: Fixing the offensive line in one offseason? Not nearly that easy. Expecting better running back play in one offseason? Not really something you should reasonably expect.

But fixing special teams is absolutely fixable between now and the Ireland trip. That's why I'll lose all confidence in Scott's ability to actually manage and lead this program if he doesn't cook up a plan to actually get the right attention on special teams that it so obviously needs.

I've said it probably a dozen times: it can't be as hard as Frost is making it look, just can't.
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I agree.  Our O line and RB play isn't going to be miraculously dominating in just one year from where they are starting right now.  FYI...that's true even if Frost was fired.  However, they can be greatly improved.  If we have good players, then good coaching will improve them.  If we don't, the portal can get you better players....all before Ireland.

Our O line and ST have been so atrocious this year that some improvement should be able to be seen.

 
knapplc said:
Per the Redditor who wrote that, this was the third time (at least) that we've done this in 2021. 
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Which, makes me really question why they constantly switch out two punters that are so different in how they punt?  Neither have been a great punter this year.  So, why put everyone else in a harder situation having to do different things every other punt?

 
BigRedBuster said:
Our O line and ST have been so atrocious this year that some improvement should be able to be seen.
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Exactly.

We lost two games off of stupid punt plays this year, and then at least two more off of offensive line play that you don't even see from a team like Kansas.

There's four wins that gets us to 7.

But you put the most emphasis on your offseason fixes into special teams because on paper and in training camps it's so obviously the most tangible thing to fix.

 
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