Mr. Yost

January 7th, 2016 at 9:22 PM ^

Okay...and how many good things did he do. Names those two.

That's like me saying Harbaugh is overrated because he didn't go for it on 4th down vs. MSU and because of his late first half time management blunder versus Florida.

Or Durkin is awful because of the OSU game. Rudock is no good because of Utah.

...if we're just going to pick out the 3-4 worst things for every player or coach, then we're not going to get anywhere with this.

Baxter was a very good ST Coordinator and it showed on the field.

There was FAR, FAR, FAR more good than bad. Just like Harbaugh. Just like Rudock. Just like Durkin.

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

Mr. Yost

January 8th, 2016 at 5:28 AM ^

Peppers saving those punts they were angling away from him and then always setting the ball down on the ground and pissing the MSU players off?

That was awesome.

Our offense wasn't closer to humming like it was on 1/1....if those punts are downed inside the 15, who hear has confendence we would've drove the length of the field to even get 3?

Not me.

And get 3...more special teams. 

It was the most painful play for me outside of Kordell Stewart...even more painful than App St. - that said, I can still put it into context and I don't think our Special Teams were awful all year because of it...that's just silly and shortsided.

Joined: 07/25/2011

MGoPoints: -9898220

Stu Daco

January 7th, 2016 at 8:12 PM ^

People will claim this is a huge loss, but by the numbers, special teams were actually pretty mediocre this year.  I'm sure we can find someone just as good.

Joined: 08/23/2015

MGoPoints: 8748

Stu Daco

January 7th, 2016 at 8:32 PM ^

91st in Net Punting, 95th in Punt Return Defense, 31st in Punt Returns, T61st in Punt Blocks Allowed, 0 Blocked Punts, 0 Blocked Kicks, and 48th in Kickoff Return Defense. That's not great.

If you're going to cite FEI, at the very least you need to explain how a collection of middling data points yields a Top-20 unit.

Joined: 08/23/2015

MGoPoints: 8748

Stu Daco

January 7th, 2016 at 8:54 PM ^

Well even if we use the FEI's own inputs, they have Michigan at the following ranks:

FGE:  60th

KE: 73rd

Opp. FGE: 93rd

PRE: 11th

PE: 85th

KRE: 10th

That's good for an average of #55.  Not bad, not great.  I'm not saying Baxter isn't a good coach or that special teams didn't show improvment.  I'm just saying I don't think he's the one-of-a-kind guru some portrayed him to be.

Joined: 08/23/2015

MGoPoints: 8748

Stu Daco

January 8th, 2016 at 6:51 AM ^

With the exception of Opp FGE, I don't see any intuitive reason why a particular element of special teams should be weighted more heavily than another, and I certainly don't see how anyone could claim special teams were excellent with KE and PE both so bad.

Did you care to actually advance such an argument, or was a sarcastic jeer the extent of your contribution? 

Joined: 08/23/2015

MGoPoints: 8748

chunkums

January 7th, 2016 at 8:42 PM ^

The 91st in net punting comes from frequently winning the field position battle and having a punter with a bunch of 30-yard punts that dropped opponents within the 5. O'Neill's punting was outstanding, and for that reason we called upon him to pin opponents deep at times when other teams wouldn't have used a punter. Any metric that has us bad at punting is a very flawed metric. 

31st in punt returns puts us in the top quarter.

Punt return defense gave up several big plays. No argument there.

T-61st in punt blocks allowed. Is that one punt block allowed, or two? Sample sizes matter.

48th in return defense puts us close to the top third of the nation. Not great, but not bad.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 29029

Mr. Owl

January 7th, 2016 at 9:47 PM ^

I just had the same thought & looked it up.

ESPN lists the best Special Teams Efficiency as being the Marshall Thundering Herd.

Herdzone has the complete list of the coaching staff, but oddly no coach has "Special Teams" listed as a responsibilty.

I say just bump Partridge.. and offer Frank Beamer a job as a consultant.

Joined: 01/15/2015

MGoPoints: 346