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Question about punt return set up
September 24th, 2017 at 8:03 AM
#1
Question about punt return set up
I have a question for some of the coaches who I know inhabit the Board. When our punt return team gets set it up it seems we're in a new alignment of some form that intentionally allows for the release of the three interior people on the punt team who get a straight unblocked line right to the return man (DPJ). It really seems like no effort is made to put any kind of block on these guys with the focus being on slowing down the men on either side of the punt formation. Accordingly if the punt has any kind of height/hang time, those three interior players from the punt team are right in DPJ's face right away forcing the fair catch. Can anyone explain the logic in not putting some kind of block on these players?
September 24th, 2017 at 8:19 AM
#2
the thing i have noticed the most is
When they catch the ball they are back tracking. It seems that he should be deeper so when he catches it he is moving forward vs. moving backwards to fair catch the ball.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:20 AM
#3
The Last Few Purdue Punts Were covered by our Regular D
if you noted hurst was in the middle of the DL for instance and we showed kind of a 4-4 look. JH was undoubtedly thinking more gadget plays would be coming.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:24 AM
#4
Exactly
That's why he called for a fair catch in a couple it looked like he might be able to return. Typically, those free releases don't happen.
September 24th, 2017 at 9:18 AM
#5
Yes
I noticed several times it almost looked like standard defensive personnel in for the punt and thought the same about trick plays.
First make sure there's actually a punt. Then you can worry about where it ends up.
September 24th, 2017 at 9:54 AM
#6
Watch the replay
Hurst blows up some poor dude in the shield. I laughed.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:28 AM
#7
I think it was specific to
I think it was specific to Purdue given their tendency to run trick plays
September 24th, 2017 at 8:31 AM
#8
As people have basically
As people have basically said.....Uofm was playing it safe to avoid a big trick play by Purdue, as that was one of the only ways they could have got back in the game. Told DPJ to just fair catch it.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:33 AM
#9
Like others have said...take
Like others have said...take nothing from yesterday. We were playing safe on almost every return (if not every one).
I could be wrong, but I felt like they had a lot of punts "inside the 40's."
I think it was the right move, every time they punted I yelled "WATCH THE FAKE!" like those little digital people on my TV were actually listening to me.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:36 AM
#10
Sidenote
I'm FAR more worried about our KICK return game.
Kekoa Crawford has looked AWFUL back there, and I believe we swapped him for another #1 - Ambry Thomas yesterday...and he made a huge freshman mistake of returning, hesitating, returning a kick 7 yards deep into the endzone.
...sidenote #2 - can someone please get Fox Sports a "spotter?" I realize Nordin and Robbins both kick the ball and Crawford and Thomas are both WR/CB types, but jeez. So much confusion with players with the same number.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:49 AM
#11
When they first corrected the
When they first corrected the Nordin/Robbins punt naming fiasco, they blamed it on Harbaugh having not released a depth chart. Fucking stoopid...
September 24th, 2017 at 9:09 AM
#12
The fact
Have to wonder if our starting QB, punter and kicker wear the same number is no accident. You have to wonder if it's meant to confuse the other team. You
September 24th, 2017 at 9:52 AM
#13
Surprised they didn't say it
Surprised they didn't say it was Rashan Gary punting.
September 24th, 2017 at 9:09 AM
#14
The fact
Have to wonder if our starting QB, punter and kicker wear the same number is no accident. You have to wonder if it's meant to confuse the other team. You
September 24th, 2017 at 9:29 AM
#15
3
You should post this another time for greater effect
September 24th, 2017 at 9:59 AM
#16
Holly Rowe gave Harbaugh the business on this
by pointing out that he has four guys on the roster with the number 3. He said, "When you're the head coach, you can do what you want."
Having your punter and kicker with the same number has the benefit that you don't worry about both of them showing up on the field at the same time. That happens sometimes.
September 24th, 2017 at 10:04 AM
#17
Nordin and Speight wore the same number last season too.
It's funny that Robbins does too, It might not be an accident, but it doesn't look like a concerted effort to confuse the opponents either. Don't forget Gary. They might have plans to use him as a wildcat.
September 24th, 2017 at 11:12 AM
#18
True, Quinn blamed the lack
True, Quinn blamed the lack of depth chart, but my response to him is real simple. Get the roster that is published and they should be at some time be able to see who is punting. But Fox sent their #3 college team to this game so is it any surprise.
Quinn was good when it came to explaining how plays ended up the way they did, like the first Evans TD run, and the failed Flea-flicker where Bush blew things up, but they seemed like they just were not into working this game.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:49 AM
#19
Not sure how
Crawford looked terrible yesterday. Every KO sailed over his head. With our defense you won't get many return opportunities anyway. Agree on Ambry. He should have never brought that out, especially after hesitating at first.
September 24th, 2017 at 9:03 AM
#20
He didn't say yesterday
He's saying that Crawford has not looked good in his returns to this point, and he's not wrong. Overall, Michigan's kick return game is dreadful a third of the way into the season.
September 24th, 2017 at 8:50 AM
#21
When did Thomas return a kickoff?
I didn't recall, I want to go back and watch it, though.
September 24th, 2017 at 9:52 AM
#22
With our defense, the other
With our defense, the other team should be kicking off only a couple of times a game (3 yesterday). This plus the fact that many kicks are out of the end zone means that we should be returning kicks rarely. Just don't turn the ball over on kicks or on offense and there's no need to practice this that much.
September 24th, 2017 at 10:07 AM
#23
You have a point. Practice time could be better used
on other facets of special teams, like kick coverage and punt returns.
September 24th, 2017 at 10:28 AM
#24
Not that we don't need to
Not that we don't need to practice it, but maybe in preparation for Sparty we spend more time on punt returns like you said.
September 24th, 2017 at 10:31 AM
#25
I did like seeing Hurst out
I did like seeing Hurst out there during pints. With his burst and strength I feel like he has a chance to get a punt blocked just by blowing up the shield into the kicker
September 24th, 2017 at 11:17 AM
#26
I was wondering the same thing
Since we weren't really rushing to block, I figured we'd have a return set up. But it makes sense what everyone here is saying. They ran a guy in motion everytime so my guess is they have a trick play option if the punter sees the right opportunity.
The last punt DPJ had plenty of space to return but my guess is coaches said fair catch it no matter what. Looking forward to DPJ returning one against sparty.
GO BLUE!!
