Kickoff/Punt returns for TD by M
Seems like we haven't had a dynamic Kick/Punt return specialist since Steve Breaston. I believe our last KR for TD was Stonum in [EDIT: 2009]. When i think about the elite/good teams of recent years, they always seemed to have great returners.
LSU- Mathieu, Peterson, Holliday
Bama- Maze, Menzie, some other little cornerback
Georgia- Boykins
TCU- Kerley
KSU- Banks, Sproles
I wanted to know where we rank in terms of return TD's compared to other top teams, and also wondering if this is from lack of talent, or focus on ST
October 11th, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
Norfleet will run one back this year, it's only a matter of time. The kid is fast and has great vision for a freshman
October 11th, 2012 at 5:32 PM ^
And hes got them crazy eyes everytime he gets the ball
October 11th, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
give norfleet a year. When the camera pans to him before kickoffs - he is always so jacked up. No lack of confidence there and he has the speed and will to go to the house.
Also, hasnt fumbled yet (knock on wood) which is always a positive.
October 11th, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
Think about it this way...how many returns have we given up?
Just because we see it every week from some of the same guys doesn't mean the country is littered with them.
I think we have a special return man in Norfleet, it's only a matter of time before he gets free...could be this week vs. a "meh" Illinois team.
October 11th, 2012 at 11:57 AM ^
The last punt returned against us was Ohio State in 2010, no? I can't remember the last time a kickoff got brought back against us.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:17 PM ^
minnesota technially did last year but there was a penalty on it so it got called waaaaaaay back. if it had counted we all would have been pissed that it had cost us a shut out
October 11th, 2012 at 12:17 PM ^
I think OSU actually had a kickoff return TD in that game.
Yep, it was a kickoff return, scored immediately after our only score of the day.
http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=303310194 (for the masochists)
October 11th, 2012 at 12:20 PM ^
I've blocked out a huge portion of that game from my memory.
Come to thing of it, OSU vacated that win, so technically that return never happened...right? RIGHT?
October 12th, 2012 at 10:15 AM ^
If you can't remember it, then it NEVER happened!
. . . if only this were actually true . . .
October 11th, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^
But we also had a punt return TD from Odoms later on in 2008 (horribly quality video link)
October 11th, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
The Stonum return vs. ND was in 2009.
October 11th, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
The little corner back you are referring to for Alabama is Javier Arenas
October 11th, 2012 at 12:07 PM ^
Thank you for that.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
Anytime
October 11th, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
October 11th, 2012 at 12:00 PM ^
Stonum's KR TD was in 2009 against Notre Dame.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
I like Gallon. When he gets the ball in space he has the ability to make alot of people miss. I do think that the prevelance of the spread punt limits big returns. I'd actually be interested to see if there has been a major down turn in punt return yardage over the last few years since the spread punt has caught fire.
October 11th, 2012 at 3:10 PM ^
Does Mathlete have a bat signal?
October 11th, 2012 at 12:16 PM ^
October 11th, 2012 at 12:19 PM ^
Odoms got one against purdue in 2008. since then it has been more of a CATCHTHEDAMNBALL/HOLDONTOTHEDAMNBALL situation on punts though gallon has been mixing in a few solid returns here and there.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:25 PM ^
And, to be sure, the new spread punt formation has also cut down punt return yardage dramatically, and the new kickoff rules have reduced the number of kickoffs returned.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:21 PM ^
They have been pretty rare to come by. But I'm pretty sure Norfleet will take one to the house eventually.
October 11th, 2012 at 4:24 PM ^
This is what I was hoping the whole dang thread would be about. Thanks, WH!
October 11th, 2012 at 7:49 PM ^
Was already a whiny, cranky old man even back then. Great coach, but yeesh. Nothing I like more than antagonizing him.
October 11th, 2012 at 8:01 PM ^
Who was coaching the return teams from 1990-93? Even though that's the era of Michigan football in which I became a fan (too young before that), I had forgotten just how many returns for TDs they had in that year. Some of that was Howard, Alexander, and Wheatley being total beasts, but not all. The blocking schemes are also fantastic. I have no idea if they would still work today, but the platoon of blockers Desmond has on all of his returns are unbelievable -- though I assume the anti-wedge rules might rule out such things today.
October 11th, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
October 11th, 2012 at 2:58 PM ^
...I think he played for Alabama.
October 11th, 2012 at 3:13 PM ^
Just shows how much special teams matter. Good teams usually do get it done on special teams.
October 11th, 2012 at 3:28 PM ^
October 11th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
their last good returner I remember from OSU is Ted Ginn Jr.
October 11th, 2012 at 7:42 PM ^
Vincent Smith returned a punt for me yesterday in NCAA football, does that count?