Special teams fumbles
Some analysis on the the special teams fumbles:
According to ESPN scorebooks, we put the ball on the ground 15 times returning this season, losing 8 of them. Opposing teams then scored 6 TD's and 1 FG on the ensuing possessions.
ND - 1 lost (TD), 2 held
Wisc - 2 lost (TD, FG)
Illini - 1 lost (TD)
PSU - 3 held
Purdue - 1 lost (TD), 1 held
Minny - 1 held
NW - 1 lost (TD)
OSU - 2 lost (3&out, TD)
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:00 PM ^
......looks like you can make a case this issue directly cost us a pair of games, PU and NW.
It indirectly helped "cause" the ND debacle.
One small, tiny aspect of the game. Gotta think that will be better next year.
November 23rd, 2008 at 2:10 PM ^
This was maybe the most maddening thing of the entire season. Giving up the ball when you're about to get is not only incredibly deflating, it really hurts you from a field-position standpoint even if you go on to make a defensive stop. Yesterday in the first quarter we were looking at having the ball around the 50 if Odoms had simply let the ball hit the ground. OSU did not score after that recovery, but they controlled field position for the next several possessions.