The Importance of Kick Returns

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Triple D

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Both Wisconsin and Iowa won narrowly thanks to Kick return TD's

'Nuff said

Please, please go all out against the Badgers and return kicks
 


Our 1 win out of 15 or whatever was triggered by a punt return TD.

Special teams will decide the game next Saturday and I don't like our chances in winning them.
 

Some guy said:
For sure, start inside the 25 all year for the possibility of one touchdown maybe
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Take the free 25-yd line every damn time. I mean, there's only like 3-4 bad things that can happen returning a KO and what, maybe one good one?

Injury, penalty, fumble, or just plain getting stopped short of the 25.... for the remote possibility of a few extra yards? Not smart
 

But Fleck says he has analytics on his side 🙄
 


Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Take the free 25-yd line every damn time. I mean, there's only like 3-4 bad things that can happen returning a KO and what, maybe one good one?

Injury, penalty, fumble, or just plain getting stopped short of the 25.... for the remote possibility of a few extra yards? Not smart
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This completely discounts the huge momentum a KO return TD brings to a team.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Take the free 25-yd line every damn time. I mean, there's only like 3-4 bad things that can happen returning a KO and what, maybe one good one?

Injury, penalty, fumble, or just plain getting stopped short of the 25.... for the remote possibility of a few extra yards? Not smart
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Exactly.

I love this Gopher team, but I don't see anybody on the roster who looks like a game-breaking return man.

If you have Cordarrelle Patterson or Devin Hester or Percy Harvin back there, then yeah; the return should always be on.

If you don't have a talented returner like one of those guys — and we don't — then take the free 25 yards, every single time.
 
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Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Take the free 25-yd line every damn time. I mean, there's only like 3-4 bad things that can happen returning a KO and what, maybe one good one?

Injury, penalty, fumble, or just plain getting stopped short of the 25.... for the remote possibility of a few extra yards? Not smart
Click to expand...
If you’ve got a really good return man it is different but if you’ve cord just an okay guy, for sure
 




Some guy said:
For sure, start inside the 25 all year for the possibility of one touchdown maybe
Click to expand...
Is that why most teams run out everything not in the end zone? So they can start inside the 25 all year. Astute observation, Laurel.
 

Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Take the free 25-yd line every damn time. I mean, there's only like 3-4 bad things that can happen returning a KO and what, maybe one good one?

Injury, penalty, fumble, or just plain getting stopped short of the 25.... for the remote possibility of a few extra yards? Not smart
Click to expand...
Yes, and same damn problem running plays from scrimmage. Injuries, penalties, fumbles and always getting stopped short of a first down. Is it any wonder coach tries to shorten the game by 12-15 minutes?
 

Dakota2 said:
Is that why most teams run out everything not in the end zone? So they can start inside the 25 all year. Astute observation, Laurel.
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Most teams run everything out? Really?

Even if that happened to be true, the Gophers coaching staff should still study the analytics and success/failure rates of return vs. fair catch, and look carefully at our own team's personnel, before choosing their strategy.

From here, it looks like a wise — and educated — choice. A free 25 yards, no questions asked.
 



Who's to say they don't have something up their sleeves. The way returns have been handled this season sets up well for one surprise if the game situation presents itself.
 

Dakota2 said:
Yes, and same damn problem running plays from scrimmage. Injuries, penalties, fumbles and always getting stopped short of a first down. Is it any wonder coach tries to shorten the game by 12-15 minutes?
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Hmmmm.... Except that in one of those scenarios, they are just flat out giving you a bunch of free yardage, for doing nothing. But other than that, sure, I guess that's a super similar analogy
 

Breakin' The Plane said:
2014 team beat Northwestern on a kick return TD from Myrick. That said, there does not appear to be a Myrick on this roster.
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Terrell Smith is Myrick to a T. He's a worse corner but the same calibre of athlete
 



noamfromm said:
Thats fair, but he's still plenty fast enough.
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Maybe but also have to factor in if he can catch a ball, ball security, or if he would want to do it also if we are thin at CB do we want to risk injury
 

My general feeling is like others have said...if you have a dude then go for it. Maybe Hoskins will be that kind of guy. I don't think this team has a dude currently.

I'm glad when I see the opposing team return a kick because they usually end up short of the 25.
 

Triple D said:
Both Wisconsin and Iowa won narrowly thanks to Kick return TD's

'Nuff said

Please, please go all out against the Badgers and return kicks
Click to expand...
Or just keep kicking the ball into spots where the opponent can't make a return.
 


We put Bucko back there and I held my breath. He has the foot speed but we can't lose RB # 4 or 5.
 


Ogee Oglethorpe said:
Take the free 25-yd line every damn time. I mean, there's only like 3-4 bad things that can happen returning a KO and what, maybe one good one?

Injury, penalty, fumble, or just plain getting stopped short of the 25.... for the remote possibility of a few extra yards? Not smart
Click to expand...
Yes, and same damn problem running plays from scrimmage. Injuries, penalties, fumbles and always getting stopped short of a first down. Is it any wonder coach tries to shorten the game by 12-15 minutes?
RememberMurray said:
Most teams run everything out? Really?

Even if that happened to be true, the Gophers coaching staff should still study the analytics and success/failure rates of return vs. fair catch, and look carefully at our own team's personnel, before choosing their strategy.

From here, it looks like a wise — and educated — choice. A free 25 yards, no questions asked.
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Yes, most teams do on kicks a few yards short of the goal line.

But here are a couple of questions for you, Mr. Football Expert:

1) Why does every team highly prize a guy who can consistently kick the ball into the endzone and prevent a runback? Is it because they hate it when the other team starts from the 25?

2) Why did we all moan and groan in 2019 before Dragon arrived and 2020 when he was out and we were kicking off every time well short of the end zone and the other guys consistently started with good field position out past the 25? Is it because we hated to kick it into the end zone and to let them have the free 25 yards?

3) Was the lack of a guy who could kick to the end zone a benefit to our 2019 team or a liability?
 

Triple D said:
This completely discounts the huge momentum a KO return TD brings to a team.
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That's really the trouble with all analytical decisions. By definition, it can only measure the measurable.

I believe Fleck does have analytics on his side by fair catching everything, especially when you take into account injuries.
 

Some guy said:
If you’ve got a really good return man it is different but if you’ve cord just an okay guy, for sure
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Dino Kaliakmanis was one of the best return men in Illinois last year. We have a few wide receivers who also played some running back. We probably have a guy who could do a decent job but it's a coaching decision. Part of prevent offense philosophy.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
That's really the trouble with all analytical decisions. By definition, it can only measure the measurable.

I believe Fleck does have analytics on his side by fair catching everything, especially when you take into account injuries.
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Thank you fo being rational. Greatly appreciated.
 

RememberMurray said:
Exactly.

I love this Gopher team, but I don't see anybody on the roster who looks like a game-breaking return man.

If you have Cordarrelle Patterson or Devin Hester or Percy Harvin back there, then yeah; the return should always be on.

If you don't have a talented returner like one of those guys — and we don't — then take the free 25 yards, every single time.
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I would add to your assessment. A team should scout how players play, i.e. do some kick guys give up on these? Scout the other teams kickoffs for weakness.

If the other team has one, you always have a few standard plays rwady to exploit this issue. If you do it all year, you may just catch someone sleeping. Otherwise, the 25 yard line is fantastic field position on a average. You’ll won far more than you lose.
 

Dakota2 said:
Dino Kaliakmanis was one of the best return men in Illinois last year. We have a few wide receivers who also played some running back. We probably have a guy who could do a decent job but it's a coaching decision. Part of prevent offense philosophy.
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You get that a strong KO return is way more about the other 10 guys than the one running with the ball in his hands right?

Looking at Wisconsin's season stats they have tried to run back 16 kickoffs and with the one exception most of them have netted them no more than 20 yards on average.

Nobody would argue that a KO return TD is a huge play when it happens....but they don't happen very often, even for teams that like to try and return kicks.

Many teams are just fair catching kickoffs and taking the ball at the 25 these days.
 

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