Press Conference 11/1/2011 (Wake Forest Week)

[UmphreakDomer]

maybe elston should be relieved of the SPT Cood. job?

still a helluva recruiter and i obviously love what he's doing on the d-line, but GA3 is going to have close to 10 KO returns (imho) over his career, no matter the "scheme". maybe get some new ideas back there.

 

[BGIF]

Personally, if I were the ND special teams coach, I would practice actually blocking the other team's players instead of letting them waltz down the field, as a sort of change of pace tactic to what we've been doing this season. I know, I know, it sounds like a radical change, but I think it might help a bit. JMHO...

Actually I'd go a step further. If the plan is to fair catch then send 10 men to block the punt, or at least pressure it. ND neither goes for the block nor throws one on either side of the LOS.

 

[BeauBenken]

Personally, if I were the ND special teams coach, I would practice actually blocking the other team's players instead of letting them waltz down the field, as a sort of change of pace tactic to what we've been doing this season. I know, I know, it sounds like a radical change, but I think it might help a bit. JMHO...

What are you a Nazi? Everybody knows not to fix what is broken...

 

[BeauBenken]

We actually play a lot of punt safe return just because we know how much teams like to bring out the big stuff to our games.

 

[irishog77]

I honestly get the feeling, after 1 1/2 seasons, that Kelly almost treats ST like Chuck treated defense-- talk it up, recruit some good players for it, and profess a commitment to it...but not actually spend the time and effort to improve it.

 

[UmphreakDomer]

I honestly get the feeling, after 1 1/2 seasons, that Kelly almost treats ST like Chuck treated defense-- talk it up, recruit some good players for it, and profess a commitment to it...but not actually spend the time and effort to improve it.

very interesting

 

[Irish Man3]

Got tickets today 2 rows off the field at the 45 yard line. Jacked for this game.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I honestly get the feeling, after 1 1/2 seasons, that Kelly almost treats ST like Chuck treated defense-- talk it up, recruit some good players for it, and profess a commitment to it...but not actually spend the time and effort to improve it.

KO Returns are better than they've been in almost a decade. Our kicking game has improved significantly since the start of the season. Punt Returns are the only ST unit that remains weak, but even there we've "improved" (i.e. stabilized) from the beginning of the season.

As to why Kelly doesn't want to get more aggressive with Punt Returning, I don't know. But I wouldn't say that he neglects ST.

 

[phork]

Personally, if I were the ND special teams coach, I would practice actually blocking the other team's players instead of letting them waltz down the field, as a sort of change of pace tactic to what we've been doing this season. I know, I know, it sounds like a radical change, but I think it might help a bit. JMHO...

Interesting. Sometimes you need a radical in the midst to profess change. Hmmm.. if you actually block said players... Perhaps a running lane might open up?

 

[Old Man Mike]

Kelly said a fair amount to us about punt returns. His attempt to get the press corps to answer his question about which team leads the nation in punt returns ypc was garbled by them, but was intended to wake them up to the idea that almost no one in the country can get much going on punt returns. He even pursued the point to compare the problem with this in college vs the opportunity for this in pros by featuring the fact that the pros have to wait until the kick is punted while colleges just run like hell downfield.

He indicated that it is not easy to manage the punt return game under these conditions despite working on it. [the idea that Kelly doesn't care about his special team play in practice is preposterous]. Kelly obviously sees this blocking problem as a very complicated affair, and that is why he suggested that the staff will dedicate some serious attempts at problem-solving [probably requiring something creative and typically Kellyish] but that it will take a major effort to see if anything can be feasibly done.

His comments about this were perfectly satisfying to me on all fronts except one --- BGIFs point: why no more attempts at blocks?? I have a wild guess: he doesn't want roughing calls and has supreme confidence that his offense can march from nearly anywhere, and we don't have the necessary shot-out-of-a-cannon player to cut the two tenths of a second off the rush and get there.

 

[clashmore_mike]

I think the plan coming into the season was to be aggressive. When Riddick struggled as much as he did, Goodman was next in line. He even had the big drop against Sparty. At that point its more important to secure the ball. Kelly had also mentioned that the national average is way down for punt returns due to teams using the spread formations and rugby style kicks. Those make it nearly impossible to block well enough to get the return game going.

 

[Old Man Mike]

In the interest of being fair to all the posters who are griping about our punt return production, well, I am too, and so is Kelly. An average team in NCAA D1 probably gets about 6-to-8 yards per punt more than our zero. This is a personnel thing I am betting. Kelly may not be giving Elston the exact kind of athlete he needs to block at speed and space. This isn't the returners' faults as opportunities almost never arise at all. I will make a wild stab that the teams which get some positive yardage out of their punting games are:

1). scaring the hell out of the opposing punter as to possible blocks and getting rushed poor kicks; and
2). placing some very athletic characters on the field to stuff the gunners.

The threat of a block in itself will keep most of the opponents in place until the kick is way downfield. [because they've been battling their butts off with the rushers].

 

[TDHeysus]

i dont see a problem with the punt returns. If ND fields the punt, and its not a turnover, then I think the punt return was successful.....I'm still gun-shy from earlier in the season, every play I still worry about turnovers, especially on punt returns. so every time i see a punt fielded, i am sincerely clapping and saying good job.

I would not have an issue with a fair catch the rest of year, if that meant there were no turnovers(on returns) for the rest of the year.

 

[clashmore_mike]

I'm the same way. Literally the entire time the ball is in the air I'm yelling either fair catch it or get away from it. I'll take the offense getting a possession over the possibility of a ten yard return.

 

[UmphreakDomer]

In the interest of being fair to all the posters who are griping about our punt return production, well, I am too, and so is Kelly. An average team in NCAA D1 probably gets about 6-to-8 yards per punt more than our zero. This is a personnel thing I am betting. Kelly may not be giving Elston the exact kind of athlete he needs to block at speed and space. This isn't the returners' faults as opportunities almost never arise at all. I will make a wild stab that the teams which get some positive yardage out of their punting games are:

1). scaring the hell out of the opposing punter as to possible blocks and getting rushed poor kicks; and
2). placing some very athletic characters on the field to stuff the gunners.

The threat of a block in itself will keep most of the opponents in place until the kick is way downfield. [because they've been battling their butts off with the rushers].

i would also add that we give back a lot more than we obtain, when we punt. that can't be part of the plan.

 

[HereComeTheIrish]

i dont see a problem with the punt returns. If ND fields the punt, and its not a turnover, then I think the punt return was successful.....I'm still gun-shy from earlier in the season, every play I still worry about turnovers, especially on punt returns. so every time i see a punt fielded, i am sincerely clapping and saying good job.

I would not have an issue with a fair catch the rest of year, if that meant there were no turnovers(on returns) for the rest of the year.

Completely agree.

 

[BeauBenken]

I'm the same way. Literally the entire time the ball is in the air I'm yelling either fair catch it or get away from it. I'll take the offense getting a possession over the possibility of a ten yard return.

I'm okay with fair catching it, but you HAVE to at least catch the ball. You can't allow the ball to bounce an extra 20 yards in favor of the other team.

 

[JoeyGetherall]

i dont see a problem with the punt returns. If ND fields the punt, and its not a turnover, then I think the punt return was successful.....I'm still gun-shy from earlier in the season, every play I still worry about turnovers, especially on punt returns. so every time i see a punt fielded, i am sincerely clapping and saying good job.

I would not have an issue with a fair catch the rest of year, if that meant there were no turnovers(on returns) for the rest of the year.

haha at least I am not the only one.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I'm with you on this. Our offense begins to look very dangerous all the time--- we just need the ball.

 

[phork]

See:
Beamer, Frank

 

[NDPhilly]

.

 

[irish1958]

See:
Beamer, Frank

That is true; Beamer-ball relies on special teams to a far greater extent than most. With limited time in practice (if you comply with the NCAA rules), emphasizing special teams means that you take time away from something else. Would you prefer that we take it away from the offense or the defense?

 

[phork]

That is true; Beamer-ball relies on special teams to a far greater extent than most. With limited time in practice (if you comply with the NCAA rules), emphasizing special teams means that you take time away from something else. Would you prefer that we take it away from the offense or the defense?

Aside from mental errors, there is nothing wrong with the offense. And if you are not exploring every option to improve field position then in my opinion its a wasted opportunity. Secondly if we are abandoning special teams then why not go for it on every 4th down and constantly kick onside kicks?

There was an article I posted here about a HS coach who does just that. His reasoning is that if you are at your 10 yard line and its 4th down, teams have a 70% chance to score if you go for it and don't make it, or a 50% chance if you punt it.

 

[clashmore_mike]

No one is abandoning special teams. Not putting an unproven punt returner in the game who might have a chance to get 10 more yards of field position is not the same as going for it on 4th down or kicking onside kicks every time.

Fumbled punts almost always result in the opponent being in a very short field, sometimes in the red zone. See the South Florida game and the Michigan State game for examples. Again, if you give me the choice of Notre Dame getting an offensive possession with a fair catch or the possibility of a little better field position with the chance of a crippling turnover, I'd take the fair catch every single time. Until there is someone back there that is both reliable catching the ball and dangerous, there really is no upside in risking it.

 

[military_irish]

Maybe I have "misremembered" but I don't see why so many people are worried when ND receives a punt. I only recall 2 times when the returner has muffed it. Riddick against USF and Goodman against MSU. 2 in the first 3 games, none since if I remember correctly. This is going into the 9th game.

I can't remember if there has been any other bobbles that weren't lost. But I am not worried about a fumble, I just don't get excited about the returns. That is the time I normally get up to get something to drink because I know nothing will happen.

 

[Kak7304]

The new punt formation that has recently been adopted throughout college football allows more defenders to get downfield faster. During some cfb game the announcers were discussing it and said returns have been down throughout the game since the new formation has been used.

 

[EifertPower]

Glad Kelly feels good about the development of the corners like Jackson and Lo Wood. Even though that's the position we'll be hit the hardest by graduation and be most inexperienced at next year, i'll think these guys plus Tee Sheppard and Atkinson will develop enough so that we'll be able to get by provided our defensive line and linebackers continue to improve (this is also assuming Manti doesn't go pro).

I'm most worried about our safeties after Slaughter. I'm hoping 1-2 guys can step up there.

 

[EifertPower]

I still am bothered by us using Floyd on punt returns. i don't get it. Especially when we are up by 40 points. I only get it if Kelly feels he has the best hands of anyone on our team and he instructed him to always call a fair catch. Floyd is a great receiver but i don't think he has the speed or mentality of a punt returner and i cringe at the thought of him getting injured returning a punt.

I found it also interesting that Kelly said TJ Jones is being underutilized. I feel that way strongly about Riddick. I really thought Riddick would thrive under Kelly's offense. I think he has that Golden Tate-like spark that this team needs and can feed off of. I also think if he's not going to be utilized enough on offense then why don't we put him at punt return? I know he was a disaster against South Florida, but i don't understand why Kelly is giving up on him after 1 game especially if he isn't going to feature him more in the offense.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I'm most worried about our safeties after Slaughter. I'm hoping 1-2 guys can step up there.

We'll most likely have Slaughter and Hardy as the #1 and #2 at FS in 2012, followed by Prosise and Turner. Just like the last two years, a serious injury in the secondary would hurt a lot, but we should otherwise be OK.

 

[tripsdad]

I agree with putting more emphasis on blocking punts - or at least lining up to give the impression of that emphasis. You wanna counteract the wide-split gunners? Have 2 more unblocked rushers.