2019 Spring Preview: Special Teams

[Alien]

Wouldn’t mind seeing Nigel bethel return a kickoff or punt. I want to see that speed.

 

[grover]

Stefan, not to go full-SMD on you, but any word on Hedley? Did I read it correctly that he took last season off and only played Juco in 2017? His 38.6 yards per punt weren't any better than Feagles. I know he's still learning to punt American footballs. But is there any reason to believe he can be a difference maker?

 

[Theedy50]

Baxa only attempted 12 field goals all of last year. 164 kickers attempted more, which is noteworthy when you think of the fact there aren't even 164 FBS teams.

We need to trust him more in 2019.

Also credit a lot of this to the terrible offense and frequent 3&Outs. No reason to try 70 yard FG Attempts. The other teams punters were actually flipping field position lol

 

[ddann]

Wouldn’t mind seeing Nigel bethel return a kickoff or punt. I want to see that speed.

I keep hearing about Bethel’s speed, but over in the roster thread Lance posted his SPARQ numbers. I don’t see elite speed in those numbers. So where is this notion coming from?

 

[#1cane]

I thought that too but another member here explained it. Kickers purposefully kick the ball like that when they're attempting pin the opponent near the goal line. When they're trying to boom one as far as possible, they kick it the traditional way. I'm not sure how it works or why they do it but I do remember somebody who was more versed in punting than me explaining it to me like that.

I saw him kick the nose of the ball when he was trying to boom it. I understand at mid field kicking the nose to pin a team inside the twenty. That is why I mentioned it.

 

[michaeldiamond74]

Wouldn’t mind seeing Nigel bethel return a kickoff or punt. I want to see that speed.

Pope as well. Dude was legit returning punts in HS.

 

[RedSquare]

45-50 yards from where he's kicking it maybe, but that only equals a 30-35 yard in-game punt after the snap. I saw him in pregame warmups vs LSU. He was kicking it from 8 yards deep in the end zone to the 40-45.

Hedley can't get here fast enough.

when I said 45-50, I meant from the LOS

 

[Lokest]

Stefan, not to go full-SMD on you, but any word on Hedley? Did I read it correctly that he took last season off and only played Juco in 2017? His 38.6 yards per punt weren't any better than Feagles. I know he's still learning to punt American footballs. But is there any reason to believe he can be a difference maker?

Hedleys numbers are a bit skewed because he was used as a directional punter. Still has a lot of room for improvement of course.