Fire Foley.

[RBigredMax]

I think people are VASTLY underestimating the psychological pressure these young guys are under. Alvano has been limited this fall due to a hamstring but he's been money in practice this fall inside of 40. Buschini has been very good this fall. Maybe that's coaching. After hanging out with some of my daughter's college friends who were football and track athletes 3 years ago it struck me how damned young they were. I can only imagine being 19 years old and trying to kick in front of 90,000 fans and a national TV audience. That takes some serious gonads.

I agree with all this - yet kickers do it every week. IA State nailed a 54 yarder for the win basically with no time left. Alvano missed a chip shot in the first quarter.

I’m sure it’s in his head more than anything but he needs to figure it out because we need to find someone who has the confidence to go out and win a game with a kick.

 

[OzzyLvr]

Stop making excuses and I know this info because I know someone who watches practice. Our kickers are sucking in practice and it is translating to the field. All of the other groups are executing the process and the coaches are excelling. Special teams is the only group you can point to that is really struggling. Like I said, there are some bright spots and it is early, but when you have a presser like Foley had where he basically says he needs to get Special teams up to snuff and it is still lagging compared to the rest of the team you should be able to talk about it.

I'll reiterate, there are some good things we are doing. Punt returns is much better and I think it would probably be really really good if it wasn't IGC returning kicks. He's serviceable but his acceleration isn't top end and there have been some lanes. Buschini has been very good compared to last year. Blocking kicks is good, but that has more to do with defenders being huge and strong then Foley.

Foley needs to coach his unit up.

Wow! You're pretty sensitive. I made an observation about the first kick of the season (and the first kick of the kid's career in a D1 game in front of 87k+ people) and speculated that could be a reason (notice I used the word 'maybe'). He didn't kick the others OB so maybe I was close to correct. You never answered my questions but instead deflected.

I'm not saying that Foley shouldn't be held accountable for issues with the ST. What I'm saying is other than placekicking (right now), it isn't as bad as everyone is saying. That's my observation and opinion. Just like you, I'm entitled to that. I asked you to support yours with facts - thus my questions. My questions were all about the kickoffs, nothing about placekicking or punting, and you mentioned nothing about the kickoffs. You chose to not answer those questions which tells me all I need to know about the information you provide. Have a great day!

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Gotta try another FG kicker at this point. Not even debatable. If he was that shakey last game, at home, no pressure due to nice lead, chip shot, and he still missed? I'm trotting somebody else out there at this point...Rhule going to be forced to go for it on 4th and fprever at some.point cause our FG game is so bad....his overall percentage is something like 60 as of now isn't it? Terrible

 

[king_kong_]

just kick the ball through the end zone every time

I will never understand purposefully giving the opponent a chance to make a huge play on special teams when the alternative is forcing them to go 75 yards against our defense

makes no sense

 

[Big bo fan]

More excuses. If that player had a mental lapse, he needs to be out of the rotation and earn it back. All other groups are governing their players, Special Teams should be no different.

Did you not read the entire post. The kid was not back there on BB next punt.

 

[leodisflowers]

Wow! You're pretty sensitive. I made an observation about the first kick of the season (and the first kick of the kid's career in a D1 game in front of 87k+ people) and speculated that could be a reason (notice I used the word 'maybe'). He didn't kick the others OB so maybe I was close to correct. You never answered my questions but instead deflected.

I'm not saying that Foley shouldn't be held accountable for issues with the ST. What I'm saying is other than placekicking (right now), it isn't as bad as everyone is saying. That's my observation and opinion. Just like you, I'm entitled to that. I asked you to support yours with facts - thus my questions. My questions were all about the kickoffs, nothing about placekicking or punting, and you mentioned nothing about the kickoffs. You chose to not answer those questions which tells me all I need to know about the information you provide. Have a great day!

Not sensitive whatsoever. I'm not the one making excuses for a unit that is struggling. Just giving you the info that this group is not in a good spot from a first hand account. I don't think Foley is the answer. Like I said it is early and I hope he can turn it around, but Foley is the one coach that seems not to be making a big jump.

 

[leodisflowers]

Did you not read the entire post. The kid was not back there on BB next punt.

No I didn't after the first one. Carry on.

 

[OzzyLvr]

Not sensitive whatsoever. I'm not the one making excuses for a unit that is struggling. Just giving you the info that this group is not in a good spot from a first hand account. I don't think Foley is the answer. Like I said it is early and I hope he can turn it around, but Foley is the one coach that seems not to be making a big jump.

What excuses did I make?

 

[Kenny Fin Powers]

IF you're going to try to return it you almost had to call a timeout to substitute. Did we really want to call a timeout and let them think about what they were going to do? Ideally you have a CB you could put deep in those situations. Maybe after having the nitwit Deion attempt a 60 yard field goal against us we'll have a plan going forward for stupid opposition coaches.

We didn’t have any timeouts.

 

[huskerfan66]

I love you man but I hope you were 3 or 4 double tall gin and tonics in to the evening when you posted this. I thought our special teams play was better other than a 19 year old missing a field goal.in an incredible environment Yeah they had a big return by one of the most dynamic returners in the country. It happens. Barney is going to do the same this year at some point.

No not a gnt drinker. My assessment is that this is the only part of the team that hasn't improved. We can't get kickoffs to the endzone which is where everyone of them needs to be especially against good returnees.

Kickoffs return can't get passed the 25. Buschini was better this week but he's gotta get consistent

 

[HBK4life]

 

[leodisflowers]

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[cruelhalo]

For the record, don't fire Foley. But if a kicker misses a chip shot, 32-yard field goal then it's time to try someone else. If Dowdell fumbled the football one time and got pulled, missing a field goal from inside 50 deserves the same treatment. Missing a 32-yarder is the same as a turnover.

 

[OzzyLvr]

For the record, don't fire Foley. But if a kicker misses a chip shot, 32-yard field goal then it's time to try someone else. If Dowdell fumbled the football one time and got pulled, missing a field goal from inside 50 deserves the same treatment. Missing a 32-yarder is the same as a turnover.

Agreed. Let's also pull the snapper & the holder. They are equally at fault.

 

[king_kong_]

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I like it when Rhule calls people out publicly for being terrible at their jobs

here's a short list in his 2 years here:

1 - trev - no longer here
2 - satt - TBD
3 - foley - TBD

if they don't get it fixed, they'll be gone. simple as that.

accountability is important

 

[dinglefritz]

No not a gnt drinker. My assessment is that this is the only part of the team that hasn't improved. We can't get kickoffs to the endzone which is where everyone of them needs to be especially against good returnees.

Kickoffs return can't get passed the 25. Buschini was better this week but he's gotta get consistent

we did get kicks to the endzone. Every team also calls short kicks to try to bury the other team inside the 20.

 

[king_kong_]

we did get kicks to the endzone. Every team also calls short kicks to try to bury the other team inside the 20.

make teams drive 75 yards against our defense every single time

 

[Walleye79]

make teams drive 75 yards against our defense every single time

I agree with this. Defense has played a very good 2 games. If the defense has been playing poorly or inconsistent try to bury them deep. But the way they are playing right now. Why take the possibility of taking it out of the defense hands.

 

[king_kong_]

I agree with this. Defense has played a very good 2 games. If the defense has been playing poorly or inconsistent try to bury them deep. But the way they are playing right now. Why take the possibility of taking it out of the defense hands.

Nothing swings momentum like a big return

We should take this possibility away from opponents entirely

Problem is I’m not sure we have a kid who can put it through the end zone consistently

 

[OzzyLvr]

make teams drive 75 yards against our defense every single time

That's one philosophy. Evidently, either both Georgia & Ohio State don't follow this same philosophy OR they don't have a kicker that can consistently get touchbacks. They've both scored a lot of points and roughly half of their kickoffs (very quick math from the last game of each) don't make it to the endzone. I'm not opposed to getting a touchback every time. Especially when our coverage team is horrible. At this point, I don't think they are horrible. As a matter of fact, they've covered pretty good MOST of the time. Yes they've given up a long return so maybe one of the defensive starters that's on KO got out of their lane. Reviewing the game, it's difficult to say as the TV coverage doesn't present the best angle.

Even with one good return from UTEP, we gained a net 10 yards for our D, which should translate to a net 10 yard gain for our offense. The philosophy may not work every game, as evidenced by CO. Other than the long return, CO started at their 21, their 25, and their 29 (squib right before half), so the same net as if they were all touchbacks. I think the fans are much more gunshy than Coach Rhule.

 

[king_kong_]

That's one philosophy. Evidently, either both Georgia & Ohio State don't follow this same philosophy OR they don't have a kicker that can consistently get touchbacks. They've both scored a lot of points and roughly half of their kickoffs (very quick math from the last game of each) don't make it to the endzone. I'm not opposed to getting a touchback every time. Especially when our coverage team is horrible. At this point, I don't think they are horrible. As a matter of fact, they've covered pretty good MOST of the time. Yes they've given up a long return so maybe one of the defensive starters that's on KO got out of their lane. Reviewing the game, it's difficult to say as the TV coverage doesn't present the best angle.

Even with one good return from UTEP, we gained a net 10 yards for our D, which should translate to a net 10 yard gain for our offense. The philosophy may not work every game, as evidenced by CO. Other than the long return, CO started at their 21, their 25, and their 29 (squib right before half), so the same net as if they were all touchbacks. I think the fans are much more gunshy than Coach Rhule.

another reason to do it is to save our starting defenders' bullets

I highly doubt Ohio St & UGA have multiple defensive starters covering kicks like we do

could be wrong