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Tough practices, Return kicks, Pot Roast and Foley PC

Rinse and repeat.
Show me.
I realize we all like to make tongue-in-cheek comments about this and there's no doubt we can get better. However, in order to have an opportunity to return a punt, the defense must first stop the opponent's offense. The next thing that needs to happen is that they stop the opponent's offense on their side of their 40 yard line. The closer they get to the 50 or the NE side, the harder it is to return a punt. Next, the opponent has to kick a returnable punt. 4.5-5.0 second hang time will rarely allow us to return a punt. These are all things that have been lacking in recent years. Get a good stop on D and hope we get a returnable punt. Yes, there are some things we can do on the return team that holds up their punt team. Get better on D & I think we'll see improvement on punt returns.
 
Rinse and repeat.
Show me.
After being burned five times before, I'm not going to do a touchdown dance just yet. Haven't we heard the players saying they are working harder than ever before in like 20 straight off-seasons?
 
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After being burned five times before, I'm not going to do a touchdown dance just yet. Haven't we heard the players saying they are working harder than ever before in like 20 straight off-seasons?
Don’t get me wrong. There would be a lot of message board consternation if they didn’t say these things.
 
I know we are all jaded, and that may be an understatement. However, one thing that that is different from the other staffs since TO is Rhule's guys all tow the party line. They could do the Soviets in the Kremlin proud. EVERY one of them uses the same slogans "Leave the place better than we found it", "Nebraska was THE team every other team wanted to be and we need to get back to that", etc.

Foley's discussion of a peer (Rhule) becoming his boss and some adjustment needed was interesting because that has happened to me before, a younger peer became my boss.
 
I realize we all like to make tongue-in-cheek comments about this and there's no doubt we can get better. However, in order to have an opportunity to return a punt, the defense must first stop the opponent's offense. The next thing that needs to happen is that they stop the opponent's offense on their side of their 40 yard line. The closer they get to the 50 or the NE side, the harder it is to return a punt. Next, the opponent has to kick a returnable punt. 4.5-5.0 second hang time will rarely allow us to return a punt. These are all things that have been lacking in recent years. Get a good stop on D and hope we get a returnable punt. Yes, there are some things we can do on the return team that holds up their punt team. Get better on D & I think we'll see improvement on punt returns.
NU returned four punts this last year. Three were against Indiana. Many punts could have been returned five or so yards without any contact but the choice was made by Frost and continued by Joseph to wave the white flag. At a minimum we have an easy opportunity to get 25 yards in each game. In a field of margins that can be a bigger deal than it sounds.
 
NU returned four punts this last year. Three were against Indiana. Many punts could have been returned five or so yards without any contact but the choice was made by Frost and continued by Joseph to wave the white flag. At a minimum we have an easy opportunity to get 25 yards in each game. In a field of margins that can be a bigger deal than it sounds.
Just another totally frustrating aspect of last year was Oliver "fair catch" Martin never returning a punt even when he had a lot of green in front of him. Not blaming him because he was probably doing what he was told, but geez, there is so much difference between starting a drive on your 19 vice your 8. We had so many punt returns that could have gone for yards if we had just tried.
 
NU returned four punts this last year. Three were against Indiana. Many punts could have been returned five or so yards without any contact but the choice was made by Frost and continued by Joseph to wave the white flag. At a minimum we have an easy opportunity to get 25 yards in each game. In a field of margins that can be a bigger deal than it sounds.
That's one small example of excellent coaching on Frost's part.

During his first few years here, approx. 97.3% of our punt and kick returns resulted in a penalty.

Most coaches would just continue to return punts under those circumstances and rack up those penalty yards.

Not Frost.

Fair catching punts and not returning kicks cut that penalty rate in half. Saved the equivalent of 700 yards of penalties last year, which likely saved the season.

think-smart-meme.gif
 
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I found it really odd this last year especially.
So NU blocked one punt and had 3 punt returns. It isn't an either/or situation. If you gear up for a block attempt the punting team has to account for it and keeps their players busy, which can enhance your punt return abilities.
Frost did nothing but lay back and fair catch punts, no real pressure applied. I thought when Joseph turned the tide against Indiana it would be obvious what effort in special teams can do for you.
Then after that, nothing. It was a part of Nebraska's best game and they abandoned it.
I just don't get the mentality.
 
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