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2010 tOSU Special Teams Discussion

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sepia5;1776107; said:
How would you identify a special-teams specialist out of high school?

I don't know. I don't think our players that ended up being special teams studs in the past were recruited to be special teams specialists. They were brought in because they were good athletes in their own right that the staff thought could play at tOSU, or at least provide quality depth. It just turned out that they were fantastic on special teams. It seems to me that if we continue to bring in the best athletes available, we at least have just as good a chance at ending up with great special teams units. I don't profess to know what's wrong right now, though. It's mind boggling, really.
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I agree, besides I don't think you can sucessfully recruit a top high school prospect to be a "special teams" player. You are recruiting him to play on special teams. Alabama, Florida, Texas, and every other top division 1A program is recruiting him to play his position of choice. What do you think the odds are that he will sign with the Buckeyes?

:osu:
 
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I hate to join a forum and immediately start a new thread, but I've been running searches, and I cannot find the tOSU Special Teams thread. I've been looking for the Special Teams thread since game one, after our special teams gave up a touchdown to Marshall. One week later, and two more touchdowns, and still no Special Teams thread.

Buckeyes Special Teams have given up one blocked fieldgoal return, one punt return and two kickoff returns for TD's. This equals the touchdowns our special teams have given up over the past seven seasons combined. Last year we gave up 49 yards in punt returns--total--on the season. What is going on in Columbus? This is coming under a man who once gave us a National Championship brought to you by Nuuuugent, from a coach who's said many times that the punt is the most important play in football. Now the Buckeyes are ranking somewhere near the bottom of the barrel in Special Teams.

I know we've lost some key players, but man, 28 points worth? What gives? Is this a reflection of the Buckeyes 16th ranked recruiting effort this past offseason?
 
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Welcome to the forum. I think it does have something to do with it. This is by far our Achilles heel. I think it comes down to the hustle and execution as well. We look like we are standing still at times. Nobody has really stood out as a difference maker on special teams either. Hopefully this gets corrected still this season.
 
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Who are our gunners? Who are our special team 'hawks'? Where are the freshmen that want to stand out by getting after it on special teams? Who is good at special teams?

To my uneducated eye, our kickoff unit runs into blocks, does not disengage from blockers, is very slow getting down the field, and is playing tepid and unsure. The kickoff TD last night was not a well blocked scheme nor was it an incredible run. The boys simply ran themselves out of the play.

I am not well-versed in special teams play or coaching. However, it seems to me that if you don't have a special teams coach and you don't have success with special teams, then you should at least consider getting a veteran coach in here who could help our athletes make a difference. Miami was a habit. Last night was a trend. I won't say the opening kickoff lost us the game, but it put us in a tough hole and got their place rocking.

And no, I don't think we should see our poor special teams play as the result of poor recruiting. tOSU has the athletes. They just need to execute better and in order to execute better, they need to coach better.

Just my .02
 
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Robert Smith had it spot on...he talked about how the special teams doesn't look like a collective group rather a bunch of guys doing their own thing. And he broke it down, you could see we were losing almost EVERY individual battle. If you watch special teams, we aren't getting off blocks, taking good angles, or tackling waist and below. Gotta fix these things, and need fixed PRONTO.
 
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I honestly think the problem with special teams is directly related to our lack of depth of the defensive side of the ball, specifically at the linebacker and safety positions. Our recruiting in the last few years, frankly, has not yielded enough big play, athletic individuals to spill over into special teams. To make matters worse, injuries at the safety and star positions have forced special teams players into starting roles.

Call it luck or whatever, but special teams in years past were littered with individuals ready to make an impact on defense. It was insane depth on our defense that relegated them to special teams. The 02 team by comparison, featured the likes of A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Mike D'Andrea, Nate Salley, Will Allen, and some other highly recruited guys who you figured were going to be stars at some point. This defense and special teams just doesn't have that. I will take the highly recruited backups over the upper class walk-ons on the special teams any day of the week and I think the majority of college coaches would as well.
 
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Seabee Tim;1795172; said:
I know we've lost some key players, but man, 28 points worth? What gives? Is this a reflection of the Buckeyes 16th ranked recruiting effort this past offseason?
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You have to be ranked in the top ten in recruiting to cover kickoffs?

It's just a lack of execution. We got away with it until last night, and when we're young we don't always listen to direction when our actions aren't costing us. It cost us last night. Perhaps we'll see a more focused effort starting Saturday versus PU.
 
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A lot has to do with the hang tine on Basils kicks. He's just not getting enough. Watching wiscy kick last night there kids were on the 25/30 when the returner caught the ball. Our kids weren't even in tv view.
 
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strohs;1795273; said:
Special teams were going to cost us a game this year, but its still a bummer that it was allowed to happened
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EXACTLY! I'd like to think that is a common sentiment, that we're not the only two Bucknuts that were concerned about our special teams. We all saw the problem in game one, not just a blocked field goal return for a TD, but a 60+ yard kickoff return as well. We were told the special teams problem would be addressed after that tune up game, and the next week our special teams gave up 14 points on a kickoff return and a punt return. Our defense didn't give up a touchdown until the fourth quarter of our second game, after our special teams had already given up three touchdowns. Take it how you will, that's when I knew this wasn't a national championship team.

Under JT, tOSU has been consistently ranked in the top 10, commonly the top 5 in recruiting, and his special teams has been, until now, nothing less than spectacular. Unless there's been a coaching change that I'm unaware of, I've got to put this special teams debacle on the drop in recruiting that occurred in this year's off season. Am I wrong, Jake? Special teams is typically where our up-coming talent gets their start, so I'm thinking that a drop from top 5 to below 15 in recruiting ranking probably has a direct impact on our special teams(?)

I guess I shouldn't downplay it that I came here with a grievance. I hate to lose, I hate it when the Buckeyes lose, I went to Glendale when they "lost" to Florida, I was up at two in the morning in Kuwait to watch them lose to Wisconsin, so, sure, I need to vent a little. I'm NEO, the Browns stink, I was up before dawn to watch Bron abandon the Cavs, the Indians aren't even trying... The Buckeyes are all I have. I'm over the loss, but can't help but wonder if this wasn't our year, and if the staff didn't let us down by not recruiting. Was there a reason they backed off recruiting this year? A lack of available scholorships?
 
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Seabee Tim;1795172; said:
Buckeyes Special Teams have given up one blocked fieldgoal return, one punt return and two kickoff returns for TD's. This equals the touchdowns our special teams have given up over the past seven seasons combined.
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Don't forget the kickoff TD by in the Ohio game by Devier Posey's brother, which was called back by penalty.
 
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Call me crazy but a staff with a million years of experience combined and a coach that always talks about special teams would have fixed this already. Out of everything that has happened this year this is the one thing that I have a hard time understanding, as a matter of fact it is almost unbelievable.

How many coaches would have been fired in the NFL with our special teams? It just can`t be a talent issue, there is no way with the way we recruit that this is talent. This is lack of execution. How long do we need to learn to execute kickoff coverage? Every player on our team has done this since Jr High and High School.

Everybody knew this one was going to get us and still no remedy. Unacceptable for any staff to have this problem let alone one that preaches it and has top 10 recruiting classes regularly. Sorry for the rant but how can you be halfway through the season and still not get any better on special teams? Something has got to change, somewhere.
 
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