2011 Special Teams Discussion

[BB73]

Let's hope they can be more consistently special in 2011.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

Dorian Bell for the full year, Etienne Sabino as well. Maybe David Durham and Mcvey can also add in some extra specialness. I'm hoping so. We need Basil to be consistent.

The returners aren't a problem, Hall and Berry are all sorts of solid.

 

[JBaney45]

Hopefully we never see the formation that resulted in the block ever ever again.

There was 2 times in my life where I was absolutely sure what was going to happen on a punt play.

The first time I was sitting about 8 rows back in the end zone of the Superdome when a young Austin Spitler roughed the LSU punter. Was absolutely positively sure it would happen, completely powerless to stop it.

The 2nd time once again happened in the Super Dome. Saw them lined up in that far spread out and that point in the ball game and just knew that there was going to be trouble. This time I was much farther away from the action, just as powerless to stop it lol


It was nice to see th refs call blocks in the back on kick returns though..Big Ten officials should take notes.

 

[Buckskin86]

Return man conundrum

Dick Tressel said there are several candidates for the punt and kickoff return jobs, though the primary one for kickoff returns, running back Jaamal Berry, has been out the past week because of a hamstring pull.

Running backs Jordan Hall and Daniel Herron took some turns on the kickoffs, as did receivers Corey Brown, Chris Fields and freshman Devin Smith, who had the most impressive return.

Brown would appear to be the choice for punt returns, but Fields and Hall are putting in strong bids, Tressel said.

?I think we can mix and match and have some explosive guys returning kicks,? Tressel said.

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/08/24/brother-feels-tressel-will-coach-again.html

Football: Buckeyes counting on kicker's consistency
Wednesday August 24, 2011
By Bill Rabinowitz
The Columbus Dispatch

Neal C. LauronDispatch
Ohio State’s place-kicking duties will be handled by sophomore Drew Basil.
Drew Basil could have sworn that the field-goal attempt was going to be good.

It was the final play of Ohio State’s kick scrimmage yesterday at Ohio Stadium, and the sophomore kicker had been perfect on all five of his previous attempts.

The last one, from 49 yards, would determine which unit — offense or defense — would get a ride back to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and which would have to walk.

Before the kick, both sides hooted and hollered. Basil soaked it all in, reveling in the pressure of the moment.

Then he kicked.

“It started going right down the middle,” Basil said. “Then something happened, and it tailed to the left.”

It clanked high off the left upright. No good.

“I should have made it,” he said, “but things happen.”

Basil hasn’t missed much this summer, and the Buckeyes are confident that his final kick yesterday is an aberration.

“He’s been very good,” said assistant coach Dick Tressel, who has added special teams to his duties as running backs coach this year. “He’s been six out of seven, seven out of eight. He’s very consistent.”

The Buckeyes are counting on it. Basil will replace Devin Barclay as Ohio State’s place-kicker this year. A year ago, Basil handled kickoffs and was given a chance on a couple of long field goals. Both of his attempts were blocked, with a 52-yarder against Marshall returned for a touchdown.

Tressel blamed the coaching staff for putting a freshman in such a tough situation.

“We asked him to do some things that were a little out of character,” he said.

Basil and punter Ben Buchanan of Westerville Central worked hard in the offseason to prepare for this year, even sneaking into Ohio Stadium for some impromptu workouts.

Cont...

http://www.buckeyextra.com/content/stories/2011/08/24/buckeyes-counting-on-kickers-consistency.html