Kicking/Return Game

[PDXGrizzly]

Was debating on how/when to share this but in regards to the return game especially I had quite the takeaway from a Q&A with Bobby at QB Club vs what the prior staff would tell us about the same scenarios.

Bobby was asked (after the UNI game) about Jerry "always having the green light to do what he wants." Reason that was asked, I assume, was that Stitt would generally tell the group that. We'd hear things along the lines of, "We need to let Jerry be Jerry. We need to just make 1 block and let him go." and so on and so on.

Bobby though, quickly answers, "No, absolutely not, Jerry does not have the green light to do whatever he wants." He then goes on to discuss one of Jerry's longer returns from the UNI game and breaks down the blocks and what was happening upfield and points out a wall was formed the cut-back to it was missed, or else there might've been a TD on that return. For us fans, we saw a longer return and thought it was great. For the coaches they saw a missed opportunity to get a TD. Such a stark difference from the prior staff to this staff, and really encouraging to hear.

Great stuff Brint. I will add this though, I made a point to watch what happened when JLM came to the sidelines while at the UNI game, and from TV during the Drake game when he went backwards. He did it once in each game. And both times the exchange between he and Bobby was nothing but smiling and laughter from both. No ass chewing of any kind. BOTH were laughing. Now, meetings and practice may be different but in game, JLM did NOT get chewed for either of those returns. Also, when Flowers had his mistake against UNI, he too did not get ripped. In fact, Bobby had his arm around him for quite a while and was simply helping him and coaching him, and BH had a smile on his face during that entire exchange as well.

Wonder why he treated Rodriguez so differently...

What way did he treat Rodriguez? I actually don’t know. Not being snarky.

 

[argh!]

How do you feel about the missed extra point in first game, the muffed KO return on the 5 in first game, the punt fielded on the 5 in the first game, the penalty or two that negated longer KO/punts returns, the partially blocked punt in the last game, the penalty on the UM fake punt that negated a first down and likely TD in the last game, and the missed assignment on punt defense that allowed a 50 yard TD run in the last game?

I like the ST this year too, but they are far from perfect.

they are average at best, with some good return men. semenza has only a few attempts, and has made some nice kicks, but as noted, missed an extra point. yet i have read on egriz he is an nfl talent? even though he doesn't kick off?

had the griz special teams made the large number of screw-ups, 4 major blunders per game, under another coach, many on here would be calling for that coach to be replaced, claiming individual talent was the reason for the successes that have been achieved.

:roll: JFC, man. If you can not see an improvement in ST’s this year you are either too stupid or a troll.

Agreed. Watching them is like night and day. Swarming to the ball on coverages, great schemes and results on returns, Semenza perfect except for one bad snap, Wilson booming kicks into the end zone (THAT would have been nice last year, given our inability to cover once they caught it); and Williams looking real good (except that one partial block...not sure what happened there).

this is not all directed at azfan:

some aspects look better, agreed. might have something to do with playing the best players on special teams, not mainly back-ups. however, how do you explain all the errors? do you think those 8 errors, in 2 home games, one against an over-matched, non-scholarship team with only a few clearly good players, and the other against a team that spent the first half shooting itself in the foot, are so worthy of praise that someone on here called hauck the "best special teams coach in the country"?

the group delusion occurring on egriz is both humorous and kinda sad. i guess some here expressed so much toughness-by-proxy when hauck was hired that they can't make realistic observations about the team and coaching. like blocked punts, missed extra points, poor decision making fielding kicks and punts, and letting the other team run for a 50 yard touchdown on a fake punt. in 2 home games. Two.

and for the millionth time, show me where i ever said i was a big stitt supporter. you can't.

 

[tnt]

they are average at best, with some good return men. semenza has only a few attempts, and has made some nice kicks, but as noted, missed an extra point. yet i have read on egriz he is an nfl talent? even though he doesn't kick off?

had the griz special teams made the large number of screw-ups, 4 major blunders per game, under another coach, many on here would be calling for that coach to be replaced, claiming individual talent was the reason for the successes that have been achieved.

:roll: JFC, man. If you can not see an improvement in ST’s this year you are either too stupid or a troll.

Agreed. Watching them is like night and day. Swarming to the ball on coverages, great schemes and results on returns, Semenza perfect except for one bad snap, Wilson booming kicks into the end zone (THAT would have been nice last year, given our inability to cover once they caught it); and Williams looking real good (except that one partial block...not sure what happened there).

this is not all directed at azfan:

some aspects look better, agreed. might have something to do with playing the best players on special teams, not mainly back-ups. however, how do you explain all the errors? do you think those 8 errors, in 2 home games, one against an over-matched, non-scholarship team with only a few clearly good players, and the other against a team that spent the first half shooting itself in the foot, are so worthy of praise that someone on here called hauck the "best special teams coach in the country"?

the group delusion occurring on egriz is both humorous and kinda sad. i guess some here expressed so much toughness-by-proxy when hauck was hired that they can't make realistic observations about the team and coaching. like blocked punts, missed extra points, poor decision making fielding kicks and punts, and letting the other team run for a 50 yard touchdown on a fake punt. in 2 home games. Two.

and for the millionth time, show me where i ever said i was a big stitt supporter. you can't.

Dunno that you are a Stitt supporter as much as you are an equal opportunity non-supporter of anyone. You can only have "errors" when most everyone ELSE is doing their jobs. There have been lots of errors the last few years - LOTS, its just that as a whole the ST, performance was so poor they didn't stand out.

 

[AZGrizFan]

they are average at best, with some good return men. semenza has only a few attempts, and has made some nice kicks, but as noted, missed an extra point. yet i have read on egriz he is an nfl talent? even though he doesn't kick off?

had the griz special teams made the large number of screw-ups, 4 major blunders per game, under another coach, many on here would be calling for that coach to be replaced, claiming individual talent was the reason for the successes that have been achieved.

:roll: JFC, man. If you can not see an improvement in ST’s this year you are either too stupid or a troll.

Agreed. Watching them is like night and day. Swarming to the ball on coverages, great schemes and results on returns, Semenza perfect except for one bad snap, Wilson booming kicks into the end zone (THAT would have been nice last year, given our inability to cover once they caught it); and Williams looking real good (except that one partial block...not sure what happened there).

this is not all directed at azfan:

some aspects look better, agreed. might have something to do with playing the best players on special teams, not mainly back-ups. however, how do you explain all the errors? do you think those 8 errors, in 2 home games, one against an over-matched, non-scholarship team with only a few clearly good players, and the other against a team that spent the first half shooting itself in the foot, are so worthy of praise that someone on here called hauck the "best special teams coach in the country"?

the group delusion occurring on egriz is both humorous and kinda sad. i guess some here expressed so much toughness-by-proxy when hauck was hired that they can't make realistic observations about the team and coaching. like blocked punts, missed extra points, poor decision making fielding kicks and punts, and letting the other team run for a 50 yard touchdown on a fake punt. in 2 home games. Two.

and for the millionth time, show me where i ever said i was a big stitt supporter. you can't.

Well, as I said to PR, I don't believe I said they were perfect, because they surely haven't been...mistakes can and will be made...but the difference in attitude & energy and performance is palpable. And very, very noticeable. Mistakes can be corrected with coaching...something it's more and more apparent they weren't getting on ST's.

 

[grizindabox]

argh must just be anti Hauck then

 

[AllWeatherFan]

What way did he treat Rodriguez? I actually don’t know. Not being snarky.

There are some photos on the site somewhere. Hauck is yelling at him from about three inches away, and Hauck's mouth is bigger than Rodriguez's head.

 

[argh!]

:roll: JFC, man. If you can not see an improvement in ST’s this year you are either too stupid or a troll.

Agreed. Watching them is like night and day. Swarming to the ball on coverages, great schemes and results on returns, Semenza perfect except for one bad snap, Wilson booming kicks into the end zone (THAT would have been nice last year, given our inability to cover once they caught it); and Williams looking real good (except that one partial block...not sure what happened there).

this is not all directed at azfan:

some aspects look better, agreed. might have something to do with playing the best players on special teams, not mainly back-ups. however, how do you explain all the errors? do you think those 8 errors, in 2 home games, one against an over-matched, non-scholarship team with only a few clearly good players, and the other against a team that spent the first half shooting itself in the foot, are so worthy of praise that someone on here called hauck the "best special teams coach in the country"?

the group delusion occurring on egriz is both humorous and kinda sad. i guess some here expressed so much toughness-by-proxy when hauck was hired that they can't make realistic observations about the team and coaching. like blocked punts, missed extra points, poor decision making fielding kicks and punts, and letting the other team run for a 50 yard touchdown on a fake punt. in 2 home games. Two.

and for the millionth time, show me where i ever said i was a big stitt supporter. you can't.

Dunno that you are a Stitt supporter as much as you are an equal opportunity non-supporter of anyone. You can only have "errors" when most everyone ELSE is doing their jobs. There have been lots of errors the last few years - LOTS, its just that as a whole the ST, performance was so poor they didn't stand out.

agree with you - on egriz, i am not much of a supporter of others, partly because i like to argue, as do many others who come on here. have you ever stopped to wonder why there are so many of you lawyer-types here(bqm computer, sorry)

and, in the spirit of arguing, jlm returns definitely stood out on recent special teams. will agree that not many other plays did, but i don't think they were as bad as some make them out to have been.

 

[AZGrizFan]

Was debating on how/when to share this but in regards to the return game especially I had quite the takeaway from a Q&A with Bobby at QB Club vs what the prior staff would tell us about the same scenarios.

Bobby was asked (after the UNI game) about Jerry "always having the green light to do what he wants." Reason that was asked, I assume, was that Stitt would generally tell the group that. We'd hear things along the lines of, "We need to let Jerry be Jerry. We need to just make 1 block and let him go." and so on and so on.

Bobby though, quickly answers, "No, absolutely not, Jerry does not have the green light to do whatever he wants." He then goes on to discuss one of Jerry's longer returns from the UNI game and breaks down the blocks and what was happening upfield and points out a wall was formed the cut-back to it was missed, or else there might've been a TD on that return. For us fans, we saw a longer return and thought it was great. For the coaches they saw a missed opportunity to get a TD. Such a stark difference from the prior staff to this staff, and really encouraging to hear.

Great stuff Brint. I will add this though, I made a point to watch what happened when JLM came to the sidelines while at the UNI game, and from TV during the Drake game when he went backwards. He did it once in each game. And both times the exchange between he and Bobby was nothing but smiling and laughter from both. No ass chewing of any kind. BOTH were laughing. Now, meetings and practice may be different but in game, JLM did NOT get chewed for either of those returns. Also, when Flowers had his mistake against UNI, he too did not get ripped. In fact, Bobby had his arm around him for quite a while and was simply helping him and coaching him, and BH had a smile on his face during that entire exchange as well.

Wonder why he treated Rodriguez so differently...

What way did he treat Rodriguez? I actually don’t know. Not being snarky.

:lol: The clip of Bobby grabbing him by the jersey and dropping F-bombs at RR when he false started on the fake punt (that was headed for a TD)....

 

[CrunchGriz]

The only really her that I think JLM made was the return attempt in the UNI game near the goal line where he got driven back 6 yards. That one is a head scratcher.

The rest of his close call decisions at least have some sort of rationale. For example, his decision to pick up the ball with many defenders around toward the end of the first half in the UNI game. It looked kind of crazy at the time, but there was very little time left in the half, and I bet he was thinking that he didn’t want the clock to run out on the Griz chances to go down the field and get more points, so he scooped it just to keep it from rolling for 10 to 15 seconds.

 

[PlayerRep]

Was debating on how/when to share this but in regards to the return game especially I had quite the takeaway from a Q&A with Bobby at QB Club vs what the prior staff would tell us about the same scenarios.

Bobby was asked (after the UNI game) about Jerry "always having the green light to do what he wants." Reason that was asked, I assume, was that Stitt would generally tell the group that. We'd hear things along the lines of, "We need to let Jerry be Jerry. We need to just make 1 block and let him go." and so on and so on.

Bobby though, quickly answers, "No, absolutely not, Jerry does not have the green light to do whatever he wants." He then goes on to discuss one of Jerry's longer returns from the UNI game and breaks down the blocks and what was happening upfield and points out a wall was formed the cut-back to it was missed, or else there might've been a TD on that return. For us fans, we saw a longer return and thought it was great. For the coaches they saw a missed opportunity to get a TD. Such a stark difference from the prior staff to this staff, and really encouraging to hear.

Great stuff Brint. I will add this though, I made a point to watch what happened when JLM came to the sidelines while at the UNI game, and from TV during the Drake game when he went backwards. He did it once in each game. And both times the exchange between he and Bobby was nothing but smiling and laughter from both. No ass chewing of any kind. BOTH were laughing. Now, meetings and practice may be different but in game, JLM did NOT get chewed for either of those returns. Also, when Flowers had his mistake against UNI, he too did not get ripped. In fact, Bobby had his arm around him for quite a while and was simply helping him and coaching him, and BH had a smile on his face during that entire exchange as well.

Unrelated to your post, JLM is one of Hauck's favorite players. He likes that he plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

 

[PlayerRep]

they are average at best, with some good return men. semenza has only a few attempts, and has made some nice kicks, but as noted, missed an extra point. yet i have read on egriz he is an nfl talent? even though he doesn't kick off?

had the griz special teams made the large number of screw-ups, 4 major blunders per game, under another coach, many on here would be calling for that coach to be replaced, claiming individual talent was the reason for the successes that have been achieved.

:roll: JFC, man. If you can not see an improvement in ST’s this year you are either too stupid or a troll.

Agreed. Watching them is like night and day. Swarming to the ball on coverages, great schemes and results on returns, Semenza perfect except for one bad snap, Wilson booming kicks into the end zone (THAT would have been nice last year, given our inability to cover once they caught it); and Williams looking real good (except that one partial block...not sure what happened there).

this is not all directed at azfan:

some aspects look better, agreed. might have something to do with playing the best players on special teams, not mainly back-ups. however, how do you explain all the errors? do you think those 8 errors, in 2 home games, one against an over-matched, non-scholarship team with only a few clearly good players, and the other against a team that spent the first half shooting itself in the foot, are so worthy of praise that someone on here called hauck the "best special teams coach in the country"?

the group delusion occurring on egriz is both humorous and kinda sad. i guess some here expressed so much toughness-by-proxy when hauck was hired that they can't make realistic observations about the team and coaching. like blocked punts, missed extra points, poor decision making fielding kicks and punts, and letting the other team run for a 50 yard touchdown on a fake punt. in 2 home games. Two.

and for the millionth time, show me where i ever said i was a big stitt supporter. you can't.

The best players, i.e. starters, aren't playing on ST as much as they were last year under Stitt, from my observation. ST have improved dramatically this year, due to Hauck being a very good ST coach and ST being a big focus in practice. The coverage and tackling in punts and KO's, as others have mentioned, is remarkably better. I don't recall a single breakdown in the 2 games.Kicking, KO's and punting have been very good. Returns have been very good.

Most of the mistakes related to the kicking part of the game (but not the actual kicks, with one exception), not the return or coverage part. I think 5 of the mistakes were blocked punt, missed EP, mistakes on 2 fake punts, and a penalty on a good return. Cold have been 2 of them. And, then the 2 punt/KO issues in first game at the 5. Snaps and holds have been pretty good. JLM should have tried to get to his wall in one return in first game.

The good and strong parts of ST have far outweighed the mistakes, in my view. Virtually everyone sees to have seen that and agrees. There can be complaints about these mistakes, but I see nothing at blame on the coach and the ST's overall. In fact, both the coach (or coaches) and ST's deserve significant praise, in my view.

If ST's had been this good last year, and the same mistakes had been made, I don't think many would have been complaining last year. argh, look at the forest, and don't get lost in the trees.

 

[garizzalies]

Was debating on how/when to share this but in regards to the return game especially I had quite the takeaway from a Q&A with Bobby at QB Club vs what the prior staff would tell us about the same scenarios.

Bobby was asked (after the UNI game) about Jerry "always having the green light to do what he wants." Reason that was asked, I assume, was that Stitt would generally tell the group that. We'd hear things along the lines of, "We need to let Jerry be Jerry. We need to just make 1 block and let him go." and so on and so on.

Bobby though, quickly answers, "No, absolutely not, Jerry does not have the green light to do whatever he wants." He then goes on to discuss one of Jerry's longer returns from the UNI game and breaks down the blocks and what was happening upfield and points out a wall was formed the cut-back to it was missed, or else there might've been a TD on that return. For us fans, we saw a longer return and thought it was great. For the coaches they saw a missed opportunity to get a TD. Such a stark difference from the prior staff to this staff, and really encouraging to hear.

Great stuff Brint. I will add this though, I made a point to watch what happened when JLM came to the sidelines while at the UNI game, and from TV during the Drake game when he went backwards. He did it once in each game. And both times the exchange between he and Bobby was nothing but smiling and laughter from both. No ass chewing of any kind. BOTH were laughing. Now, meetings and practice may be different but in game, JLM did NOT get chewed for either of those returns. Also, when Flowers had his mistake against UNI, he too did not get ripped. In fact, Bobby had his arm around him for quite a while and was simply helping him and coaching him, and BH had a smile on his face during that entire exchange as well.

Wonder why he treated Rodriguez so differently...

What?!? You guys can’t be serious? These two ST’s gaffes aren’t even comparable. One is a heat-of-the-moment judgement call, and the other is a total fuck up because of a loss of focus which likely cost us at minimum a possession, and possibly a TD. One is understandable, the other never is. I was surprised to see RR make it back in the game.

 

[MikeyGriz]

If you don't believe this year's Special Team play has improved form the last few years, you must have been watching the MSU games!

 

[AZGrizFan]

Was debating on how/when to share this but in regards to the return game especially I had quite the takeaway from a Q&A with Bobby at QB Club vs what the prior staff would tell us about the same scenarios.

Bobby was asked (after the UNI game) about Jerry "always having the green light to do what he wants." Reason that was asked, I assume, was that Stitt would generally tell the group that. We'd hear things along the lines of, "We need to let Jerry be Jerry. We need to just make 1 block and let him go." and so on and so on.

Bobby though, quickly answers, "No, absolutely not, Jerry does not have the green light to do whatever he wants." He then goes on to discuss one of Jerry's longer returns from the UNI game and breaks down the blocks and what was happening upfield and points out a wall was formed the cut-back to it was missed, or else there might've been a TD on that return. For us fans, we saw a longer return and thought it was great. For the coaches they saw a missed opportunity to get a TD. Such a stark difference from the prior staff to this staff, and really encouraging to hear.

Great stuff Brint. I will add this though, I made a point to watch what happened when JLM came to the sidelines while at the UNI game, and from TV during the Drake game when he went backwards. He did it once in each game. And both times the exchange between he and Bobby was nothing but smiling and laughter from both. No ass chewing of any kind. BOTH were laughing. Now, meetings and practice may be different but in game, JLM did NOT get chewed for either of those returns. Also, when Flowers had his mistake against UNI, he too did not get ripped. In fact, Bobby had his arm around him for quite a while and was simply helping him and coaching him, and BH had a smile on his face during that entire exchange as well.

Wonder why he treated Rodriguez so differently...

What?!? You guys can’t be serious? These two ST’s gaffes aren’t even comparable. One is a heat-of-the-moment judgement call, and the other is a total fuck up because of a loss of focus which likely cost us at minimum a possession, and possibly a TD. One is understandable, the other never is. I was surprised to see RR make it back in the game.

Flowers' mistake wasn't a "heat of the moment judgement call". He booted the ball out on the 5. And isn't the standard rule of thumb for punt returns is put your heels on the 10 and let anything over your head go over your head into the end zone? JLM backed up from the 10, caught it on the 7, then proceeded to run backwards to the 4.

 

[garizzalies]

Whether to field a kick/punt is a judgment call, and there is no “standard rule.” Thus, there is no bright line rule like not jumping offsides.

One is a bone-headed mistake, and the others are poor decisions. Completely different and each deserve a different reaction from the coach.

 

[blackfoot griz]

Not meaning to change the subject, but, wasn't it Joe Douglas that had the craziest UM punt return of all Time?

 

[argh!]

What?!? You guys can’t be serious? These two ST’s gaffes aren’t even comparable. One is a heat-of-the-moment judgement call, and the other is a total f*** up because of a loss of focus which likely cost us at minimum a possession, and possibly a TD. One is understandable, the other never is. I was surprised to see RR make it back in the game.

Flowers' mistake wasn't a "heat of the moment judgement call". He booted the ball out on the 5. And isn't the standard rule of thumb for punt returns is put your heels on the 10 and let anything over your head go over your head into the end zone? JLM backed up from the 10, caught it on the 7, then proceeded to run backwards to the 4.

you are way over the line, (moved from) azgriz. bobby is infallible. stop with all the crap about germer, inconsistencies, etc etc.. geez. you obviously only played the game as a freshman in high school. hmmph.

 

[garizzalies]

Not meaning to change the subject, but, wasn't it Joe Douglas that had the craziest UM punt return of all Time?

No, not even close. JD would field some crazy shit, but again, that’s all a judgment call, and who are we (as lard asses in mom’s basement) to second guess someone with ice water running thru their veins?

Mick Delaney “had the craziest UM punt return of all Time” when he called a “total retreat” apparently to set up a return by someone who allegedly had fumble problems, and, I believe, did in fact fumble a different punt in that game. It might have been the craziest play in WaGriz history.