Stat from Ivan Maisel's show this week, PSU was the only P5 team not to score a special teams TD in

[GreggK]

in the last 4 years and that stat shows that PSU has truly turned the corner. Because Specials teams is depth and special teams is your best backups and this finally means there is talent in our depth.

I thought this was an amazing stat and something that is a bellwether of our return.

 

[PSU Lifer]

Not being a wise guy but I am not getting the gist of this

 

[psuro]

Not being a wise guy but I am not getting the gist of this

I think he means that due to sanctions, PSU's special teams suffered. But, the two special teams plays indicate that the depth is coming along, and that quality kids are being recruited and are playing special teams.

 

[GreggK]

Not being a wise guy but I am not getting the gist of this

For the past 4 years, PSU was the ONLY power 5 team to not have a TD on special teams.

Special teams play is largely predicated on depth of the team overall. You don't want starters out there so you have their backups out on special teams. Well, PSU had not depth and their backups were either bad or young.

The fact that we put together such a sound Special Teams performance on Saturday shows that the talent of our depth is finally filling in on this team. That we are no longer fighting with a hand tied behind our back and we have turned the corner. We already knew this of course but I though that it was an interesting point.

 

[GreggK]

I think he means that due to sanctions, PSU's special teams suffered. But, the two special teams plays indicate that the depth is coming along, and that quality kids are being recruited and are playing special teams.

Bingo, and also, for those who don't know, Ivan is one of the smartest writers in college football. And he has also always had our back.
Here is his show from Monday

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/play?id=17875130

 

[Nitt1300]

I've enjoyed being able to watch special teams plays this season without covering my eyes

 

[BobPSU92]

Now we need to see Miles Sanders take one to the house.

 

[cjrugger]

Good stat and agree on the interpretation. Great times are ahead

 

[Lion84]

Now we need to see Miles Sanders take one to the house.

I think before years end you will get your wish.

 

[Woodpecker]

I think before years end you will get your wish.

 

[JBDLion]

I think he means that due to sanctions, PSU's special teams suffered.

Exactly. Sanctions are also why we had Hodges back as punt returner, right? Right?

 

[Cletus11]

I get what you are saying and generally agree, but just to take the counter point.

PSU had a blocked FG, a muffed punt, and a bad punt snap for a safety. So not like PSU didn't have about the worst special teams play imaginable if not for their own two big plays.

And the block FG was a starter blocking it (Allen) and a starter picking it up and running for the TD (Haley). So not like a couple of redshirt freshman back-ups were the key to that play.

 

[psuro]

Now we need to see Miles Sanders take one to the house.

There are no houses. Only hizzees. He needs to take it to the hizzee.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

The punting is light years better. The kickoffs are far better. Until last weekend Davis hit every FG attempted. (kinda glad we won't have to hear that black cat stuff from the announcers rest of year, so OK "He's a perfect X-for-X on attempts...and it's....NO GOOD!!!"). The return game is better. The k/p coverages are way better. There will still be mistakes but all these things have cost us games, not only the last 4 years but way before that too.

Joe always said he considered specials to be the 2nd most important aspect of the game, behind defense but late in his career it seemed glaringly absent, especially for a guy who claimed it was so vital. The last good dependable return man who could break one was probably DWill. How many games last year were were pinned down possession after possession because we couldn't hit a punt, or cover a punt...these things destroy your chances. Everybody misses FGs, that's a given especially a college kid but the improvement in the return game and the coverages is beyond huge.

 

[gogolion]

I agree with the gist of this, that our special teams suffered due to lack of depth (the backups playing ST are young or not good) and that it has improved greatly due to improved depth now that we're coming out of the effects of the sanctions. However, it should be pointed out that the 2 players who made the blocked kick and touchdown are starters.

 

[BobPSU92]

I think before years end you will get your wish.

I hope so. It seems to me that Sanders looked hesitant returning kicks earlier in the season. It was as though he was trying to look for the hole from a far before starting his return. The past few games, however, he seems to be starting his return faster and using his quickness to react and make cuts. If that continues, I think he could take one the distance.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

I hope so. It seems to me that Sanders looked hesitant returning kicks earlier in the season. It was as though he was trying to look for the hole from a far before starting his return. The past few games, however, he seems to be starting his return faster and using his quickness to react and make cuts. If that continues, I think he could take one the distance.

I thought he was extremely close to taking one of the 2nd Half returns to the Casa in the daO$U game.... It was the one he broke to his-own left - the daO$U outside gunner had pinched-in a bit and had to give chase as Sanders was heading for the edge. Sanders decided to cut it up and take on the kicker (if he beat kicker he was gone), but he didn't have "room"....as soon as he cut it up-field, he was immediately on top of kicker kind of wedged between outside gunner and kicker. I still think he might have had the edge on the outside-gunner who had pinched-in if he had just kept "pressing it" to the outside -- had he gotten the edge, he was gone as there was nothing but green beyond that outside-gunner to the left edge and down the sideline.

 

[PSU Lifer]

I think he means that due to sanctions, PSU's special teams suffered. But, the two special teams plays indicate that the depth is coming along, and that quality kids are being recruited and are playing special teams.

Oh, ok. Now I follow. Thank you...

 

[joeparules]

The last good dependable return man who could break one was probably DWill.

Chaz Powell might disagree with you.