And, at the risk of inciting the oft-alleged "group think" mindset that pervades this site, as I understand it - but our special teams have been superb under Butch Jones, by and large. I don't know how you explain Medley this season, but I think his struggles are in his head, and can't be blamed on Jones & Co. Credit where it's due, but only where and when it's deserved. And on ST, it is warranted, IMO.
Absolutely. I can't remember a time where we were this strong on special teams. We've got guys that can house one at any time, coverage is solid, and we have an NFL caliber punter. Medley has a helluva a leg, he's just got to get his head right.
I agree. Which now makes this a dang groupthink tank. Awesome. Botch really does stress special teams. Hence Maggitt going down on a ST play. Other than his handling of Medley, of course.
Everything botch does sucks! FAHR BOTCH! RARRRR! Actually, the special teams sans Medley have been fantastic. I think trotting Medley out for that third kick Saturday was a horrible decision, but we all know what I think of Lyle's in game decision making.
One thing you could do to manage the FG situation is to let one of the other two guys have the closer ones and make Medley your long range specialist. He's got way more of a leg, just inconsistent.
And he's starting ahead of one fifth year transfer, and a frosh who is on scholly. I believe they'll find him a scholly, soon.
Your really need to look at gross and net, as neither tells the story by itself. If you've got a guy near the top in both, you've got a good one.
You only send him out for a 3rd kick if you're going to either scrap him or if that rights the ship. He misses there, he's done mentally.
Wow, "group think" in praise of Jones? We have become that which we hate. Time to go to the house, IMO.
the problem with net is that it relies on the quality of the players trying to stop the returner, so isn't a level measure. Inside 20 is about opportunities as well. I want the guy that kicks it highest and longest most often. He's the guy that can flip the field or get you out of a backed up jam. He's the most valuable punter almost all the time.
Some of that is Butch's recruiting too. We're not sending the white guy from Ensworth to fair catch punts anymore, there's actually athletes on the roster.
I don't disagree, it's just hard to measure "highest" from numbers alone. Those 20 (or 25 now? I don't remember,) yard dings on touchbacks hurt the net, also. Maybe it's better to say that you should look at gross and then check it against net to make sure line drives and touchbacks aren't giving you an inflated number.
By my eyeball, we have a helluva punter. It's like when I know which guy can carry the hazard by the way he hits his 3 iron.
I think you are right, and I think the numbers reflect that. He's 4th in the country in gross at 47.1yds/per and 15th in net at just over 40 through 7 games: http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/17 http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/98
