Our kick-off coverage didn't hurt us

[BoulderSooner79]

How's that for a title? But other than the TD, our coverage was pretty good on the other 5 KOs. So did the TD return hurt us in the game? I don't think so. We had just scored a TD and the return put the UT defense right back on the field with no rest. We responded with another TD scoring drive so we're up 14-7 in those 3 possessions and our D has rested the entire time while their D was on the field the entire time. The key was the *next* series. That KO coverage was good and they start at the 20 (it may have been a touchback). So far so good; our D is rested and they have poor field position; perfect time for a stop and to put game out of reach. What happens? They go 80 yds in 12 plays and eat 6:45 on the clock. I think that drive had one of those phantom roughing calls. Then it gets worse. Now our D is tired and Sam throws the pick. They drive for the remainder of the half and get the FG to pull within 1 point.

I'm not sayin' it was good to give up the KO score, but by responding with our own TD we negated both the score and momentum and put our team back in a great position at 21-10. We didn't take advantage of it.

[Curly Bill]

The KO return for a TD was huge, gave them life, kept them in the game.

[BoulderSooner79]

Believe what you want to believe, but to me a 21-10 lead is just as good as the 14-3 lead and *we* had the momentum from the big play to Gresham along with a rested D. It should have been a big lift for us and deflating to them. If we hold on that next series and keep an 11 point lead into half, we win. If we hadn't counter-punched after the KO return, then it would have been a huge play.

[Curly Bill]

KO returns for TD's are almost always huge plays, that's football 101.

[aurorasooner]

The KO return for a TD was huge, gave them life, kept them in the game. Agree, just like the no-interception call by the refs, it was a game changer/momentum changer, imo. Our "swiss-cheese KO coverage has to get better. It's flat embarrassing for the O to put together a great drive for a TD, and then have the opposing team answer immediately with a 6 on the following KO.

[John Kochtoston]

How's that for a title? But other than the TD, our coverage was pretty good on the other 5 KOs. So did the TD return hurt us in the game? I don't think so. We had just scored a TD and the return put the UT defense right back on the field with no rest. We responded with another TD scoring drive so we're up 14-7 in those 3 possessions and our D has rested the entire time while their D was on the field the entire time. The key was the *next* series. That KO coverage was good and they start at the 20 (it may have been a touchback). So far so good; our D is rested and they have poor field position; perfect time for a stop and to put game out of reach. What happens? They go 80 yds in 12 plays and eat 6:45 on the clock. I think that drive had one of those phantom roughing calls. Then it gets worse. Now our D is tired and Sam throws the pick. They drive for the remainder of the half and get the FG to pull within 1 point.

I'm not sayin' it was good to give up the KO score, but by responding with our own TD we negated both the score and momentum and put our team back in a great position at 21-10. We didn't take advantage of it.

[Director of Ford's Theater] So, other than that, you enjoyed yourself, Mrs. Lincoln?[/Director of Ford's Theater.]

[Curly Bill]

[Director of Ford's Theater] So, other than that, you enjoyed yourself, Mrs. Lincoln?[/Director of Ford's Theater.]

:D SPEK

[bluedogok]

I will say that after the TD return they seemed to improve with each successive kickoff. They had some real good coverage late in the game.

[Scoregasm]

It damn sure didn't help!

[Curly Bill]

I will say that after the TD return they seemed to improve with each successive kickoff. They had some real good coverage late in the game.

After you give one up for 6, it's hard not to improve. :P ;) :D

[rainiersooner]

FWIW, was I the only person who thought that the seam was sealed with a block in the back of Jackson? Not that it matters, but still....

[BoulderSooner79]

KO returns for TD's are almost always huge plays, that's football 101.

You got me. I did take the FB101 class, but it was an early morning class and I kept falling asleep and drooling on the desk.

The one down-side to scoring on a KO return is that your D may not be ready to go back on the field. Instead of resting and making adjustments on the bench they're scrambling to find their helmets to get back on the field. A good team will take advantage of that and we did. 3 guys covered the WR and nobody covered Gresham and it cost them a TD. I think that was a direct result of the quick turnaround with no offensive series. If we had not counter-punched, I would totally agree the KO was huge play. What killed us was the long drives that ground our D to a pulp, but that's not what they'll show on sportscenter. Better high lights to show the kick return.

[SoonerGOP]

Our kickoff coverage cost us 7 out of 10 points we lost by. It also gave them momentum.

That is ridiculous. It was a huge problem again today. I agree we got better, but we were up by 11 and if we had been able to get our defense to have a 3 and out, we could have been looking at going up by 18. Instead, we were only up by 4 again.

I just can't agree that it didn't hurt.

[BoulderSooner79]

Our kickoff coverage cost us 7 out of 10 points we lost by. It also gave them momentum.

That is ridiculous. It was a huge problem again today. I agree we got better, but we were up by 11 and if we had been able to get our defense to have a 3 and out, we could have been looking at going up by 18. Instead, we were only up by 4 again.

I just can't agree that it didn't hurt.

You missed the point and it's not ridiculous - I'm allowed to believe what I want. I'm not saying you're ridiculous if you don't agree. My point is we got a free TD because of the KO return and thus negated their score. We exploited the one down-side of a KO return and we should give credit where credit is due. Sure if we get good coverage, and then a stop, and then a score life is good. But what if they got a normal KO return to the 25 and then grind out a 12 play 7 minute drive and make it 14-10 that way? Then we get the ball back and their D is rested and we don't get the blown coverage on Gresham? Maybe we score anyway, but maybe they get a stop, who knows. In big games it's how you respond and in the KO case, we responded perfectly. Unfortunately, the next series we had our 11 pt lead back and put them in poor field position and they responded with a long drive.