Are we going to get a Specials Team coach for next year?

[tooslow]

I was just glancing at some OU articles on various sites and ran across an article on NewsOK that says we are just 1 of 20 BCS schools that do not have a Special Teams Coordinator. It's kind of scary, when you look at the stats that teams with Special Teams Coordinators are producing. Is it a coincidence that: We are close to dead last in kickoff coverage? One of 3 teams this year to allow 3 TD returns on kickoffs? Haven't returned a kickoff for a TD since 2007?

In the last 3 years, only 4 teams have failed to kick at least 6 40yd field goals. Guess who one of those teams are? Yep.

Hell, even UConn has a Special Teams Coordinator. Wonder if that's why their kicker booted 2 50yd field goals? And those 2 kicks were in the last game they played in.

My opinion means crap, but I'd sure feel better for next years run if Bob decides to hire a coach just for Special Teams.

[Leroy Lizard]

Which coach do you want to fire? We are at the NCAA limit.

[agoo758]

Which coach do you want to fire? We are at the NCAA limit.

How about Heupal remaining the QB coach along with his duties as OC instead of hiring a new one?

[tooslow]

Which coach do you want to fire? We are at the NCAA limit.

Thanks for the heads up, as I was unaware that we were at the limit. I can bust out the pitchforks and torches with the best of 'em, but I'm quite happy with our current coaches. :D

[Leroy Lizard]

How about Heupal remaining the QB coach along with his duties as OC instead of hiring a new one?

Maybe. Not sure he could coordinate the offense from the press box and coach the QBs at the same time.

[Leroy Lizard]

Thanks for the heads up, as I was unaware that we were at the limit. I can bust out the pitchforks and torches with the best of 'em, but I'm quite happy with our current coaches. :D

I think all teams are pretty much at the limit, unless the athletic department is really hurtin' for cash.

[Joe]

We're not at the limit now thanks to Wilson leaving. We could do something like have Gundy coach the FBs and hire a ST and TE coach and be at the limit though.

[Leroy Lizard]

We're not at the limit now thanks to Wilson leaving. We could do something like have Gundy coach the FBs...

Doesn't he already?

[ouwapiti]

anyone know how many kickoff returns for touchdowns we've given up in the last five years????

[MeMyself&Me]

anyone know how many kickoff returns for touchdowns we've given up in the last five years????

I'd be more interested to know how we rank in kickoff returns for touchdowns per kickoff... because the O scores so often we kick off a lot and I would expect that we would have more returned for touchdowns than most other schools.

What we really need is a kicker that can kick it out the back of the endzone on a consistent enough basis that we aren't that worried about kickoff coverage.

[delhalew]

Having heard Stoops answer this question, I'd say don't hold your breath.

[btb916]

The Hammer should call a special teams meeting and teach everyone how to (1) stay in your lane and (2) hit hard as hell.

[agoo758]

Maybe. Not sure he could coordinate the offense from the press box and coach the QBs at the same time.

Not all OC's are in the PB right? Why couldn't he be on the sidelines?

[CrimsonRez]

The Hammer should call a special teams meeting and teach everyone how to (1) stay in your lane and (2) hit hard as hell.

I'll drink to that one

[SoonerBread]

Special Teams Coaches don't miss tackles, punt off the sides of their feet, or shank 28 yd field goal attempts.

Just sayin...

[mightysooner]

Our inattention to special teams shows up big IMO. No returns for TD's.....ever....not even by accident.

[ouwasp]

To me, it's all about accountability. Exactly who is responsible for ST?

OU has how many kickers on scholarship? And others hanging around. While Ratteree and others languish in walk-on status?

Early on in Coach Stoops' tenure the Sooner ST seemed to be a strength.

In Bob We Trust works most of the time...

[Leroy Lizard]

Not all OC's are in the PB right? Why couldn't he be on the sidelines?

He could, but my gut feeling is that he will want to be in the press box. I imagine you can see the action better up there.

[Leroy Lizard]

To me, it's all about accountability. Exactly who is responsible for ST?
http://wordspy.com/graphics/torch-and-pitchfork.jpg

[yermom]

Doesn't he already?

i think one of our positions is to coach the FBs and TEs

they seem to rotate players between those positions a lot...

[cleller]

How about Heupal remaining the QB coach along with his duties as OC instead of hiring a new one?

Seems possible that Josh would want to remain QB coach, as well as OC. Its in his blood. Next year Landry will be back, as well as Drew Allen and Blake Bell. He might feel its best to keep the status quo.

Norvell is also the co-OC, so it might be possible for Josh to coach a position as well. He's definitely got the aptitude.

[bmjlr]

The Hammer should call a special teams meeting and teach everyone how to (1) stay in your lane and (2) hit hard as hell.

^^^^^^^^ THIS :pop:

[SoonerE]

The Hammer should call a special teams meeting and teach everyone how to (1) stay in your lane and (2) hit hard as hell.

yea... ^^^^^^^^ THIS again

[nolesooner1984]

Our special teams have been borderline terrible since Jonathan Hayes left. It shouldn't be a team coached by committee. It is a HUGE percentage of the game and we should be dang good at it.

Right now, we aren't even close.

[tooslow]

Update: We have now given up the most TDs on kickoffs this year. This is pathetic. I guess having a poor special teams group is the price we pay to excel in other areas of the game. :(

[fadada1]

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Therealsouthsider]

.... I just pray some highschool kickers are heading to the post office this week with film addressed to Bob Stoops that demonstrates that footballs can be kicked through the end zone and don't have to only reach th 15yd line

[BoulderSooner79]

I have to admit when we gave up on the deep kickoff and squibbed it to that fullback and couldn't tackle him, I laughed out loud.

[boomersooner28]

I have to admit when we gave up on the deep kickoff and squibbed it to that fullback and couldn't tackle him, I laughed out loud.

I did too! :D

I swear, when we go to tackle people it looks like we are wrestling a greased pig. They just slide right on by. So frustrating. Save Travis Lewis. When T-Lew gets his paws on you, you are going down.

[SoonerGrant]

I think Josh can handle the OC and QB coach position. Landry will be, technically in his 3rd year next year, and won't need the same kind of coaching he needed as a freshman.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Our special teams have been pathetic since at least 2008 if not earlier and something needs to be done about it

[Soonerjeepman]

OU has how many kickers on scholarship? ...

4 FG/Kick off guys...
O'Hara
Stevens
Easley
Hunnicutt

and Way - punter

and yes it's been argued that not all are scholarship..they are.

[FrostySooner]

Looks like the only guy that has any Special Teams coaching experience is Jay Norvell. He was ST coach at Wisconsin from 1989-94.

[cleller]

Please let Josh pull double duty, and beg and plead with Jonathon Hayes to return. Every score we make we are risking giving back 7 points a few seconds later.
Talk about taking the wind out of your sales. We get a great "get even" pick-six, only to watch the momentum go right back to U-Conn on the kickoff.

[loozianna sooner]

Ugh. We used to rule ST now I cringe at every kickoff. There has to be a recruit out there who can consistently kick it through the end zone. Now if we can just find the little git.

[btk108]

We need a special teams coach. We used to have opponents worried about our special teams and they could be counted on for points. I looked forward to what they were going to pull off during a game.

Last night after the first kick to UConn, they looked so ragged and out of position I looked at my wife and told her UConn was going to run one back on us before the night was over.

Hate it when I'm right. And Leroy, Wilson is leaving with a replacement from within so how does that make us "at the limit"? Were we over the limit last year and the NCAA was so busy they forgot to count the OU coaches?

[bigfatjerk]

We've never really had a special teams coach under Bob Stoops. But it's becoming pretty obvious that we now need one.

[StoopTroup]

I'm sure we don't even practice any of those STs plays and Bob just let's it roll every game.:rolleyes:

Yeah we really had some bad moments this year and it's disappointing as usually you have some guys who are on the team who don't get lots of snaps that step up their play so they can up their stock with the Coaches. I think this probably has less to do with the need for a ST Coach as it does for guys to execute. Same as offense and defense...if you don't execute you stink it up and Special Teams isn't a great place to stink.

Bob definitely needs to find the weak links. I'd also like to have a guy who could kick 60 yard FGs too but Jimmy really stepped up his game towards the end of the Season. I'm happy for him.

Lossing Matt Moore this year caused an adjustment too. He had also gotten better and seeing him quit his Senior Season was a disappointment for me as a fan. I supported him when other folks were bagging on him. Losing him hurt us all year IMO.

Hopefully Bob will get this worked out by next Season whether it's a Coach or different players or luck....we definitely need some guys to push the guys on STs to be top notch.

[BigTip]

That's the first thing I thought of watching that stomach turning kick off return. "Hire a Special Teams coach!!"

If there is no room to hire one at least make it a specific coach's responsibility. I want to have a name I can curse and call for firing when there is a breakdown! :P

[soonercastor]

so what's up with the spot that we have open on our staff?

[StoopTroup]

That's the first thing I thought of watching that stomach turning kick off return. "Hire a Special Teams coach!!"

If there is no room to hire one at least make it a specific coach's responsibility. I want to have a name I can curse and call for firing when there is a breakdown! :P

You guys can bellyache all you want that a ST Coach is the fix.....but go back and watch Hurst, Nelson and Millard on the Kickoff TD after Flemings lucky snag of UConns receivers bobble. They get owned and these are guys who are supposed to be go to guys. Maybe Millards performance on STs is why he's riding pine last night?

I guess we can all specualate and dream that we have the answer but for me....I think it's these guys on the field's responsibilty to put themselves in position to stop the runner. They let that guy run right past them and fail to react as he goes past the pile of blockers and then...they get out run to the EZ. You can have your Superstars all out there for every ST play too but I think you should also be able to give some of them a break and insert 2nd Teamers and I gotta believe that the 2nd teamers and first teamers get lots of attention when they cover KOs like that. Bob's never been big on giving away unneeded points/scores. I'm sure he's more pissed then we are.

Those guys better work on their game IMO or the next batch of Freshman will be asking them to move off the pine so they can rest for a few seconds and they'll be standing in the back wondering what the hell happened to my starting gig. You know Bob is gonna give the ax to someone for blown coverage.

[BigTip]

Ultimately it IS the player's responsibility to perform correctly. No argument. But coaching is going to help ANY position. It's like giving the players the best weight room in the country. Ultimately they are responsible for their own conditioning too, for example, but you give them the tools to do it the most productive way possible so they don't have to do it on their own.

We certainly have the resources to provide a coach for this important function. Why don't we?

Another argument for is in regards to the kicking game. Maybe the best high school kicker in the country is debating what school to go to. "Why would I go to OU? They don't even consider my position important enough to have a coach!"

Give an assistant the title. Most of them carry multiple titles anyway. What is one more?

[OUmillenium]

Is there an easy answer to our sucking on special teams? I think Stoops would have found it if there were.

A combination of factors leading to fail? Probably. Maybe an experienced/successful st coach is the only way to fix.

I don't blame it all on the players. The coaches have to should some of the responsibility.

It's a major weakness that might be the difference in big games next year.

[oumartin]

it's no coincidence that the programs without a dedicated st coach fair worse than those with coaches.

[SoonerLB]

Maybe it's a pipe dream, but you would think that out of six kickers, ONE of them could put kickoffs deep (or out of) the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. I'd vote for about three less kickers and three more players that contribute elsewhere on the field.

[soonersponge]

Maybe it's a pipe dream, but you would think that out of six kickers, ONE of them could put kickoffs deep (or out of) the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. I'd vote for about three less kickers and three more players that contribute elsewhere on the field.

It is a pipe dream. The best kickers in the world in the NFL do not put it in the end zone or out of the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. If they had touch backs most of the time in NFL and College, they would just back the kickoff mark to the 25. They want returns to happen and not just have touch backs most of the time.

[cvsooner]

Vince Lombardi never had an ST coach. In fact, if the great 60s Packers team had a consistent weakness, it was special teams.

[StoopTroup]

I don't blame it all on the players. The coaches have to should some of the responsibility.

Agreed but some folks act like Bob and the Coaching Staff didn't address this. I suspect they did put someone in charge but didn't announce it as doing so would allow them to take blame for guys who didn't execute. Again.....seeing a guy like Millard not get snaps but play on STs last night really gets your head around the possibility that players didn't perform as expected and even though they might have been a nice addition to their position last night.....they aren't going to get it back until they execute in the positions that got them to the starting job. Not everyone just gets a STs pass and just plays Offense or Defense....they have to contribute in multiple roles. Maybe this is a sign that Bob is prepared to make some changes. What's done is done for now. Hopefully we'll hear more about this as we head towards the Red/White game in the spring.

[BigTip]

Maybe an experienced/successful st coach is the only way to fix..

Not the ONLY way, but yes, a dang good start.




It's a major weakness that might be the difference in big games next year.

Total agreement. We have felt the impact of special team weaknesses way too much.

[BigTip]

Agreed but some folks act like Bob and the Coaching Staff didn't address this. I suspect they did put someone in charge but didn't announce it as doing so would allow them to take blame for guys who didn't execute.

Maybe so, but that is what being a good manager (coach) is all about . Make people responsible for specific things so they'll devote all their energies to it. Put somebodies name out it public as the s.t. coach. That coach is going to be all, "Oh snap! I better not F this up." and spend more time with it.

"They" put someone in charge? I would think this would be Bob's decision. I am sure that some one IS in charge. I'm real sure the kick-off team doesn't just go to one end of the field during practice and ask each other, "What do y'all want to do today?" :D

Parts of the game that are important have dedicated coaches. Tell the team, and the Sooner nation, that you know special teams are important by designating a coach for it.

[Therealsouthsider]

It is a pipe dream. The best kickers in the world in the NFL do not put it in the end zone or out of the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. If they had touch backs most of the time in NFL and College, they would just back the kickoff mark to the 25. They want returns to happen and not just have touch backs most of the time.

..... I don't think world class is required to reach the end zone, when a team resorts to squib kicks it is not only embarrasing but an indictment of the kick off team and that begins with who? Poor tackling was another issue throughout the entirety of the game

[Soonerjeepman]

..... I don't think world class is required to reach the end zone, when a team resorts to squib kicks it is not only embarrasing but an indictment of the kick off team and that begins with who? Poor tackling was another issue throughout the entirety of the game

the Raiders did it today against the Chiefs to keep the ball out of the dangerous KR's hands...just sayin..

and yes I'm just as frustrated DURING the game as anyone...

[stoops the eternal pimp]

im more concerned with our bad kick returns than the kick coverage..

[tooslow]

im more concerned with our bad kick returns than the kick coverage..

I was about to disagree, but I see your point. If we could at least break even in the kickoff return dept, or come close, that would be a huge improvement from where we are now. Over the last 3 years, we've given up, what, 11 TDs on kick returns? During that same time we've returned zilch. :(

[soonersponge]

..... I don't think world class is required to reach the end zone, when a team resorts to squib kicks it is not only embarrasing but an indictment of the kick off team and that begins with who? Poor tackling was another issue throughout the entirety of the game

World class is required considering the top kicker in the NFL has a touchback percentage of 50% and it goes way down from there. O'Hara would be 10th in the NFL with his 22.33% touchbacks.

[jkjsooner]

It is a pipe dream. The best kickers in the world in the NFL do not put it in the end zone or out of the end zone on a fairly consistent basis. If they had touch backs most of the time in NFL and College, they would just back the kickoff mark to the 25. They want returns to happen and not just have touch backs most of the time.

I'd like to see us get it a little deeper. It might not be a touchback every time but I'd like to see a few touchbacks and the ball consistently around the goal line.

[oudivesherpa]

How many of us would agree that on special teams we should do exactly what we did this year and some how special teams will get better next year?
Repeating the same behavior and expecting different results is insane!

[waynepayne]

http://wordspy.com/graphics/torch-and-pitchfork.jpg

It's a good thing Bob now has a moat...

[JRAM]

First of all, it has been stated by Stoops all along that Heupel will continue to coach QB's. All coordinators coach a position. Secondly, Hiring a special teams coach is ridiculous. That is just never done. The special teams duties go along with other responsibilities.

[Big D Sooner]

Most teams in college football have special teams coaches, so to say it's never done is not quite accurate.

[soonersponge]

How many of us would agree that on special teams we should do exactly what we did this year and some how special teams will get better next year?
Repeating the same behavior and expecting different results is insane!

Same thing, just change some personnel on kickoff coverage would be about right. Kickers legs will get stronger and more accurate. Just quit busting on kickoff coverages. They were 96% good this year on kickoffs. They need to be 99% next year.

[BigTip]

I've been looking around at different program's coaching staffs. Haven't found one that didn't have a designated special teams coach (or coordinator). All of them have other duties, such as offensive line coach, tight ends, defensive line, recruiting coordinator, and even associate head coach.

[Jello Biafra]

the bag of DIkks in the middle of the room that everyone is missing is the fact that we look out of place most of the time on kickoff....regardless of wether we are 96% on the season or not, we (more times than not) give up returns of 5-10 yards. we need someone who can kick it deep and high. not always into the end zone but enough that the returner has to look up....if hes looking at the ball, hes obviously not looking for a lane to run to.

[SpankyNek]

My prediction:

Wilson will take Patton with him.

This opens 2 spots.

Mark Mangino will be O Line coach (And possibly TE).

Another assistant will be hired (And may have a hand in Special Teams which is currently shouldered by Stoops himself).

[tooslow]

Think if I keep bringing this thread up from the dead every year that we will eventually get a ST coach? Yeah, me neither....

[ashley]

it's no coincidence that the programs without a dedicated st coach fair worse than those with coaches.
Where did you get that stat? Bull. One coach usually does not coach all special teams because some special teams work at the same time in practice. Time usually does not allow all special teams to work at different times, even the ones with a dedicated special teams coach.

[pphilfran]

How many special teams coaches were kickers or punters when they played?

[stoopified]

We're not at the limit now thanks to Wilson leaving. We could do something like have Gundy coach the FBs and hire a ST and TE coach and be at the limit though.Did you forget we hired Kittle (tackles and Tes) after Wilson left? As to the OP- no.