Is It Time For A Special Teams Coach?

[SoonerofAlabama]

Just wondering. Sure this will be brought up as it has been already.

[GregFockerRN]

I'd just like to hear Stoops accept some personal responsibility for it. He is the special teams coach, is he not? It's been several years with all kinds of different personnel. What's the common theme? Don't get me wrong, I love Bob. I'm jus' sayin'...

[cccasooner2]

I think the consensus in past discussions was that OU is maxed out in the number of allowable coaches. Someone would have to go or take on an additional assignment. At one time, Bob was the STC, I'm not sure who is now.

[8timechamps]

I think the Special Teams (at least kick-off/punt coverage) have done a pretty good job this year. We've given up 1 TD in 5 games. It's much better than the last few years.

The TD that was called back was a clear case of holding (with a missed clip). If Millard (I think it was him) doesn't get held, the returner never hits that gap. The other return looked pretty clean though.

I'm all for better ST, but I don't see it as a weakness for this team. At least not like years past.

[JiminyChristmas]

Kick coverage has been solid. Don't overreact to one play.

Kick returns are not generating much though. Very average.

Probably comes down to spending less time on it in practice than other areas deemed more important.

[BoulderSooner79]

Coverage has been much better this year with many stops between the 15 and 25. Whittaker surprised us with his speed on that play plus a couple of plays from scrimmage. He was their best offensive player in that game. The holding call was blatant; more like a tackle on Millard and gave them the seam. Sure, it would be great if we had more tacklers there to prevent a score, but that flag is thrown 90+% of the time and backed them up. That's better than a touchback. I am disappointed with our returns - both KO and punt. Maybe they are kicking away from Broyles or something, but it used to be a weapon for us.

[Soonerfan88]

I think special teams has been doing well this year and don't understand why it gets so many folks so worked up.


And the TD by Fozzy was not clean. There was definite holding going on from my end zone view.

[SoonerKnight]

No kidding you could see it on TV.

[StoopTroup]

Crazy talk

[hawaii 5-0]

Everyone knows Special Teams are overrated.

Kickoff returned for a TD? Big deal.

Kicker that kicks a flat ball and has a distance of 35 yards? Live with it. Sit back and enjoy the game.

No kickoff or punts returned for TDs? We sure don't want to interfere with the Offense's chance to roll up some stats.

Don't mess with what works.

5-0

[papawlambert]

TCU has the same post going on their forum.
Papaw

[stoops the eternal pimp]

cccasoooner1235445a is right...at the max amount of allowable coaches

[BigTip]

I said this last year during this discussion; Stoops needs to assign an existing coach that title as an additional duty.

Then we'll know who to say "Fire......" when there are these break downs. :stupid:

It is better this year though. Seems like every game had problems last year.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I think we should fire Heupel and then hire a ST coach..make the offense draw up plays on the dirt or in case of artificial turf, on someone's hand

[thecrimsoncrusader]

It's easy to get worked up when Oklahoma was on the verge of ending Texas' hopes in the 1st half in the 2008 OU/TX game.

It's easy to get worked up when Missouri opens the game last season with a 100 yard kickoff return for a TD to set the tone for the rest of the game.

It's easy to get worked up when ATM gets a kickoff return for a TD that builds their lead to 19-0 last season and takes the wind out of Oklahoma's sails.

It's easy to get worked up when Oklahoma is in good shape in the closing minutes of the Oklahoma/Oklahoma St. game in 2010 and then gives up a quick kickoff return for a TD.

It's a schematic problem that needs to be fixed and I'm the one that can get it done and for free! Do an on-sides kick every time or kick that crap out of bounds and let the opposition have it on the 40 and rely on the solid defense! :encouragement: OK, not really, but damn, Oklahoma has been the worst overall the past the past four seasons when it comes to giving up kickoff returns for a TD. There is no excuse for that with one of the top teams and programs annually and of all time.

The time to get a special teams coach was last season, but Coach Stoops didn't go that direction, so I doubt it will ever happen.

[pphilfran]

It's easy to get worked up when Oklahoma was on the verge of ending Texas' hopes in the 1st half in the 2008 OU/TX game.

It's easy to get worked up when Missouri opens the game last season with a 100 yard kickoff return for a TD to set the tone for the rest of the game.

It's easy to get worked up when ATM gets a kickoff return for a TD that builds their lead to 19-0 last season and takes the wind out of Oklahoma's sails.

It's easy to get worked up when Oklahoma is in good shape in the closing minutes of the Oklahoma/Oklahoma St. game in 2010 and then gives up a quick kickoff return for a TD.

It's a schematic problem that needs to be fixed and I'm the one that can get it done and for free! Do an on-sides kick every time or kick that crap out of bounds and let the opposition have it on the 40 and rely on the solid defense! :encouragement: OK, not really, but damn, Oklahoma has been the worst overall the past the past four seasons when it comes to giving up kickoff returns for a TD. There is no excuse for that with one of the top teams and programs annually and of all time.

The time to get a special teams coach was last season, but Coach Stoops didn't go that direction, so I doubt it will ever happen.

I agree...

Who do we cut?

Bob?
Brent?
Bobby Jack?
Josh?
Jay?
Cale?
Bruce Kittle? - first season - asst coach - tight ends and tackles
Patton?
Shipp?
Martinez?
Schmidt?
Matt McMillen? Administrative Coordinator
Merv?

[BoomerJack]

Perhaps if Coach Stoops and the staff could find a kicker who can CONSISTENTLY put kickoff's five yards deep into the endzone, that would eliminate a lot of this discussion and consumption of cyberspace.

[thecrimsoncrusader]

I agree...

Who do we cut?

Bob?
Brent?
Bobby Jack?
Josh?
Jay?
Cale?
Bruce Kittle? - first season - asst coach - tight ends and tackles
Patton?
Shipp?
Martinez?
Schmidt?
Matt McMillen? Administrative Coordinator
Merv?

Nothing will be done about it now and I fully realize you just can't keep adding coaching bodies to NCAA regulations. The time to do it was when Kevin Wilson left and get a special teams coach instead of Coach Kittle. So here we are, stuck with special teams that mostly stink outside of punt coverage.

Ryan Broyles is one of the best if not the best punt returners in the nation, but no one but us probably know that since the punt return schemes suck as bad as the kickoff coverage does. Oklahoma never blocks the gunners in the return games either. A lone bright spot is Hunnicutt is much more authoritative in his kicks compared to lil' Jimmy and is a freshman, so has plenty of room to potentially improve.

Coach Stoops makes it hard to complain overall given his tremendous success level, but there is no harm in always looking to improve on greatness and this seems like such a trivial problem for a program as great as Oklahoma, yet it hasn't been trivial in the least.

[cccasooner2]

The last panic on special teams that I remember was a desperate search for a deep snapper in (2001/2?) because we couldn't get a punt off. A good one was found in walk-on Jacob Rice and by changing the punter steps to correct the problem if I remember right.

[IBleedCrimson]

its easy to get worked up when your worked up at getting worked up. WORKED UP

[rekamrettuB]

Kick coverage has been solid. Don't overreact to one play.


Tell Stoops the same thing. Not sure why OU pooched the kick after that went out of bounds.

[Soonermagik]

I read a stat that OU was one of the worst in allowing kick off returns for TD's of any major FBS program. I wish I could find that again.

Anyways, when was the last time OU ran back a kickoff for a TD? I really would like to know. I think ST on both sides has really stunk. It's time to admit this is the biggest weakness of this team. It cost us when Shipley Sr. ran one back, the Mizzou game run back, another run back in the Fiesta Bowl, One run back this past RRR.

[cvsooner]

Murray against...Baylor? North Texas? a couple of years ago. And Allen Patrick nearly took one in against WVU in the Fiesta Bowl in 2008.

Murray, Nov. 11, 2007, against Baylor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od1Qwd7wZxM

That was his second one that season. First one against Tulsa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_lOd-ATF7Q&feature=related

[soonersponge]

I said this last year during this discussion; Stoops needs to assign an existing coach that title as an additional duty.

Then we'll know who to say "Fire......" when there are these break downs. :stupid:

It is better this year though. Seems like every game had problems last year.

Actually, others are part of special teams. Venables is head of punt team. Stoops used to do punt return, not sure if he still does. BJW takes care of kickoff and coverage unit. Gundy takes care of kick returns. They all share duties.