MichiganSooner
8/16/2007, 09:45 PM
John Hoover, of the Tulsa World says the new placement of the ball on kick-offs will benefit the Sooners. Historically, good coverage on defense by Oklahoma and the ability of Hartley to kick the ball into the endzone and the return abilities of Reggie Smith are reasons to rejoice with the new rule. What does everyone think.
Check out the comment by osu aggie at end of the story. Aggie gone wild.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=070816_2_B1_hExtr27666
Extra five yards on kickoffs may give OU returners a boost.
NORMAN -- If anything, college football's new kickoff rule that places the ball at the 30-yard line instead of the 35 figures to help Oklahoma.
The Sooners have one of the Big 12 Conference's most electrifying kickoff return men in Reggie Smith, and OU -- annually among the league's leaders in covering kickoffs -- has a boom-footed kickoff artists in Garrett Hartley.
In this case, the strong may get stronger.
"I think so," Smith said.
The rule is designed to help speed up the game, replace a dead play (a kickoff out of the end zone) with an exciting play and reduce the impact that one player (a strong-legged kicker) can have on the outcome of a contest.
Many coaches say they understand the reasoning behind the rule, and many say they're even proponents of it. But many also say it'll be another challenge to an already demanding part of the game.
"That 5 yards is a bunch," said OU assistant coach Bobby Jack Wright, who in 2004 held the title of special teams coordinator. "Most all returns are going to be coming back."
That shouldn't be all bad for the Sooners when they kick off. Last season, for the second year in three years, OU led the Big 12 in covering kickoffs, allowing just 16.0 yards per return.
"With the kickoff cover unit 5 yards back, it gives (the return team) time to set things up," Wright said. "From the offensive standpoint of it, you're going to see a lot more returns. From the defensive standpoint, you're going to see us really coaching up that kickoff cover unit. Not that we don't anyway; we've got a great kickoff cover unit coming back anyway. But I think there's going to be an extra point of emphasis on both ends."
Hartley kicked off 84 times last year, and 31 of those were touchbacks. Depending on wind conditions, it's expected that more than half that number will be returned this fall.
"Coaches are stressing hang time versus putting it out (of the end zone)," Hartley said. "They'd rather have a good hang time on the 5-yard line rather than a line drive 2 yards deep. I think I'm hitting the ball pretty well right now, averaging about the goal-line to 2-3 deep."
When the new rule was in stituted, some kickers went to work immediately on strengthening those kicking muscles.
"I think my leg is stronger and I'm hitting the ball really well right now, " Hartley said.
And Smith, who ranked fifth in the Big 12 with a 20.9-yard average on returns last season, is as dangerous as anyone with the ball in his hands. That means some special teams coaches will try to strategize against him with deep onside kicks, pooch kicks and slow-bouncing squib kicks.
"There'll be more (short kicks), but it'll hurt them more," Smith said. "Since they're pushed back, they'll be more afraid to kick an onside just because we'll catch it and we'll have great field position."
Wright doesn't sound overly concerned about returns with Smith (and, so far, DeMarco Murray) bringing the ball back.
"It doesn't take that much to put a return game together," Wright said. "Just get 11 guys out there and say you've got him, you've got him, let's go. Got a pretty good returner back there.
"I don't like the idea of the high pooch kicks when they're catching it at the 25. All they've got to make it 10 yards and they're at your 35. . . . Certainly, if somebody's got a really great returner back there, I think, yeah, everybody's going to say, 'We're going to have to take a look at this.' "
(9) readers have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!
1. 8/16/2007 8:43:11 AM, Danny, Smyrna
The only rule that would really benefit OU is the rule that doesn't (legally) allow for the payment of players.
Of course, if the weakkneed NCAA allowed for players to be paid, OU would slip into mediocrity.
At least your named properly: Sooner means cheater.
I can see why OU has more fans than OSU -- it's easier to spell.
Check out the comment by osu aggie at end of the story. Aggie gone wild.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=070816_2_B1_hExtr27666
Extra five yards on kickoffs may give OU returners a boost.
NORMAN -- If anything, college football's new kickoff rule that places the ball at the 30-yard line instead of the 35 figures to help Oklahoma.
The Sooners have one of the Big 12 Conference's most electrifying kickoff return men in Reggie Smith, and OU -- annually among the league's leaders in covering kickoffs -- has a boom-footed kickoff artists in Garrett Hartley.
In this case, the strong may get stronger.
"I think so," Smith said.
The rule is designed to help speed up the game, replace a dead play (a kickoff out of the end zone) with an exciting play and reduce the impact that one player (a strong-legged kicker) can have on the outcome of a contest.
Many coaches say they understand the reasoning behind the rule, and many say they're even proponents of it. But many also say it'll be another challenge to an already demanding part of the game.
"That 5 yards is a bunch," said OU assistant coach Bobby Jack Wright, who in 2004 held the title of special teams coordinator. "Most all returns are going to be coming back."
That shouldn't be all bad for the Sooners when they kick off. Last season, for the second year in three years, OU led the Big 12 in covering kickoffs, allowing just 16.0 yards per return.
"With the kickoff cover unit 5 yards back, it gives (the return team) time to set things up," Wright said. "From the offensive standpoint of it, you're going to see a lot more returns. From the defensive standpoint, you're going to see us really coaching up that kickoff cover unit. Not that we don't anyway; we've got a great kickoff cover unit coming back anyway. But I think there's going to be an extra point of emphasis on both ends."
Hartley kicked off 84 times last year, and 31 of those were touchbacks. Depending on wind conditions, it's expected that more than half that number will be returned this fall.
"Coaches are stressing hang time versus putting it out (of the end zone)," Hartley said. "They'd rather have a good hang time on the 5-yard line rather than a line drive 2 yards deep. I think I'm hitting the ball pretty well right now, averaging about the goal-line to 2-3 deep."
When the new rule was in stituted, some kickers went to work immediately on strengthening those kicking muscles.
"I think my leg is stronger and I'm hitting the ball really well right now, " Hartley said.
And Smith, who ranked fifth in the Big 12 with a 20.9-yard average on returns last season, is as dangerous as anyone with the ball in his hands. That means some special teams coaches will try to strategize against him with deep onside kicks, pooch kicks and slow-bouncing squib kicks.
"There'll be more (short kicks), but it'll hurt them more," Smith said. "Since they're pushed back, they'll be more afraid to kick an onside just because we'll catch it and we'll have great field position."
Wright doesn't sound overly concerned about returns with Smith (and, so far, DeMarco Murray) bringing the ball back.
"It doesn't take that much to put a return game together," Wright said. "Just get 11 guys out there and say you've got him, you've got him, let's go. Got a pretty good returner back there.
"I don't like the idea of the high pooch kicks when they're catching it at the 25. All they've got to make it 10 yards and they're at your 35. . . . Certainly, if somebody's got a really great returner back there, I think, yeah, everybody's going to say, 'We're going to have to take a look at this.' "
(9) readers have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!
1. 8/16/2007 8:43:11 AM, Danny, Smyrna
The only rule that would really benefit OU is the rule that doesn't (legally) allow for the payment of players.
Of course, if the weakkneed NCAA allowed for players to be paid, OU would slip into mediocrity.
At least your named properly: Sooner means cheater.
I can see why OU has more fans than OSU -- it's easier to spell.