Dave Bartoo makes an interesting statistical point in his post about 2015 returning starters when he writes,
I include the kickers and punters in returning starters. Why? My trending has shown that a team with both kickers returning, that their average win total year of year is +1 game. Those that lose both kickers it is nearly a full game below last year’s total. When the average top 25 team loses their closest game by less than 4 points, on average, each season, kicking is going to be key in at least one game.
Georgia, as we know, returns both kickers this season. How does that compare to the rest of the conference?
The Dawgs are one of eight teams to do so, according to the chart you can find in the middle of Dave’s post. So, maybe not so big an advantage, more like keeping pace. (Assuming Barber gets his consistency problem worked out, that is.)
On the other hand, if Bartoo’s right, it looks like that’s just another problem Jim McElwain’s got to deal with this season.
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That’s an interesting fact, but our kicking game scares me to death this year. This is the first time I have ever felt this way.
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I’m none to excited about the kicking game myself. Erickson is gone. Barber is the only punter on the roster with a couple of walk-ons. Georgia averaged 36 yards net last season which was good enough for 13th in the SEC. Punting in the SEC with a bulging disc is no way to go through a season.
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I hope Barber gets his disc to stop bulging or something and averages 48 yards per punt over the season. If he does, that’ll help the hell outa the defense.
But, help is on the way: http://www.rodrigoblankenship.com/ (He’s got a freaking website!!!!) If Barber’s disc hurts his punting…..
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He’s young but a bulging disc takes 6 months to a year to heal on its own. If there is an annular tear it gets complicated. But that is with rest and careful of what you pick up and how you bend over. I can’t imagine trying to kick a football with back problems. I got a close buddy that is looking at back surgery. He re-injured a bulging disc. When my oldest son injured his knee wrestling I pulled him from the sport. He had gone to state the year before and wasn’t happy neither was his coach. if Barber were my son I’d really be encouraging him to rethink trying to kick.
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Barber has talked about his disc situation (sorry, can’t find the link), found some exercises that helped, losing weight has also helped. My orthopedic consultant says the strain on the disc would depend, to some extent, on Barber’s kicking motion, but it seems to him it would be difficult to make through a whole season.
In case you have not figured it out, I am a little freaked about our punt game. 😦
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found it: http://dogbytesonline.com/richt-hopes-punter-barber-finds-a-groove-and-he-stays-there-87960/
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Seems like Morgan and Barber would cancel each other out.
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This is just another meaningless statistic. If the punter gets benched and a better punter becomes the starter how can that be a bad thing?
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Well, that’s true of any position.
That said, there is no way in hell kickers make a full game difference in a season. There are 24 starters (including kickers) and only 12 games. This is so transparently noise in a low sample size.
I would estimate returning kickers contribute at the very highest a 0.1 game difference.
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Special teams makes up about 20% of all plays. The kickers have a lot more influence in the game than you think.
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I don’t agree. I sure wish Morgan would’ve hit that field goal to tie the game against USCe. Don’t tell me he didn’t have an influence on that game
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Like everyone else, I am most concerned about the lack of consistency in Barber as a punter. The mismatch against Alabama’s punter is the biggest negative I see in that game, hopefully the advantages we have will over come that but if we get into a punting contest with the defenses prevailing,the field position disadvantage could cost us the game. I don’t think anyone can match that guy but if Barber doesn’t step up I hope Blankenship can at least narrow the gap.
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We will have to negate some of the punting distance disadvantage through effective punt returns. If we are averaging just 36 yards per kick we could force a bunch of fair catches. McKenzie and Davis could change Alabama’s plus 10 yard distance advantage into a net punting wash.
How is that for optimism?
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Pass me some Kool Aide please. I hope we don’t get into a punting battle by moving the ball well on offense but you are right, it is net punting that matters. Tide usually plays well on fundamentals like kick coverage though, must be all those 5 stars sitting on the bench waiting their turn. McKenzie is a game changer though.
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Maybe the doubtful punting will suggest to CMR more going for it on 4th down. Would love to see that, the moneyball guys say coaches tend to be way more inclined to punt or FGFG than optimal.
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I believe the stat because kicking can very easily hurt the team(ie botched snaps ,short punts, missed chip shots) so kicking probably helps most when it does not hurt you. My guess is that is why having experienced kickers helps because even if they don’t punt it 50 yards they are less prone to screw-ups Everyone needs to see the walk-on’s(Blankenship) recovery and kick on his senior highlight clip. First part of the clip the snapper puts it over his head ,he retreats to the 5 picks up the lose ball and does a rugby kick that doesn’t stop rolling until its on the other teams 15. It ain’t a A.J. Green highlight reel but its good. Kickoffs through the goalposts.
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Snappin’ ain’t nothing. Hell, a blind man can be a long snappah. Wouldn’t be attall surprised if a college team has a blind snappah next season. Any bets?
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Bartoo makes a good point but he should also include returning snappers and holders, too.
Also if both returning kickers are struggling, it should not be considered a strength.
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Blankenship senior highlights…
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1851342/highlights/202030377/v2
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Thanks, looks like his strengths are more with kickoffs (although from the 40) and FGs. That little running punt scares me a little but it good in a crunch to avoid a block though. I like him coming in and being an option we may need. Punting is a Top 3 issue to me for 2015, at this point, but I do think it is salvageable with Barber or Blankenship.
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I got no vested interest in Blankenship, one way or t’other, but his punting average as a senior was better than Drew Butler’s by about a scootch and a half…he kicks both Rugby and Hartman-style.
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I am with you, no vested interest. My comment wasn’t meant to say he always kicked rugby but the highlight film looked as if he used it more than I am comfortable with, maybe to allow coverage to get down the field. Punting also requires hang-time as a major factor and you couldn’t tell much on the film. I have said before, I hope we use him if needed, to hell with a RS year. This team has a chance to win a title so if he is better than what we had planned, scrap the plan and use Blankenship as a FR, plenty of time to find another kicker in four years.
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Mac I am afraid this team has too many unpolished gems to be a title contender, but who the hell knows? A great kicking game would sure as hell help.
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Yep. Next year if Chubb stays, perhaps.
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Odds certainly favor that, we only have 12 SEC titles in our long history but we are the favorite to win the East, and I see no monsters in the West that look better than us, which means we have a very solid chance to have a winnable game in the Dome if things proceed normally (whatever that is).
I am not saying we aren’t without questions, but we seem to have fewer than our competitors. Starting with our experienced OL and league best running game, we have the primary ingredients for what has led to many SEC championships over the years. And our September schedule gives us a chance to have a more polished QB before we get to a game we have more than a 20% chance to lose. I would invest a little in those unpolished stones if I were you.
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Mac, Mac, Mac….” I would invest a little in those unpolished stones if I were you.” You know the NCAA monitors every line of this blog.
NOTE TO THE NCAA ECHELON SPIES: Mac and I invest in high quality gem stones, this comment has nothing to do with football.
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I am going to invest, heck with being the favorite in the East, I am calling it now….Dawgs win the East! To hell with those kharmic bitches.
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That highlight reel made me soil myself. I could get used to high kickoffs through the uprights, and the rugby punting doesn’t bother me in the least. The fact that he can do both is a bonus. And, the fact that we don’t have a kicking coach to screw him up is the final bonus. 🙂
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Not trying to nit-pic Bartoo, but not counting returning players unless they played in 6 games is an arbitrary milepost that gives a negative skewed take of Georgia’s returning players. We had quite a few that subbed and got great experience so the look of inexperience is false, especially concerning the D. Of course it will be great when we surprise anyone who relies on that returning player metric. Their team stats expectations ought to be lights out this year when all those “inexperienced” players suddenly have a great year.
Placing returning kickers into that equation is goofy. If they are returning and ain’t worth a fig, what matters? It has nothing to do with ability or untapped ability. Only coaching counts there. Looking at a new kicker coming in to weigh heavily on this team’s success is like putting our eggs in Eason’s lap this season. It’s Pome ‘d Rue as far as what our kicking game is and how it will be after summer and into Fall Practice. Plenty of time to get in a hussy-fuss if the situation persists with all players vying for a place. If a problem remains, I’ll get concerned, but I’m not going to vent angst in April. And it won’t cripple this fine team.
Kicking short and then stopping our opponent who can kick further just means that the O (and Chubb) have more yds in front of them to gain on the way to glory. With a good kicker, less yds mean less room to put between Fournette who will be credited with “bigger” yds than Chubb since he’s in such a tough Div. Don’t know about yall, but I’m cheering for a poor kicker combined with a great D and Chubb running for Heisman Award-yds. 🙂
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Solution to punting woes: Just don’t punt. Make first downs and touchdowns.
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brilliant! That is a hell of a plan. I think we’ve just found our next special teams Coach. Without Bobo screwing everything up this might work.
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