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The Tide ranks 117th in the nation out of 120 Division I-A teams, allowing an average of 25.78 yards on 58 kickoff returns. Only Georgia, SMU and Washington State are worse.

From: http://blog.al.com/tide-source/2009/11/ ... ff_co.html


Are we really this bad on kickoffs? I know last weeks game had almost every kick go for a touchback, maybe this is a function of our struggles earlier in the year?

I recall one game (Navy?) that I was begging them to kickoff out of bounds so they would only get the ball on the 40. We very seldom hold the receiving team inside the 30.

Maybe we need to put Cunningham back on kickoff duties?

I remember the last 3 or 4 kicks near the end of the UTEP game going into the end zone for touchbacks, or short returns. I know this is a small sample size, but lets hope that keeps up.

Oliver wrote:I remember the last 3 or 4 kicks near the end of the UTEP game going into the end zone for touchbacks, or short returns. I know this is a small sample size, but lets hope that keeps up.

Only the ones with the south wind behind them.

Georgia, Alabama, WSU, and us....that is very strange company for a statistic like this.

TCU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 65 yards returned by Jeremy Kerley for 52 yards to the SMU 43.
TCU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 63 yards returned by Greg McCoy for 53 yards to the SMU 40.
ECU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 62 yards returned by Dwayne Harris for 77 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
HOU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 62 yards returned by Tyron Carrier for 92 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.

These 4 skew it a bit ... if you take them out we give up about 22 yards per attempt.

SmooPower wrote:TCU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 65 yards returned by Jeremy Kerley for 52 yards to the SMU 43.
TCU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 63 yards returned by Greg McCoy for 53 yards to the SMU 40.
ECU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 62 yards returned by Dwayne Harris for 77 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.
HOU - Matt Szymanski kickoff for 62 yards returned by Tyron Carrier for 92 yards for a TOUCHDOWN.

These 4 skew it a bit ... if you take them out we give up about 22 yards per attempt.

Right, especially the 2 for TDs. SMU is 11 touchbacks of 53 KOs. That is not bad.

Junior wrote:Maybe we need to put Cunningham back on kickoff duties?

He is. He's just not kicking the ball.

20% touchback rate is actually pretty good for a college guy.

The Cowboys kicker didn't have a single one last year, I don't believe.

Junior wrote:20% touchback rate is actually pretty good for a college guy.

The Cowboys kicker didn't have a single one last year, I don't believe.

OK, you made me check it out. SMU is #19 in the country in touchback % at 20.8%