Special Teams

[LakeHighlandsPony]

Why does Symanski have to be our leading tackler on Kick offs? Special Teams is our Achilles heel...

[450fan]

We have way too many talented athletes for this to be a problem.

Everyone was All-something in high school and wouldn't be on campus if they couldn't run and tackle.

Hard to figure.

On to Houston Elementary and focus on the next win.

Go Ponies.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Justin not so Smart, gets another penalty on a kick return.

[SMU 86]

We have way too many talented athletes for this to be a problem.

Everyone was All-something in high school and wouldn't be on campus if they couldn't run and tackle.

Hard to figure.

On to Houston Elementary and focus on the next win.

Go Ponies.

We don't have have way to many talented athletes but we are getting there with each recruiting class.

[JasonB]

We have a ton of talented athletes, better than the last 25 years. Problem is that some of the younger kids on kick return aren't holding their lines, aren't playing disciplined enough.

[soccermom]

A MAJOR problem for us are the stupid penalties. When we make a good play, it seems most of the time there is a flag on the field. We are shooting ourselves in the foot every game and it is killling us.

[SMU 86]

We have a ton of talented athletes, better than the last 25 years. Problem is that some of the younger kids on kick return aren't holding their lines, aren't playing disciplined enough.

We have better athletes than we have had in the last 25 years but we don't have a ton of them We have a lack of depth that has been noted by fans and coaches. We are also not that fast. Our team speed is better but not where it needs to be. Coach Jones has said this year that we are still 2 good recruiting classes away.

[Stallion]

This is what happens when everybody over-inflates our recruiting success. We have competitive CUSA talent-exceptional talent in a few positions-very little depth. If you took the special teams equation out of our won/loss record in the last 2 years we are about a .500 team. We have absolutely stolen 4-5 games on special teams in 2 years during which we are 12-8. Great example of this was ECU last year-probably the most talented team we have beaten. ECU outplayed SMU offensively and defensively but SMU won on special teams which resulted in a 13 point swing in points. Improved recruiting is the key to taking this program to the next level against the more talented programs on our schedule.

[Wuba]

This is what happens when everybody over-inflates our recruiting success. We have competitive CUSA talent-exceptional talent in a few positions-very little depth. If you took the special teams equation out of our won/loss record in the last 2 years we are about a .500 team. We have absolutely stolen 4-5 games on special teams in 2 years during which we are 12-8. Great example of this was ECU last year-probably the most talented team we have beaten. ECU outplayed SMU offensively and defensively but SMU won on special teams which resulted in a 13 point swing in points. Improved recruiting is the key to taking this program to the next level against the more talented programs on our schedule.

People overrating our recruiting success leads to the kicker/punter being the leading tackler? Could you walk me through how that works?

[SMU 86]

It could mean that the kicker might be one if the best athletes on the kick off and punt teams which is not good. Or the he is the safety valve and the returners are getting to the safety valve too much. Either way it is not good.