The Difference Between 5-7 & 9-4 Part 3 - Special Teams

8 comments so far January 20, 2009 by Brandon Vogel

Assessing improvements or regressions in special teams play on a yearly basis is a difficult task, perhaps raising more questions than it answers.

Are the differences from one season to the next the result of a serious sea change in philosophy or just your average statistical variance? Do the statistics that fall under the "special teams" category even adequately measure a team's successes or failures in the hidden third or are they more representative of individual performances? (e.g. Is a blocked FG by Zach Potter the result of excellent team execution or is his 6'7" frame behind it all?) Do we even notice special teams beyond the extremes of a horrible play (blocked punt) or a great play (taking a kickoff to the house)?

There's a lot of gray area here. It's easy to remember DeJuan Groce because he was a home run hitter as a punt returner (4 TDs in 2002). It's easy to remember Baron Miles because he was a slugger on 4th downs (4 blocked punts in 1994, 7 for his career). Is that how we judge special teams? Probably, but the good news is this: Nebraska got some home runs out of their special teams unit this year.

Not to beat the baseball analogy to death (with a bat, of course), but I like to think of special teams as your 2-hole hitter. Your number two hitter isn't there for his power. His job is put the ball in play, move the runner over, lay down a bunt, work the count, keep you out of trouble AND, from time to time, get you out of trouble. When they hit the occasional big fly that's a bonus. And if Nebraska's two-hole hitter from 2008 isn't necessarily ready to make a killing on the free agent market he's definitely in line for a solid raise.

Overall Nebraska was about flat to last year in a number of special teams categories. In 2007 the Huskers averaged 40.29 yards per punt. In 2008 they averaged 38.54. In 2007 Nebraska averaged 21.88 yards per kickoff return. In 2008 they averaged 21.84. Two of the most eye-popping stats for Nebraska this year where the sheer number of punt and kickoff return attempts--57 KOR this year to 74 last year and 31 PRA to 18 respectively--but that's a reflection of the defense, not special teams. Even Adi Kunalic was a shade off from his 2007 form with "only" 35.8% of his kickoffs resulting in a touchback this season--still good for 9th in the country and best in the Big 12--as opposed to 42.4% last year.

So what, ultimately, was the difference between 5-7 and 9-4? Two things:

1) Long Field Goals - The biggest difference in NU's special teams in 2008 was evident from the very first game of the season when Alex Henery--brace yourself, it's Seussical--went 4 for 4 with four 44-yard field goals against Western Michigan. What's the difference? The difference is that Nebraska even attempted those field goals from long range.

The four attempts from 40+ yards against WMU quadrupled the number of field goals from that range that Nebraska had attempted last year and Henery's six attempts of 40-yards or more--he made all six--doubled the total from the last two years of the Callahan era. Under Callahan, Nebraska attempted a field goal of 50+ yards once in four years (David Dyches, 04). Under Pelini, Nebraska attempted a 50-plus yarder three times this year and, while only successful once, it was a pretty big one.

To be fair, there are a lot of intangibles at work here. Is it possible that Alex Henery has the best leg of any of the kickers to play under Callahan? Yes. Is it possible that Henery's leg is significantly better now than it was last year? Yes, again. But I think the major difference between Pelini and Callahan is a philosophical one. Simply think back to the penultimate drive of the 2007 Cotton Bowl.

In that game Nebraska, trailing by three, faced a 4th and 11 from Auburn's 30 yard line with under two minutes to go and opted to go for it rather than send out Jordan Congdon for a 47-yard attempt. After the game, Callahan was clear that there was no consideration of the field goal in that situation.

Contrast that with Henery's 57-yard field goal against Colorado where Pelini, seemingly stuck for a play to call on 4th down from the CU 40, simply asked his kicker if he could make it and then put his faith in the kicker. Field goal good, Nebraska wins.

It's not quite that simple and I don't mean to suggest that Callahan didn't trust his kickers. Rather, when the chips were down it seems as if Pelini recognizes that, when it comes down to it, you have to trust players to make plays. Callahan's philosophy erred towards the "I'll figure something out" side of the ledger and in terms of player confidence, not just for the kicker but the team as a whole, that represents a sea change in year one. Just ask yourself this: Would Pelini have sent Congdan out for that Cotton Bowl kick? There's your difference.

2) Those Aforementioned Home Runs - Here's a fun statistical fact from 2008: Nebraska hit for the special teams cycle this year by a) blocking a kick (FG or XP), b) blocking a punt, c) returning a punt for a TD AND d) returning a kickoff for a TD. It was the first time the Cornhuskers had accomplished all four in the same season since 1996 and you won't have to think too hard to remember a number of these home run plays from 2008.

Niles Paul's kickoff return against San Jose State gave Nebraska some breathing room (and Memorial Stadium a deep sigh of relief), effectively ending the Spartans dreams of an upset after pulling within two in the 4th quarter. Nate Swift's punt return against Virginia Tech put the Huskers back in the game after three quarters of unease. The blocked punt in the Gator Bowl by Ricky Thenarse resulted in Nebraska's first lead of the game and Ndamukong Suh's blocked FG in the 2nd quarter thwarted Clemson's first scoring opportunity. The announcers like to call those "game-changers" and they were a welcome addition to the Nebraska fold this season.

When Courtney Grixby returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Kansas State last year it was the first for Nebraska since 1998. Swift's punt return touchdown against Virgina Tech was the first since 2003 (prior to that NU had returned a punt for a touchdown in the previous nine seasons). This from the school that brought you Johnny Rodgers.

You can't underestimate the value of having a big bat back returning kicks. It changes the way your opponents approach special teams, putting them on the defensive (see: Jeremy Maclin) and forcing them to focus when most teams run through the motions.

It's almost impossible to argue that Nebraska had that this year with five different players recording kickoff returns and two recording punt returns but this much is evident: Nebraska made some big plays on special teams this season. Is that the result of better coaching or simply individual prowess? Hard to say definitively but without the flashy big play potential of a Maclin or Macho Harris--for all Swift did he didn't instill fear in opposing special teams coordinators--Nebraska still managed to get it done often enough to make an impact.

The next step is finding a true weapon on special teams and, more than likely, it's going to be someone we've yet to see. Niles Paul was effective but average on kickoff returns and Swift handled the majority of punt returns on the season but there are a number of potential difference-makers to salivate over waiting in the wings. Khiry Cooper and maybe Rex Burkhead and Taylor Martinez come immediately to mind as uber-athletes who have yet to see the field but only time will tell if Nebraska gets back to the special teams success of old.

Regardless, I think you can say of Nebraska's special teams play in 2008 that the renewed focus and vigor apparent program wide reared its head here as well and that only bodes will for the future.

Read the rest of this series:

Part 1: Offense
Part 2: Defense
Part 3: Special Teams

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