About all those blocked kicks…

[Bootie]

I don’t know what our secret is here, but it’s super fun to see a group have success like this and begin to feed off of it. I’d sure hate to be the opposing team lining up for an important FG or XP.

What are we doing to have so much success in this area, and how concerned should I be that it might make us more vulnerable to a fake in an important situation? Can you go for the block AND be well-prepared for a fake at the same time?

[gman84]

Jack Barton talks about what they are doing in the post game interview. Remarkable effort!

[FUwolfpacker]

Sochovka, Barton, and Hendrix have all talked about it at one point. It's not super complicated. 0 and 7 line up over the area the feel is the most vulnerable, get low and give max effort. Barton has been the beneficiary from a lot of that push as he is able to slip behind the opening they create from that push. Both Barton and Sochovka give a lot of credit to Coleman being the guy that really makes things happen.

Not sure if we are more vulnerable to a fake. That is above my pay grade. Wouldn't be surprised to see it at some point. I'm a little surprised we didn't see it against Wofford or Mercer given our success there this year.

I thought it was cool that Hendrix mentioned on Monday that he was surprised what with all the blocks that one hadn't deflected to a place where we could pick it up and return it. Then it happens twice against Wofford including the first documented blocked FG returned for a touchdown!

[purplehorse]

I know nothing about this topic but it almost seems to me that if a school had a 7 footer on its basketball team that player could be used only on critical kicks and be successful at blocking a few kicks?

[The Jackal]

I don’t know what our secret is here, but it’s super fun to see a group have success like this and begin to feed off of it. I’d sure hate to be the opposing team lining up for an important FG or XP.

What are we doing to have so much success in this area, and how concerned should I be that it might make us more vulnerable to a fake in an important situation? Can you go for the block AND be well-prepared for a fake at the same time?

Yes.

You can see we typically send the house in a clear kick situation from the direction the kicker is trying to place the ball.

Here's the play against Mercer. Mercer's down three and you know they are going to try to make this. Even with a 7 guys trying to get to the ball, there are still four players (two linebackers - Kuzemka and Sciana; two DBs - Ryan and Robinson) who aren't rushing the kick. Those four guys are defending against the fake.

Against Wofford, I think we anticipated they may fake it based on game situation. You can see a lot less of an agressive rush, particularly from the edge. Most of those guys are hanging back and watching for a pass.

[The Jackal]

If I was an opposing coach, the one weak spot may be an inside look opposite of the rush. Usually we just have Luke Clark on the line on that side.

We have bodies to try to defend the run to either side. Honestly, I'm not sure you get an inside pitch off considering how big the push is up the middle. One option is to run the kicker, but that's obviously risky.

OU ran an inside fake with the kicker (pretty rare) earlier this year. You can see, though, they scouted Iowa State's approach. Furman seems to be accounting for that possibility in their scheme. Most teams don't want their kicker taking on a linebacker in the hole.

[gofurman]

I don’t know what our secret is here, but it’s super fun to see a group have success like this and begin to feed off of it. I’d sure hate to be the opposing team lining up for an important FG or XP.

What are we doing to have so much success in this area, and how concerned should I be that it might make us more vulnerable to a fake in an important situation? Can you go for the block AND be well-prepared for a fake at the same time?

Yes.

You can see we typically send the house in a clear kick situation from the direction the kicker is trying to place the ball.

Here's the play against Mercer. Mercer's down three and you know they are going to try to make this. Even with a 7 guys trying to get to the ball, there are still four players (two linebackers - Kuzemka and Sciana; two DBs - Ryan and Robinson) who aren't rushing the kick. Those four guys are defending against the fake.

Against Wofford, I think we anticipated they may fake it based on game situation. You can see a lot less of an agressive rush, particularly from the edge. Most of those guys are hanging back and watching for a pass.

Yeah, I keep waiting for someone to fake and use our aggression against us. I mean it's the analogy of a screen pass vs a blitz... So for so good !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am in AWE of our block FGs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MidlandsPaladin]

Aren't we at 9 blocked kicks? 6 FG, 2XP, and 1 punt?

I wondered if we were close to a record, so I looked it up. I assume this is the record...it came from here:
https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2022/7/7/20 ... cords.aspx

FCS Record: TOTAL KICKS BLOCKED Most Opponents’ Total Kicks Blocked (Includes punts, field goals, PATs) 13—Davidson, 1999 (6 punts, 4 field goals, 3 PATs)

FBS Record: OPPONENTS’ KICKS BLOCKED Most Punts Blocked 11—Arkansas St., 1975 (11 games, 95 punts against) Most Field Goals Blocked 6—Kentucky, 2004 Most Blocked Field Goals Returned For a Touchdown 2—Louisiana, 2003 (vs. South Carolina, Aug. 30 & FIU, Nov. 8); Fresno St., 2018 (vs. Idaho, Sept. 1) Most PAT Kicks Blocked 6—Duke, 1993

[gofurman]

Aren't we at 9 blocked kicks? 6 FG, 2XP, and 1 punt?

I wondered if we were close to a record, so I looked it up. I assume this is the record...it came from here:
https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2022/7/7/20 ... cords.aspx

FCS Record: TOTAL KICKS BLOCKED Most Opponents’ Total Kicks Blocked (Includes punts, field goals, PATs) 13—Davidson, 1999 (6 punts, 4 field goals, 3 PATs)

FBS Record: OPPONENTS’ KICKS BLOCKED Most Punts Blocked 11—Arkansas St., 1975 (11 games, 95 punts against) Most Field Goals Blocked 6—Kentucky, 2004 Most Blocked Field Goals Returned For a Touchdown 2—Louisiana, 2003 (vs. South Carolina, Aug. 30 & FIU, Nov. 8); Fresno St., 2018 (vs. Idaho, Sept. 1) Most PAT Kicks Blocked 6—Duke, 1993

we actually tipped a punt v Wofford though I don't know if that counts? It certainly helps! I am pretty sure this occured?

[gofurman]

regardless, these are COMPLETE GAME CHANGERS !!!. I am always shocked more teams don't focus more attention on this - including us some years. It's worth at least one win a year with a FG block.. That Mercer FG block was a huge momentum shift.

[gofurman]

I know nothing about this topic but it almost seems to me that if a school had a 7 footer on its basketball team that player could be used only on critical kicks and be successful at blocking a few kicks?

I wonder the same thing. Especially in FBS with 85 scholarships? Or even a split scholarship in FCS with a then give a 1/2 scholarship to a 6'10 athletic jumper on a 1/2 baskteball scholarhip??? Wouldn't that be worth it esp in FBS with 85 players? That's a block or so a year with a 6'10" athlete

[The Jackal]

Our FG blocks are not necessarily overly aggressive.

We've got three big bodies that are all 6'3, 6'4 that teams are struggling to block up the middle. Against Wofford, we blocked a kick essentially rushing 3 with 8 guys hanging back.

[HKB60]

I don’t know what our secret is here, but it’s super fun to see a group have success like this and begin to feed off of it. I’d sure hate to be the opposing team lining up for an important FG or XP.

What are we doing to have so much success in this area, and how concerned should I be that it might make us more vulnerable to a fake in an important situation? Can you go for the block AND be well-prepared for a fake at the same time?

Proud to say that my nephew Jack Barton has been a dominant force for the defense this year. He leads the nation in blocked kicks! Even though he isn't a good enough athlete to play the O-line, he is a hell of a D lineman!!
Yes.

You can see we typically send the house in a clear kick situation from the direction the kicker is trying to place the ball.

Here's the play against Mercer. Mercer's down three and you know they are going to try to make this. Even with a 7 guys trying to get to the ball, there are still four players (two linebackers - Kuzemka and Sciana; two DBs - Ryan and Robinson) who aren't rushing the kick. Those four guys are defending against the fake.

Against Wofford, I think we anticipated they may fake it based on game situation. You can see a lot less of an agressive rush, particularly from the edge. Most of those guys are hanging back and watching for a pass.

[FUBeAR]

I don’t know what our secret is here, but it’s super fun to see a group have success like this and begin to feed off of it. I’d sure hate to be the opposing team lining up for an important FG or XP.

What are we doing to have so much success in this area, and how concerned should I be that it might make us more vulnerable to a fake in an important situation? Can you go for the block AND be well-prepared for a fake at the same time?

Proud to say that my nephew Jack Barton has been a dominant force for the defense this year. He leads the nation in blocked kicks! Even though he isn't a good enough athlete to play the O-line, he is a hell of a D lineman!!
Yes.

You can see we typically send the house in a clear kick situation from the direction the kicker is trying to place the ball.

Here's the play against Mercer. Mercer's down three and you know they are going to try to make this. Even with a 7 guys trying to get to the ball, there are still four players (two linebackers - Kuzemka and Sciana; two DBs - Ryan and Robinson) who aren't rushing the kick. Those four guys are defending against the fake.

Against Wofford, I think we anticipated they may fake it based on game situation. You can see a lot less of an agressive rush, particularly from the edge. Most of those guys are hanging back and watching for a pass.

Sometimes the foot’s been on the other shoe, though.



BTW - Jack Barton told FUBeAR he found this picture at Uncle 60’s house when he was a little shaver…and studied it almost every night for many years in the development and perfection of his technique.

[gman84]

Wonder who 54 is ?