Is the punting job Legghio's to lose?

[Stats Junkie]

What is the net punt average info on the other punters in 2022? Where is the info and where punts are made? IE: If you're punting from the opponent side of the field, you may not be looking for distance as much as from your own side of the field. A 30 yard punt from the opponent 40 yard line that goes out on their 5 impacts the math over the course of a season.

How many punts inside the 20 did he or any other punter have?

First of all, I measure net as the distance between the line of scrimmage on the punt and the line of scrimmage on the next play. I believe that this more accurately reflects the net yards gained by a punt.

Example: 45 yard punt with a return of 12 yards is a 33 yard net. That same punt & return with a no yards penalty is scored as a 45 yard net by the CFL when the net gain is only 30 yards.


Punts from Own side of centre (2022) - net average
41.9 Cody Grace
39.7 Marc Liegghio
39.5 Joseph Zima
39.5 Richie Leone
33.6 Jon Ryan (last in CFL)
38.2 CFL average

% Punts that go for a single (2022) - from opposition side of centre
0.0% Stefan Flintoft
5.6% Cody Grace
6.3% Richie Leone
31.3% Marc Liegghio
33.3% Matt Mengel (last in CFL)
14.5% CFL average

% Punts inside the 20 (2022) - from opposition side of centre
69.2% Joseph Zima
66.7% Cody Grace
64.3% Stefan Flintoft
37.5% Marc Liegghio
0.0% Sergio Castillo, Boris Bede, Matt Mengel (last in CFL)
52.0% CFL average

[Blue In BC]

First of all, I measure net as the distance between the line of scrimmage on the punt and the line of scrimmage on the next play. I believe that this more accurately reflects the net yards gained by a punt.

Example: 45 yard punt with a return of 12 yards is a 33 yard net. That same punt & return with a no yards penalty is scored as a 45 yard net by the CFL when the net gain is only 30 yards.


Punts from Own side of centre (2022) - net average
41.9 Cody Grace
39.7 Marc Liegghio
39.5 Joseph Zima
39.5 Richie Leone
33.6 Jon Ryan (last in CFL)
38.2 CFL average

% Punts that go for a single (2022) - from opposition side of centre
0.0% Stefan Flintoft
5.6% Cody Grace
6.3% Richie Leone
31.3% Marc Liegghio
33.3% Matt Mengel (last in CFL)
14.5% CFL average

% Punts inside the 20 (2022) - from opposition side of centre
69.2% Joseph Zima
66.7% Cody Grace
64.3% Stefan Flintoft
37.5% Marc Liegghio
0.0% Sergio Castillo, Boris Bede, Matt Mengel (last in CFL)
52.0% CFL average

That's really good data as well. It shows that Liegghio is 2nd best net punting  average when kicking from his end of the field.

The next data point about singles scored depends on how we want to take that in a given game. No return, no injury to coverage teams as a result in theory and fixed field position for opponent.
Our defence gave up the least points so an opponent potentially with a better field position may have been preferable when scoring a point. A single point is not always a bad thing.

The last data point and other information from others: we had the 2nd most kicks inside the 20 but close to the lowest from opposition side of field. OTOH we also had a higher % of singles.

Generally in 2022 I took shorter kicks ( inside the 20 ) or kicks for singles, largely as tactical decisions from coaches. I can't prove it one way or the other.  There is a lot of strategy from coaches in the kicking game. It might be an interesting question for O'Shea within a specific criteria what the strategy might be.

The net yardage from Bomber territory makes me feel he has the " leg " for distance when it's called for.

[the paw]

The data is clear.  Legghio is a competent but mediocre punter.

His net average from own side of center is clustered with a number of others a few yards behind the leader.  That is his strong suit, but its also the least demanding aspect of punting.

Despite all the mental gymnastics around tactical situations, kicking for singles is not desirable, except for the last 30 seconds of a tie game.  Legs kicks far too many singles.  It is far more preferable to pin them inside the 20, and Legs does that at a dismal level.  Translation: punts that would be angled out of bounds are going for singles.

His punting isn't likely to cost us any games.  But its not at a level where he should feel he has strong job security.

[Blue In BC]

The data is clear.  Legghio is a competent but mediocre punter.

His net average from own side of center is clustered with a number of others a few yards behind the leader.  That is his strong suit, but its also the least demanding aspect of punting.

Despite all the mental gymnastics around tactical situations, kicking for singles is not desirable, except for the last 30 seconds of a tie game.  Legs kicks far too many singles.  It is far more preferable to pin them inside the 20, and Legs does that at a dismal level.  Translation: punts that would be angled out of bounds are going for singles.

His punting isn't likely to cost us any games.  But its not at a level where he should feel he has strong job security.

He's 2nd whether the punters behind him are not that far behind doesn't change that fact.

5 punters had 3 single points, 2 had 4 singles, 1 had 5 singles and he had 6.  In an 18 game schedule is the difference between 3 and 6 that significant  to say it's " too many ". Without even knowing whether a given single in a game was important to be made or what field position it was kicked from?

Liegghio had the 2nd most punts ( 28 ) inside the 20 yard line, only 2 behind the top of 30 kicker. That's a higher criteria than having ended up with 3 more single points.

Example: Haggerty in Toronto had 5 singles, the 2nd longest punting but was only 0.4 yards better in net punt average.

[Tee42]

People wrote off Leggs prematurely.  Accept him or cut him.  He is valuable. Canadian, does all 3. Either way, good trade value or a good kicker for us.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Liegghio had a strong game tonight. Not sure it will be enough but he doesn't need to hang his head. Good for him.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Liegghio had a strong game tonight. Not sure it will be enough but he doesn't need to hang his head. Good for him.

Agreed albeit he kicked his first punt out of bounds which resulting in a 10 yard penalty and a net of 33 yards on the punt.
If the Bombers decide to move on from a kicker they drafted another team will snap him up

[Blue In BC]

Agreed albeit he kicked his first punt out of bounds which resulting in a 10 yard penalty and a net of 33 yards on the punt.
If the Bombers decide to move on from a kicker they drafted another team will snap him up

I just re-watched that play and I'm still confused. The refs called the ball out at the 17 yard line and initially set the LOS as such. Then they huddled and said illegal kick O/B. Then they re-set the LOS at the 27 yard line.  That's 10 yards added to where they said it went out at the 17 yard line.

So if the ball actually went out at the 22 yard line ( for arguments sake) then why did the re-set go to the 27 yard line? Did they not know where the ball went out? Or did they mess up re-setting the LOS at the 27 yard line?

The ref was standing on the 17 yard line and he's the guy that decides. What happened?

[Tee42]

it was a bad call on the placement.

[Blue In BC]

it was a bad call on the placement.

Then that would suggest the refs made 2 different mistakes on that play. Even in pre-season the process for determining where the ball goes out of bounds is straight forward. I don't know if we've seen it overturned in that fashion before.

[Stats Junkie]

I just re-watched that play and I'm still confused. The refs called the ball out at the 17 yard line and initially set the LOS as such. Then they huddled and said illegal kick O/B. Then they re-set the LOS at the 27 yard line.  That's 10 yards added to where they said it went out at the 17 yard line.

So if the ball actually went out at the 22 yard line ( for arguments sake) then why did the re-set go to the 27 yard line? Did they not know where the ball went out? Or did they mess up re-setting the LOS at the 27 yard line?

The ref was standing on the 17 yard line and he's the guy that decides. What happened?

2 years ago that was a good punt. I think the ref crew got a jingle from the command centre reminding them that the rule changed last year & a penalty should be called (out of bounds between the 15s now)

[Blue In BC]

2 years ago that was a good punt. I think the ref crew got a jingle from the command centre reminding them that the rule changed last year & a penalty should be called (out of bounds between the 15s now)

Aha. That explains it?

[NewBlue]

I think we will regret it if we do end up cutting Leggs.
But, I guess it is all about this year.

[Tee42]

Agree.  They can?t be short sighted.  Next year there may be vets retiring across the league.  Leggs is 26 lots of life left in him.  Having him in PR is not going to work. 

[bomb squad]

I think he showed just enough to hang on as the active punter. But I also won?t be surprised if he?s let go. The other punters did well.