Special teams, Special teams and No.8

[TecnoGenius]

Its not a pen its a plastic stir stick....  (had a chuckle with this part of your comment)

OMG!  That's even worse!!     Only thing missing is some 3-D lenses for the glasses. 

[Waffler]

Yes, I've noticed that.  He even had 1 great placement kick in the LDC game.  I think he's only whiffed on the coffin 1-2 times this year (for a nasty penalty, of course).  He's very good at getting it to land in-bounds with a bucket of roll on it where it carries out.  He's also good at not giving away the direction pre-kick and the returner is sometimes caught on the wrong side.

The experiment with him isn't about hang time, it's about placement and trickery to try to avoid any return at all.  Jury is still out on whether this is better.

We've got a 12 game sample size. How many would be enough? Returns are killing us. Simplify. Good hang time and predictable landing points have worked for years already throughout the league.  If they want to experiment, that's what the pre-season is for.

[kkc60]

Ok let?s

#31, 47, 34 there is three guys non contributors running by the returner, or so late to the tackle the play is over.  If we cut those guys no one would even know.

Who else is in coverage?

What pisses me off is that coverage teams is just pride desire and hustle.  Can you identify anyone who actually wants to be a special teams tackler this year?

Hallett and Hallett only. Maybe Cole and Beeksma. It?s embarrassing

[TecnoGenius]

We've got a 12 game sample size. How many would be enough? Returns are killing us.

Ya, I guess the overall result is proving rather bad.  But what if it's ST personnel, coaching and scheme, and not our P?  Wasn't our punt game already trending downhill last season with Leggs as P??  But ya, a great coffin kick once a game may not offset the rest of the punts.

[TecnoGenius]

Hallett and Hallett only. Maybe Cole and Beeksma. It?s embarrassing

Hallett The Uninjured is a monster on teams, and decent on D.  He strikes me as completely insane, thus fulfilling Bo Jackson's #1 prerequisite.  He's a keeper.  So is Cadwal.

So ya, it's the rookies that aren't being effective IMO.  I haven't seen Cole do much of anything, and as an IMP and DI we must have much better production.  Beeksma has been invisible on ST, has he even been out there at all?  The other rookies I don't see doing anything.  Now I understand why we brought Exume back: much better than the current crop.

[Waffler]

Beeksma has been invisible on ST, has he even been out there at all?  The other rookies I don't see doing anything.  Now I understand why we brought Exume back: much better than the current crop.

Beeksma has been injured for weeks. Went down in practice and had to be carried off. It's a knee. Last I saw he had a bandage on it implying some kind of surgery.  No cast though.

[Pigskin]

Hallett The Uninjured is a monster on teams, and decent on D.  He strikes me as completely insane, thus fulfilling Bo Jackson's #1 prerequisite.  He's a keeper.  So is Cadwal.

So ya, it's the rookies that aren't being effective IMO.  I haven't seen Cole do much of anything, and as an IMP and DI we must have much better production.  Beeksma has been invisible on ST, has he even been out there at all?  The other rookies I don't see doing anything.  Now I understand why we brought Exume back: much better than the current crop.

Cole has 9 STs in 9 games with 2 FF. Cole also played in 6 games in 2022 and had 6 STs.  Beeksma has been injured for awhile. He has only played in 3 games and has 2 STs. 

[TecnoGenius]

Cole has 9 STs in 9 games with 2 FF. Cole also played in 6 games in 2022 and had 6 STs.  Beeksma has been injured for awhile. He has only played in 3 games and has 2 STs. 

Weird, I usually pay attention to STs, but I really haven't noted Cole making big plays.  He could be making the mundane / group tackles, guess.  MOS touts his speed, but I think we're all pretty sure he's on the AR mostly because Haba is IR.  Speed isn't everything.

The big-boom ST hitters this year are definitely Hallett and Cadwal.

[TecnoGenius]

I wonder how much of our ST cover problems is due to MOS?  I blame Boudreau for a lot, but MOS is the HC that complains the most about all the dirty play that most teams deploy on ST.  The refs mostly only look at what's happening around the ball, allowing blockers to hold and jam and generally mess with cover guys well beyond what would be considered legal.  MOS complains about this to refs and the league on a regular basis.

So, since MOS mostly walks the walk, he might be giving strict instructions that his own ST guys play clean to the rules.  This could be part of what puts us at a huge disadvantage.

I think we are the least-penalized team for illegal-block, etc, on ST?  That would be partial confirmation of the theory.  And maybe it's the wrong approach: maybe we need to play on the edge a bit more to get the better/big plays at the expense of a couple of IB calls every game.  The other teams have done the math and they think it's worth "cheating".

I'm not sure on any of this, but it could help explain what we see week after week.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Yes, I've noticed that.  He even had 1 great placement kick in the LDC game.  I think he's only whiffed on the coffin 1-2 times this year (for a nasty penalty, of course).  He's very good at getting it to land in-bounds with a bucket of roll on it where it carries out.  He's also good at not giving away the direction pre-kick and the returner is sometimes caught on the wrong side.

The experiment with him isn't about hang time, it's about placement and trickery to try to avoid any return at all.  Jury is still out on whether this is better.

I dunno Sheahan has been alright but I wouldn't object to Karl Schmitz getting an opportunity to see if his bigger leg helps them change field position more in their favour, if it's not working try some adjustments.  Punt game was pretty  good with Leggs.

[Pete]

what seems to drive special teams is similar to the offensive line is players taking ownership and pride in it. Last year this was led by Miller, we need someone or ones to step up. Also need to change up the kicking location,, why, when they have alford and hickson back, do we kick to alford? Because we are so predictable in our kicking other teams can plan their blocking schemes more easily.

[blue_gold_84]

I dunno Sheahan has been alright but I wouldn't object to Karl Schmitz getting an opportunity to see if his bigger leg helps them change field position more in their favour, if it's not working try some adjustments.  Punt game was pretty  good with Leggs.

Liegghio's directional punting ability was pretty solid if memory serves me right.

Sheahan's been okay but it seems like he outkicks his coverage at inopportune times.

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Liegghio's directional punting ability was pretty solid if memory serves me right.

Sheahan's been okay but it seems like he outkicks his coverage at inopportune times.

Riders punter lofted two enormous punts when they needed them.   Sheehan is no Bob Cameron and his net yardage on punts reflects that making him 2nd last in the CFL

[kkc60]

Hallett The Uninjured is a monster on teams, and decent on D.  He strikes me as completely insane, thus fulfilling Bo Jackson's #1 prerequisite.  He's a keeper.  So is Cadwal.

So ya, it's the rookies that aren't being effective IMO.  I haven't seen Cole do much of anything, and as an IMP and DI we must have much better production.  Beeksma has been invisible on ST, has he even been out there at all?  The other rookies I don't see doing anything.  Now I understand why we brought Exume back: much better than the current crop.

should?ve clarified: pre-injury Beeksma looked good in a small sample size. He?s been out awhile.