Golden Nuggets: Did Special Teams Improve This Year?

by Berkelium97 on Dec 16, 2010 3:30 PM PST in Golden Nuggets

JO's season in review continues today with special teams. Despite Genyk's improvements in some areas of special teams (kickoff distance, mainly), several problems carried over from the Alamar era. Will things improve in coming season with Genyk, or are we doomed to shout "ALAMAAAR!" after every kick/punt return?

But the problems persisted. In terms of sheer numbers, Cal’s punt and kickoff coverage actually got worse this season. With the bowl season still to play, the Bears rank 107th nationally in punt return yardage against (12.95 yards per return). They are also on of just seven teams in the country that allowed two punt returns for touchdowns this season (one on a blocked punt against Arizona State). Two teams allowed three punts to be returned for scores.

The Bears ranked 83rd in punt return defense last season (10.52).

Kickoff return defense got worse as well. Last year, Cal ranked 58th nationally (21.49). This year, the Bears are at No. 84 (22.48).
...
One of the reasons Tedford hired Genyk was his history working with kickers. Cal kicker Giorgio Tavecchio still needs some work. The good news is he consistently drove the ball deeper with his kickoffs this season. The bad news is he is still extremely inconsistent with his field goals, and needs to prove he can produce in the clutch, like he did last season at Arizona State.

After the jump the Pac-12 network comes into focus, Kansas suspends a senior guard for the Cal game (and beyond), Cal-Kansas nears a sellout, and Rich Feller is named AVCA Coach of the Year.

Football

Basketball

Kansas guard Mario Little has been suspended and will miss the Cal game next week.
Next week's game against Kansas is nearly sold out. As of Wendesday afternoon, only 1200 tickets were still available.
Faraudo's "20 questions" guest this week is Markhuri Sanders-Frison.
Al Birsch of the 1959 NCAA championship team will be honored at the Kansas game as the first recipient of the Pete Newell Career Achievement Award.
Wilner examines the state of the Pac-10 with two weeks to go before conference play starts.

Volleyball

Coach Rich Feller was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year.

Swimming

Natalie Coughlin broke the American record (which she set) for 100-meter backstroke and won a gold medal at the FINA Short Course World Championships.

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Willner has us behind Ucla?

Man, that guy must think we REALLY stink!

Well, you're not hardcore unless you live hardcore.

by SoCal Oski on Dec 16, 2010 4:52 PM PST reply actions

I think part of our punting problems is Anger’s monster leg. I think our best day punting was against Oregon, where Anger was punting for hang time instead of distance. And then, ironically enough, he out-punts his coverage and it’s returned for a TD and we lose the game by 2 points.

by mrjpark on Dec 16, 2010 10:26 PM PST reply actions

I never really good the sense that kick off returns were that bad…certainly worse later in the year, but not nearly as bad as last year. I suspect even with our crappy coverage, we still did better (or maybe push) in terms of average opponent’s starting field position following kick-offs. I swear last year it seemed like ever possession started between the 35 and the 50 yard line (or worse).

by dchu on Dec 16, 2010 11:17 PM PST reply actions

I’m not a fan of the rugby-style kick that we have Anger occasionally do, nor of the blocking formation with the three guys in the backfield.

Maybe this isn’t actually the case, but it seemed to me that Anger often shanked the former. And as for the blocking, it’s always looked awkward to me, like Anger couldn’t fully stride into his kicks and get his jaw-dropping hang time. It’s not like Cal had a problem of getting kicks blocked with the old, traditional blocking scheme of just one back behind the line of scrimmage, right?

Go Bears!

by California Pete on Dec 17, 2010 8:56 AM PST reply actions

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