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Who is our KR???

Not if they kick it to the 2. Teams are learning that if they kick it short, the return can be stuffed short of the 25 most of the time.

A strategy may form to allow the ball to bounce into the endzone before downing.
 
Whoever it is just needs to fair catch the damn ball in the end zone. We are probably the worst team when taking the ball out of the endzone. My guess is a conservative 20% of the time we might make it to the 20, not the 25 where we would have gotten it if we stayed in the endzone. So, it can really be anyone as long as they can catch the ball and stand kneel down.
 
A strategy may form to allow the ball to bounce into the endzone before downing.

Allowing the ball to bounce on a kickoff is super risky. If it doesnt go in tge endzone you are screwed. The cover team is 2/3 there when the ball is caught hits ground.
 
Allowing the ball to bounce on a kickoff is super risky. If it doesnt go in tge endzone you are screwed. The cover team is 2/3 there when the ball is caught hits ground.

It's risky because it's a live ball, but it's not as unpredictable as a punt.

Punts are kicked from the air, a couple feet off the ground. This allows punters to control ball rotation and drop the ball at a higher angle, to help prevent it from rolling into the endzone.

Kicks are off of a tee on the ground. The momentum for a ball can only be forward when it hits the ground, since it's kicked from a lower angle and has to land at a lower angle as well. If it hits at the 5 or inside, it's going into the EZ. You have to train your returner to wait and recover, while having 2 or 3 blockers working in front to keep the gunners off of him.

If the ball rolls out of bounds, you get it on the 40. This is a risk reward option, and it has to be properly coached, but it sure beats starting from the 10-15 each drive.
 
Not if they kick it to the 2. Teams are learning that if they kick it short, the return can be stuffed short of the 25 most of the time.

Even if they do that all the team needs to do is find a guy who can return it past the 20. We're talking about 18 yards per return, that should be doable.
 
It's risky because it's a live ball, but it's not as unpredictable as a punt.

Punts are kicked from the air, a couple feet off the ground. This allows punters to control ball rotation and drop the ball at a higher angle, to help prevent it from rolling into the endzone.

Kicks are off of a tee on the ground. The momentum for a ball can only be forward when it hits the ground, since it's kicked from a lower angle and has to land at a lower angle as well. If it hits at the 5 or inside, it's going into the EZ. You have to train your returner to wait and recover, while having 2 or 3 blockers working in front to keep the gunners off of him.

If the ball rolls out of bounds, you get it on the 40. This is a risk reward option, and it has to be properly coached, but it sure beats starting from the 10-15 each drive.
i've seen plenty of times we kicked the KO to the opponent's 25, and right out of bounds...setting them up nicely at the 40.
:shrug:
 
I'll answer your question with one of my own. When was the last time we actually had a KR?



I'd venture to say the last KRer we've had was a gentleman known as "the dump truck".


Salute the nation
 
Blitzburgh‏ @Steel_Curtain4 19m19 minutes ago
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JuJu returned kickoffs at practice today, per @MarkKaboly #Steelers
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Blitzburgh‏ @Steel_Curtain4 19m19 minutes ago
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JuJu returned kickoffs at practice today, per @MarkKaboly #Steelers
1 reply 1 retweet 19 likes
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Great. As if this guy hasn't been injured enough, now they are going to throw him out there to return kicks?? I see IR in this kids future.
 
these are juju's return stats at usc

2014 USC 13 0 0 0 0 11 132 0 22
2015 USC 14 0 0 0 0 4 51 0 27
2016 USC 13 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 2
 
Great. As if this guy hasn't been injured enough, now they are going to throw him out there to return kicks?? I see IR in this kids future.

When was the last time we lost a player to injury when they were returning? I don't know what the fixation is with people crying when someone is made a returner because of the increased risk of getting injured. Every year people crying AB shouldn't be returning kicks he's done it 6 seasons without getting hurt. It's football let them play the game.
 
EVEN at the 5????
95 times out of 100 if the ball lands on the 5 it will still bounce into the end zone. Hell, you could put McCullers back to receive and just tell him to wave goodbye to the ball as it bounces by.
 
You actually have a much higher percentage chance of getting injured on the coverage teams, than you do on the return teams.
 
I think watson will be active as the 3rd rb. I don't know if he has ever returned kicks though. I couldn't find his college stats. Did he kick return in preseason? I didn't notice. My first thought is rogers but I don't know who they will go with. They might put DHB back there as a return guy but I hope not. I don't know if they will go with a rook. My guess is they won't throw juju in there the first game but he might get a chance later on.
 
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Juju is listed as the no 1 and Burns is no 2 watson 3. Since we like using a blocking back we will probably see Juju and Watson. And of course teams will kick it to Watson making him our primary returner..smh
 
The NFL has ruined kickoff returns by moving the kickoff line up 5 yards.

I think Bryant could do a very good job as a kickoff return man if given the chance. We also have Brown as an option. And why not Bell?
 
I honestly believe the Steelers are going to use the touch back approach unless a kick is so under kicked that they catch it at the 5-10 and only need 20 yards to get to the 25. Otherwise, why take it out 5 yards deep and have to get 30 yards to go to the 25? Lets start Ben off with decent field position the one kickoff a game we have to return. :)
 
I honestly believe the Steelers are going to use the touch back approach unless a kick is so under kicked that they catch it at the 5-10 and only need 20 yards to get to the 25. Otherwise, why take it out 5 yards deep and have to get 30 yards to go to the 25? Lets start Ben off with decent field position the one kickoff a game we have to return. :)

Wilcox can return. Rogers can return. We know AB will return most punts. Who knows what Tomlin will do. Good thing is we find out much about this team in FOUR ******* days! HERE WE GO
 
I, for one, am not worried...our offense will score EVERY TIME no matter where we start from. Make it so...
 
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