Bobcat Attack - Ohio Football - Attention Brian Haines

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Topic: Attention Brian Haines

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Paul Graham

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Posted: 10/7/2012 8:12 PM

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I realize its your first year in charge of special teams and everything, but...your punt formation sucks. The punter is way too close to the three guys guarding him.

The scariest part is that its been obviously terrible from the start of the season and yet here we are, 6 weeks deep, and you have made no visible adjustments.

Every team that plays us from here on out should do themselves a favor and bring the house on every Ohio punt.

So please, for the love of all that is holy, stop the insanity and do something to fix this.

xoxoxo
PG

RSBobcat

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Posted: 10/7/2012 8:43 PM

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What - more criticism before the issue actually results in a loss? Have you no shame????

Valley Cat

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Posted: 10/7/2012 9:18 PM

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That has been Ohio's punt formation long before Haines was the ST coach.

bobcat695

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Posted: 10/7/2012 9:20 PM

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I went out to the parking lot for a sandwich and a beer at halftime. As I walked back in my buddy told me I got back just in time to see a punt blocked. It immediately happened on that play. I also think Grant is holding on to the ball too long.

On a related note, Matt Weller was a huge asset last year. Why in the world did Frank go for it on 4th down late in the game instead of kicking a 35 yard FG to go up by 3 scores? We aren't the only ones scared of special teams right now. Frank is too.

Ohio0710

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Posted: 10/7/2012 9:42 PM

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In my opinion, the punting problems are related to a combination of poor snaps and the punter holding the ball too long. The formation / strategy is used by many teams throughout the country and is solid.

Paul Graham

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Paul Graham

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Posted: 10/7/2012 10:05 PM

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Ohio0710 wrote:expand_more

I just rewatched yesterday's block. The snap is fine and Venham's doesn't hold the ball very long. The problem is that the rush reached the wall protecting Venham and because he's too close to them, all they had to do was jump up and they got a piece of it.

It also seems like we let a few guys through clean, I guess the idea being that they won't be able to get passed the wall. However, that doesn't work when they can block the kick without breaking through.

We need to do something different. When Buffalo took the field for punts I never felt like we had a chance at a block. I can't articulate why exactly, but I just didn't. But like someone else mentioned, I also commented to my buddies something like "watch this punt get blocked." My main point: you can just tell when we take the field that something is not right.

Hooligan

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Posted: 10/7/2012 10:07 PM

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I think it has to do more with bad snaps than anything. By the end of the year Venham's going to give Herman a football enema. Something has to change within OUr punt team before it costs us a game.

Bobcat Grad 86

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Posted: 10/7/2012 10:18 PM

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Hooligan wrote:expand_more

I think it has to do more with bad snaps than anything. By the end of the year Venham's going to give Herman a football enema. Something has to change within OUr punt team before it costs us a game.

Football Enema the morning of Hurricane Irene here in Richmond:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMx1MKJYMzg

UpSan Bobcat

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Posted: 10/7/2012 11:05 PM

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bobcat695 wrote:expand_more

On a related note, Matt Weller was a huge asset last year. Why in the world did Frank go for it on 4th down late in the game instead of kicking a 35 yard FG to go up by 3 scores? We aren't the only ones scared of special teams right now. Frank is too.

I think that would be the decision most coaches would make. You're in great position up by two scores, giving up the ball to the other team 80 yards from the end zone with 2 minutes left and no timeouts. You don't do anything with any amount of risk involved, no matter how good or bad your kicking game has been.

BillyTheCat

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Posted: 10/7/2012 11:15 PM

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Congrats to Coach Haines on the great KO Return scheme that resulted in the 100+ yard return that got the Cats some life!

As for holding or not holding a punt to long, what do you consider a good snap to kick time?

brotherbobcat

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Posted: 10/7/2012 11:37 PM

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The biggest thing i have noticed on the blocked punts is the wall is not stepping up to hit the defenders...it seems as though they are waiting on the defenders to come to them which results in the wall being pushed back about 3 yards instead of attacking them...you have to also take in consideration the strength of the long snapper...maybe they need to challenge miles a little more and make grant step back a couple yards...i definitely think miles has the strength to get it back there so why not try it...grant seems to be getting the punt off in a timely manner considering he had to pick one off the ground and still got it off (it was close though)...i know fans always pick up on the negative things but he is a red shirt freshman and with a new special teams coach and they still have managed 3 over 50 yards and 13 of his 21 punts have been inside the 20...the punter and place kicker jobs are always the hardest to please people...you are either a hero or a zero no in between...i think tyhe coaches know they have a problem and im sure they are not ignoring it...Go Cats!

Casper71

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Posted: 10/8/2012 12:35 AM

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First, I want to say that I support the current staff and am proud of their accomplishments. But the punt thing has been a problem all year. By game 6, I would think the problem would be solved. i agree that it just looks like the punter is way too close to the wall and the wall does not attack the opponents coming in. In addition, i suppose the big splits on the line let guys get in the cover lanes quicker but it also allows the opponents to get thru to the punter quicker. just not sure I like those big splits.

Monroe Slavin

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Posted: 10/8/2012 3:17 AM

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Bingo...thought I was the only one who saw that it's a function of the wide splits and, apparently, trying to get guys downfield to cover the kicks--thereby leaving less blocking for getting the punts off.

SBH

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Posted: 10/8/2012 8:12 AM

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The decision not to kick the FG was astonishing - really could have cost us. There's no way to rationalize it.

Bobcat36

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Posted: 10/8/2012 10:26 AM

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A blocked field goal can be returned for a touchdown. With less than 2 minutes left on the clock and having held Buffalo to under 100 yds passing the entire game (minus the reverse pass yardage) I see no reason to take the risk.

Bobcat36

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Posted: 10/8/2012 11:45 AM

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By the way Coach Haines...In the extremely unlikely event that you have the time on your hands to read this...I'm sure Mr Graham would be happy to provide you with his cell number in the even that you need his expertise with some formation nuance that you've yet to encounter in your 8 year college coaching career.

bobcat695

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Posted: 10/8/2012 12:00 PM

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There was a little less than 2 minutes on the clock when they chose not to kick the FG. Buffalo scored in 1:45 to make it a one possession game. A made FG would've put Ohio up by 17 with less than 2:00 remaining. Matt was booming his kickoffs, so starting beyond the 25 was unlikely.

Instead, Buffalo got the ball on the 23 only down 2 scores. I know it is still unlikely Ohio would lose, but what would've happened if UB recovered the onside kick after their quick score? I saw them score a TD on a hail mary to Neutz two weeks ago against Kent as time expired in the first half.

I am not a football coach and have faith in our coaches to call the plays. I also have faith in our players to make plays. I think not kicking the FG only damages Weller's confidence more by saying, "We don't have 100% faith in your ability to ice the game." I hope it is a non-issue, but I would prefer to see our team go back to stepping on the throat of our competition when we have them down. Confidence is dangerous and our team needs that swagger back on the sidelines.

Brian Smith (No, not that one)

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Posted: 10/8/2012 12:06 PM

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I always thought being the special teams coach has to be a helpless feeling.

The kickers and punters are on their own planet. You don't really coach them. They're like a singing diva you just have to keep happy while keeping all the red M&Ms out of the candy bowl. And your whole goal is to not say anything that sends them into any sort of crisis of confidence because their job is as solid as a tenured professor because you're not going to use any more scholarships to bring MORE of these extraterrestrials onto the team.

"That 34-yard kick you missed was good, REAL GOOD!!!"

"It's a good thing you punted that ball 12 yards!"

Most of the special teams stuff isn't scheme, it's effort, execution and luck.

You're the first guy to get chewed out by the head coach for a loss, because no one's going to stick up for the special team's coach. You're the easiest to fire, too.

And every player who you're coaching is aiming to start and get off your special teams unit.

Being the special teams coach is to be the Jerry Gergich of the coaching world.

Last Edited: 10/8/2012 12:13:12 PM by Brian Smith (No, not that one)

Paul Graham

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Posted: 10/8/2012 4:47 PM

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Bobcat36 wrote:expand_more

By the way Coach Haines...In the extremely unlikely event that you have the time on your hands to read this...

Yeah, he's crazy busy ensuring that I have a panic attack on every Ohio 4th down.

Don't forget, we've also had two field goals blocked this year too. And the one at UMass was a scheme thing, not some amazing individual effort. Arkley came to the same conclusion. And again, it was obvious to me as casual observer that they were going to block a kick eventually. If a computer programmer can figure it out, why can't the coaches?

Bobcat Grad 86

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Posted: 10/8/2012 4:55 PM

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Al Groh is now looking for a new job, but I would recommend sticking with Coach Haines!

OhioCatFan

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Posted: 10/9/2012 10:17 AM

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If our head coach was Brian Knorr, PapaL or Old Freak Nasty, I could understand this criticism. However, Frank knows football, and I'm sure he'll tell Haines what to do if he doesn't figure it out himself. At Donato's yesterday, Frank briefly addressed the kicking issue. A rough paraphrase of what he said was that the problems are ones of execution not scheme and that in terms of punting statistics can be misleading because we've had a lot of short field punts. He acted like this whole issue was a rather minor glitch that would only take a little tweaking. Bottom line: Nothing goes unnoticed or unaddressed. He may be as old as OCF (actual a few months older) but he's a heck of a lot more astute, at least when it comes to football!