Why is Landi returning punts?!?!

[GaUSFBull]

With Lamar's small size, he would get absolutely destroyed if he didn't call fair catch and a defender got up on him. 

[Skingraft]

It is very anti-climatic on every punt-Landi is a good kid, just not a PR

I'd like to see murray

[Triple B]

If they can catch kickoffs, they can catch punts.

Actually, it's more different than you might think.

I'm sure it's a little different, but in my experience either you can catch or you can't.

does your experience include returning punts and kickoffs at the FBS BCS level?

unfortunately for your logic, it's not just the kicker/punter and returner out there. there are coverage teams and block teams also.

as an amateur football fan with little understanding of the nuances of the game, i suggest u watch punt and kick returns closely this saturday, Jake...

what you'll find is that there is more pressure from coverage units on punt returns than kick returns. during many punts you'll notice that coverage often BEATS the ball to the returner. this leads, as everyone except Jake_Ryan apparently knows, to fair catches. with the exception of mental error or extremely rare circumstances, fair catch is almost never called on kick returns... why? why is there more coverage on punts? why is kick catching interference never called on kickoff returns?

because during punts, once the ball is snapped the coverage team heads downfield. there is a second or two between the time the ball is snapped and the time the ball leaves the punter's foot. this gives the coverage a head start, and for guys running 40 yards in >5 seconds, a second or two makes an enormous difference.  compare this to kick returns where the coverage team is not allowed to cross the spot of the ball (30 yard line) before the kicker's foot makes contact with the ball. this means no head start because naturally no human being can outrun a ball kicked at full speed.

in other words, while a kick returner has time to simply "catch the ball" and run, a punt returner not only has to "catch the ball," he also has to be aware of coverage that could literally run full speed downfield and blow him up the nanosecond after he catches a ball. in many instances, there is literally a fraction of a second for a punt returner to see the ball into his hands, secure it and run. punt returners have to be more focused than kick returners. it is not as simple as "catch the ball and run."

now u know, and knowing is half the battle.

I can only assume from your post that you have D1 experience returning punts? Otherwise, you are full of sh**.  I'm not sure what got your panties in a wad, but you don't know jack about my football knowledge. You made some big assumptions about me in your post, big boy, that are way off base.

Anyway, enough time wasted on you.  For the record, I'm talking about catching a football. Nothing else.  The way Holtz talks, no one besides Landi can field a punt consistently. There has to be RB or WR on the roster who can catch the dang ball.

I realize it may have been a tad distracting to read BTown's rather condescending post but he really spelled it out rather nicely ... It's not about getting someone who can just "catch the dang ball", but it's getting someone who can catch the dang ball under vastly different circumstances than a kick returner. Anybody following college football this year should realize that muffed punts seemed to have played a part in an unusual amount of games ... I'm sure htis hasn't been lost on Skip and company.

[Jake_Ryan]

If they can catch kickoffs, they can catch punts.

Actually, it's more different than you might think.

I'm sure it's a little different, but in my experience either you can catch or you can't.

does your experience include returning punts and kickoffs at the FBS BCS level?

unfortunately for your logic, it's not just the kicker/punter and returner out there. there are coverage teams and block teams also.

as an amateur football fan with little understanding of the nuances of the game, i suggest u watch punt and kick returns closely this saturday, Jake...

what you'll find is that there is more pressure from coverage units on punt returns than kick returns. during many punts you'll notice that coverage often BEATS the ball to the returner. this leads, as everyone except Jake_Ryan apparently knows, to fair catches. with the exception of mental error or extremely rare circumstances, fair catch is almost never called on kick returns... why? why is there more coverage on punts? why is kick catching interference never called on kickoff returns?

because during punts, once the ball is snapped the coverage team heads downfield. there is a second or two between the time the ball is snapped and the time the ball leaves the punter's foot. this gives the coverage a head start, and for guys running 40 yards in >5 seconds, a second or two makes an enormous difference.  compare this to kick returns where the coverage team is not allowed to cross the spot of the ball (30 yard line) before the kicker's foot makes contact with the ball. this means no head start because naturally no human being can outrun a ball kicked at full speed.

in other words, while a kick returner has time to simply "catch the ball" and run, a punt returner not only has to "catch the ball," he also has to be aware of coverage that could literally run full speed downfield and blow him up the nanosecond after he catches a ball. in many instances, there is literally a fraction of a second for a punt returner to see the ball into his hands, secure it and run. punt returners have to be more focused than kick returners. it is not as simple as "catch the ball and run."

now u know, and knowing is half the battle.

I can only assume from your post that you have D1 experience returning punts? Otherwise, you are full of sh**.  I'm not sure what got your panties in a wad, but you don't know jack about my football knowledge. You made some big assumptions about me in your post, big boy, that are way off base.

Anyway, enough time wasted on you.  For the record, I'm talking about catching a football. Nothing else.  The way Holtz talks, no one besides Landi can field a punt consistently. There has to be RB or WR on the roster who can catch the dang ball.

I realize it may have been a tad distracting to read BTown's rather condescending post but he really spelled it out rather nicely ... It's not about getting someone who can just "catch the dang ball", but it's getting someone who can catch the dang ball under vastly different circumstances than a kick returner. Anybody following college football this year should realize that muffed punts seemed to have played a part in an unusual amount of games ... I'm sure htis hasn't been lost on Skip and company.

I guess I should explain this in more detail.  Let me go back to my original post.

Holtz had said that Landi is returning punts because he trusts him to secure the football.  I get that.  What I don't believe is that there is no one else on the roster that can do that.  Maybe Landi is the best.  But surely others can do it.  After all, these RB's and WR's are D1 recruits that have been playing football all their lives and presumably can catch. 

I understand the differences between a punt and kickoff return (despite BTown's condescending, unwarranted attack).  I don't agree that the act of catching - the part where you actually catch the football - in a punt or a kickoff is much different.  And that seems to be where Holtz's comments are centered.  That he trusts no one but Landi to catch the ball.

My argument is that this thinking is too conservative, especially when you have an offense that is not clicking.  There are times in games when you should be conservative and put Landi back there.  For example, when protecting a lead at the end of the game or when you are backed up to your goal line.  There are also times when you might need a return to spark your team, or change field position, or god forbid, even score.  In those game situations, SURELY there is someone besides Landi that can return punts, and not only catch the ball, but maybe even do something with it if the coverage, etc allows.  I mentioned Shaw and Lamar as examples, since they do it on kickoffs. 

Hope that clarifies my comments so that even BTown can understand.

[Triple B]

I guess I should explain this in more detail.  Let me go back to my original post.

Holtz had said that Landi is returning punts because he trusts him to secure the football.  I get that.  What I don't believe is that there is no one else on the roster that can do that.  Maybe Landi is the best.  But surely others can do it.  After all, these RB's and WR's are D1 recruits that have been playing football all their lives and presumably can catch. 

I understand the differences between a punt and kickoff return (despite BTown's condescending, unwarranted attack).  I don't agree that the act of catching - the part where you actually catch the football - in a punt or a kickoff is much different.  And that seems to be where Holtz's comments are centered.  That he trusts no one but Landi to catch the ball.

I think you are right there, the actual physical part of catching the two types aren't that different but the mental, decision making part are,and I think that's what Holtz is talking about when talking about trust .... Just answer this one question, if he trusted no one but Landi to just catch the ball, and the two returns are no different, why isn't Evan returning kick-offs?

My argument is that this thinking is too conservative, especially when you have an offense that is not clicking.  There are times in games when you should be conservative and put Landi back there.  For example, when protecting a lead at the end of the game or when you are backed up to your goal line.  There are also times when you might need a return to spark your team, or change field position, or god forbid, even score.  In those game situations, SURELY there is someone besides Landi that can return punts, and not only catch the ball, but maybe even do something with it if the coverage, etc allows.  I mentioned Shaw and Lamar as examples, since they do it on kickoffs.

Can't argue too much with that ... would be nice seeing a change of pace back there ... I wonder if they practice "live" punt drills where it's real game like situations? If so, maybe they've just not seen anyone trusted enough to put back there ...

[TrujilloBull2013]

Just answer this one question, if he trusted no one but Landi to just catch the ball, and the two returns are no different, why isn't Evan returning kick-offs?

checkmate.

[DELdaBull]

Wow. We should have had Marc back there a long time ago

[Who'sYourData?]

I think Marc and others have been practicing returning punts since TRex got hurt. It's a lot different than catching passes, so I think it took some time for him to become comfortable.

[Reliable Source]

Well the point is now Moot. TREX has been practicing all week and will be ready, even before that, mighty CSH was gonna move Marc or Lamar back.

[Triple B]

Wow. We should have had Marc back there a long time ago

You mean the Marc who fumbled the ball inside our own 15 yard line?