Catch the ball in the end zone. Kneel down. Go to the 25.

[Husky25]

NCAA Rule 6, Article 7.

Ball Dead in End Zone
ARTICLE 7(a)When a free kick untouched by Team B touches the ground on
or behind Team B’s goal line, the ball becomes dead and belongs to Team B.

Interesting. Didn't know there was a difference in this regard between the NFL vs. NCAA.

On the other hand, should the returner really be expected to take their eyes off the ball to determine where they are standing? What if the ball doesn't roll into the endzone? Oblong balls take funny bounces on uneven turf comprised of grass & dirt. Still too much to contemplate in a couple seconds timeframe.

 

[Palatine]

Interesting. Didn't know there was a difference in this regard between the NFL vs. NCAA.

On the other hand, should the returner really be expected to take their eyes off the ball to determine where they are standing? What if the ball doesn't roll into the endzone? Oblong balls take funny bounces on uneven turf comprised of grass & dirt. Still too much to contemplate in a couple seconds timeframe.

There are two guys deep. It's the job of the man who is not catching the ball to tell the player receiving the ball if he is in the end zone.

 

[Jaybird65]

Interesting conversation for thought.....but the thought of not returning kicks makes me think of.........I don't even want to say his name.....far too much.....

 

[Husky25]

There are two guys deep. It's the job of the man who is not catching the ball to tell the player receiving the ball if he is in the end zone.

Yup and there is theoretically the width of a grass blade between the endzone and the live field of play. So that is one more piece of information that must be disseminated while the ball is in the air.

Just for ha-ha's I took some time to look at the play by plays. It's quick and dirty, but by my count, there were 7 kickoff returns out of 68 (giver or take) that could have been touchbacks, but returned for less than 25 yards (UVA, ECU. SMU, TEM, and 3 vs. UCF.)

25 were touchbacks.

11 traveled the requisite 65 yards, but were returned beyond the 25 yard line (I.e. positive play).

25 did not reach the endzone and could not be downed, so the yard line to where they were returned is irrelevant, but it looks like another 7 did not reach the 25.

So what are we talking about here? 7 chances to start at the 25 vs. one broke tackle on any one of them would have potentially sprung the returner?

To me the returner (be it Skanes, Buss, whoever) generally made the correct decision.

 

[whaler11]

That's not true. A kick off that travels more than 10 yards is a live ball. If the other team recovers it in the endzone it is a touchdown.

Not in college or high school. That’s an NFL rule.

 

[Husky25]

Not in college or high school. That’s an NFL rule.

My mea culpa is further down the thread.

 

[whaler11]

My mea culpa is further down the thread.

Yep saw it after -sorry. The rule that nobody knows in high school and college is that you can’t advance a muff.

Nothing got me yelled at more as an official than parents thinking I stole a touchdown by blowing muffs dead.

 

[Husky25]

Yep saw it after -sorry. The rule that nobody knows in high school and college is that you can’t advance a muff.

Nothing got me yelled at more as an official than parents thinking I stole a touchdown by blowing muffs dead.

No issues.

I probably fall into the same category as 80% or more of football fans. Especially in the Northeast.

Other than 1 foot in bounds, 15 yard Pass interference, and stopped clock after a 1st down, I pretty much apply NFL rules to every level of football.

That and any 50/50 call will go against UConn.

 

[rich1122]

You give up a few yards to offer yourself the ability to take one to the house. Or fumble.

Somebody has determined the risk reward.

Skanes is a burner so Randy figured out it was worth it.

 

[J187Money]

Skanes is ranked 34th in the nation in return yards.

When you give up 70 you get to return a lot of kicks.

He is 51st in YPR, which is 23.1 yards. So statistically he would be better off taking a knee.

Kickoff Returns | FBS Football Statistics - NCAA.com

 

[J187Money]

Yep saw it after -sorry. The rule that nobody knows in high school and college is that you can’t advance a muff.

Nothing got me yelled at more as an official than parents thinking I stole a touchdown by blowing muffs dead.

You said "blowing muffs" hehehe

 

[ktuck911]

How many times do we need to see the ball run out of the end zone to the 15 or 20 yard line before someone realizes we are losing 5 to 10 yards on virtually every kick off return?

Skanes did pretty good against USF... not as good at UCF... but it's refreshing to see. Before this season we hadn't done much of that in over 3 years.... Means were paying attention to special teams a little more now....

 

[Husky25]

So statistically he would be better off taking a knee.

Kickoff Returns | FBS Football Statistics - NCAA.com

By and large, they do when warranted.

Taking a knee on the 3, leaves them 97 yards from scoring).

 

[Waquoit]

Skanes did pretty good against USF... not as good at UCF... but it's refreshing to see. Before this season we hadn't done much of that in over 3 years.... Means were paying attention to special teams a little more now....

What are you talking about? KO returns to the 22 have been a UConn staple for years.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

There are two guys deep. It's the job of the man who is not catching the ball to tell the player receiving the ball if he is in the end zone.

Is that really the reason for the second guy? You always see him putting up the stop sign. Is the return man not supposed to look down and see if he’s in the end zone?

 

[UConnJim]

I think returning kickoffs and punts is part of the culture change at UConn to eradicate the passivity of Diaco. If we return a kick from the end zone and end up on the 22 yard line, I'll accept it as we have seen what happens when passivity sets in.

During Edsall 1.0, punt returns and kickoff returns were important parts of the game. In 2010, we had 3 returns (punt + kickoff) for TDs and in 2009, we had 4 returns for TDs. During the Diaco years, we had o returns for TDs. Look at UConn's kick return rankings:

2017: 42nd Edsall 2.0

2016: 103th Diaco
2015: 108th Diaco
2014: 89th Diaco

2010: 3rd Edsall 1.0
2009: 9th Edsall 1.0
2008: 61st Edsall 1.0

Yes, the NCAA changed the kickoff rules in 2012 to discourage kickoff returns, but I still think kickoff and punt returns are still integral to the game.

 

[Husky25]

During the Diaco years, we had o returns for TDs.

No. There was one. The Stony Brook punter put a 70 yard foot into one and it was returned for a TD.

 

[Palatine]

If we had Larry Taylor, then I would be all for returning KOs out of the end zone. But you need a dynamic player - a weapon- like Taylor to make it worthwhile. Skanes has a lot of quickness but his top lineend speed hasn't been that impressive. Same when Newsome was back there. We have had a few that deserved to be given a chance, Nick Williams, Jordan Todman, but those guys had the ability to bring it back all the way.

But without a weapon at returner, take a knee is the smart play.

 

[Husky25]

If we had Larry Taylor, then I would be all for returning KOs out of the end zone. But you need a dynamic player - a weapon- like Taylor to make it worthwhile. Skanes has a lot of quickness but his top lineend speed hasn't been that impressive. Same when Newsome was back there. We have had a few that deserved to be given a chance, Nick Williams, Jordan Todman, but those guys had the ability to bring it back all the way.

But without a weapon at returner, take a knee is the smart play.

Yup. Fair catch inside your own 5 is the way to go.

So happy you are in the stands and not wearing a headset.

 

[UConnDan97]

Many people are missing the point of trying to return a kick.

Your chances of scoring on an offensive possession do not change measurably if you start at the 25 yard line vs the 22 yard line. Literally no measurable difference. However, there is a measurable difference if your kick return gets you past your own 40 yard line, or better yet, goes all the way for a touchdown.

That's why you do it. Not to get to the 26 yard line. It's to change your statistical chance for a score...

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

This was brutal today. So many drives started at the 10-15 yd line

 

[HurricaneDave]

Shocked that O'Reilly saw his first action as a kick returner, in this game, in the rain. Not sure whose bright idea that was.

Newsome splits enough time with Mensah that I'd much prefer to see him back there. Glad they switched to Skaynes at least after the O'Reilly fumble.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Many people are missing the point of trying to return a kick.

Your chances of scoring on an offensive possession do not change measurably if you start at the 25 yard line vs the 22 yard line. Literally no measurable difference. However, there is a measurable difference if your kick return gets you past your own 40 yard line, or better yet, goes all the way for a touchdown.

That's why you do it. Not to get to the 26 yard line. It's to change your statistical chance for a score...

Solution for UConn . . . recruit better talent. FCS players do not consistently get the better of FBS caliber players. We see thks week in and week out in all phases of the game.

 

[UConnDan97]

Solution for UConn . . . recruit better talent. FCS players do not consistently get the better of FBS caliber players. We see thks week in and week out in all phases of the game.

What the heck does that comment have to do with the philosophy of returning punts???

 

[Waquoit]

That's why you do it. Not to get to the 26 yard line. It's to change your statistical chance for a score...

But in this case the increase in the chance of a score probably isn't worth the chance of a turnover. Nevermind adding in the cumulative ground lost.